TJ Wharton has a homecoming to lead GTCC's baseball program

TJ Wharton grew up in Tampa, Florida, but when he recently accepted the Guilford Technical Community College baseball head coaching job, it marked a homecoming of sorts.

Wharton is a product of the GTCC baseball program he now leads. He was the starting catcher on the 2013 GTCC squad before transferring to Catawba College where he played for two years.

Wharton served as an assistant coach at Florida Institute of Technology the past two seasons and was excited about a third when he learned of the GTCC opening and applied for the position.

"To be a head coach has been my goal since I got into (college) coaching," said Wharton. "It's what I have a passion for.

"I had the interview here and then Kirk (GTCC athletic director Kirk Chandler) called me back a few days later and offered the job. Then, there were three days of nonstop talking logistics, and it all just made sense. We decided it would be the best decision for us."

So, Wharton, his wife Taylor, their four-month-old baby and two dogs headed north, and he assumed leadership of the program for which he once played.

"We're really glad to have TJ join us," Chandler shared. "His baseball coaching background is very strong, and our student-athletes have benefited from that already."

Although Wharton attended GTCC for only a year, it was a pivotal point in his life. He had moved to the Piedmont Triad to attend UNC Greensboro but got caught up in a coaching change after one season and left the team.

"My big memory of being here (GTCC) was embracing the drive of taking ownership of my career," recalled Wharton. "I had just gotten cut for the first time. I had thoughts of not wanting to even play anymore. It was a chance to revive my career, and it did."

Wharton went on to play two years at Catawba College, where he was an all-conference and all-region designated hitter and helped lead Catawba to two regular season titles and an NCAA Division II national runner-up finish his senior year.

Wharton briefly gave professional baseball a shot in 2016, playing in the Pecos League, where he was an all-star, and with the Ottawa Champions of the Canadian-American League.

Wharton took over the GTCC program just before the 2025 season began with 22 rostered players for the 47-game regular season. Wharton says that he and his players have a lot of drive within themselves and are excited for the season.

"Returning to North Carolina, where my baseball journey began, feels like coming full circle. My family and I are excited to be back in a community that means so much to me. GTCC represents an incredible opportunity to not just coach baseball, but to transform young athletes' lives and help them achieve their dreams."

For more information on the GTCC baseball team and schedule, visit: gtcctitans.com.