Brad Welker begins his first year as a volunteer assistant coach with Arkansas after spending the 2007 season in the same position at Dallas Baptist University .

Welker will assist with the UA hitters as well as coaching the Hogs' catchers. He also serves as the Razorbacks' first base coach and helps to organize and run daily practice sessions.

The 2008 season will mark Welker's fourth in collegiate coaching. He joined the Diamond Hogs' staff in July of 2007 after serving as a volunteer assistant coach at Dallas Baptist during for the 2007 season. Welker worked with the outfielders and hitters during his one season with the Patriots.

He began his coaching career at Seminole [Okla.] State College in 2005 and 2006. At Seminole State he coached the hitters and infielders. He also recruited for Trojans while helping 19 players get drafter during his two years at SSC.

Welker was a four-year letterman at Gonzaga (2000, 02-04) as a middle infielder for the Bulldogs. He was a career .275 hitter while also pitching 22.1 innings for Gonzaga as a sophomore in 2002. He turned in his best season as a senior in 2004 with a .286 overall batting average with six doubles and 17 RBI, including a .386 average in West Coast Conference games.

He graduated from Gonzaga in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in history. He then earned his master's in secondary education and sports administration from East Central [Okla.] University in 2006.

Welker is the older brother of former Arkansas hurler Duke Welker, who went 7-5 for Arkansas in 2007 and was drafted in the second round by the Pittsburgh Pirates with the No. 68 overall pick in last year's MLB Draft.

Brad was born Nov. 19, 1980. He is the son of John and Jill Welker. His mother, Jill, was an All-American gymnast at the University of Washington and Seattle Pacific University. His father, John, played basketball and baseball at Gonzaga. His older brother, Kris, played baseball at the University of Iowa and then in the Chicago White Sox organization.