Biography

The first high school coach ever elected president of the college-dominated American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), O’Connell has spent 42 years coaching baseball.

From 1969 through 2000, he coached at Milwaukee Pulaski High School, where his teams won more games than any sport in the school’s history. He led Pulaski to state tournament berths in 1981, when they reached the state semifinals, and in 1989. He has been at Burlington Catholic Central for 11 seasons, and his Hilltopper teams have made the state quarterfinals eight consecutive years. They went on to win four state championships, in 2004, 2005, 2008 and 2010.

O’Connell has twice been named the Diamond Sports National High School Coach of the Year by the ABCA, most recently in 2010, and has been named Midwest Coach of the Year four times. In 1995, he skippered the USA Baseball North Team in the United States Olympic Festival in Colorado, a team that featured four future major leaguers. O’Connell chaired the ABCA’s High School Division from 1984-96, and now serves on its Board of Directors and heads its Ethics in Coaching Award Committee.

A former president of the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association, O’Connell organized and ran the group’s annual clinic and convention for 20 years and, in 1991, was named its Man of the Year. He has been inducted into three Halls of Fame: the Old Time Baseball Players Hall of Fame in Milwaukee, the WBCA Hall of Fame in 1987 and the ABCA Hall of Fame in 2007, becoming only the 16th high school coach to be inducted in the ABCA’s 64-year history.

O’Connell continued to coach until 2015 when he left Catholic

Records

Coached 4 State Championship teams

Professional Achievements

Old Time Baseball Players Hall of Fame Inductee

WBCA Hall of Fame Inductee

ABCA Hall of Fame Inductee

Biography

The only baseball coach Chaparral has had since the program’s inception in 1974, Dawson has led the Firebirds to a record of 774-301 and 34 trips to the state playoffs in his 36 seasons at the helm. His resume includes 23 region championships, 19 appearances in the state’s final four, 12 trips to the state title game and eight 4A state championships – in 1994, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2008.

Moving up to 5A Division 2 this season, his team finished 20-12. More than 140 of his players have gone on to play college or professional baseball, including current major leaguers Paul Konerko and Brian Bannister.

A nine-time state Coach of the Year, Dawson was awarded the Victory with Honor Coach of the Year award by the Arizona Interscholastic Association in 2004 and previously won four national Coach of the Year awards, most recently the Easton/Collegiate Baseball Master Coach of the Year award in 2009. He was inducted into the Arizona Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2002, the Arizona Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2009.

Dawson was an assistant coach on the USA Baseball Junior National Team that competed in the World Games in Chinese Taipei in 2004, and was the head coach of the USA Baseball Junior National Team that won the silver medal in the Pan-Am Games in Villa Hermosa, Mexico in 2005.

Dawson retired from his position at Chapparela High in 2010 after 37 years at the helm. He retired as the most winningest baseball coach in the state of Arizona.

As of 2020, Dawson is now in his ninth season as the pitching coach at Yavapai College. He has had multiple student-athletes move on to Division I programs. In addition, Dawson and the Yavapai program has had major league success with Houston Astro’s World Series pitcher Kenny Giles who was drafted in the 2011 draft.

Records

Career Record of 774-301

Coached 8 Championship Teams and 4 Runner Ups

Professional Achievements

2002 Arizona Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame Inductee

2005 Arizona Coaches Association Hall of Fame Inductee

2009 Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame Inductee

2005 USA Baseball Junior National Team Head Coach

2015 National High School Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame Inductee

Biography

Now in his 40th season at Cordova, Anderson, 76, has seen his teams post an overall record of 834-422-21, with this year’s team owning a 12-7 record at press time. His 834 victories rank him No. 2 on the state’s career victory list.

Competing in a sport whose state championship series extended only to the section level, Anderson’s teams won 17 league championships and five championships in the state’s competitive Sac-Joaquin Section, and 12 of his players have gone on to major league careers.

He has been inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association and California Baseball Coaches Association Halls of Fame, and will be inducted into the NFHS Hall of Fame this year. Anderson, who retired as assistant principal and athletic director in 2000, served on Cordova’s parks and recreation board for over two decades.

Since being honored, Anderson continued to lead Cordova until he stepped down after 45 years. In 2015 Anderson left his position at Cordova but didn’t stay away long. He was named the assistant coach at Capital Christian High School in 2016. In 2019 Capital Christian won the league championships with Anderson as the first base coach.

He finished his head coaching career boasting a state record of 927 victories. In addition, Anderson still plays middle infield for the Sacramento Golden Seniors softball league.

Records

Boasts 927 Victories

Professional Achievements

2015 Rancho Cordova Sports Hall of Fame Inductee

2009 National High School Hall of Fame Inductee

Personal Honors

2018 ABCA Dave Keilitz Ethics in Coaching Award

Biography

Now in his 35th season at West Lauderdale, Boatner’s 2006-07 team may have been his best. The Knights finished with a school-record 38-2 to earn Boatner his 11th Class 5A state title – more than any other Mississippi baseball coach – and state Coach of the Year honors.

West Lauderdale batted .398 as a team, slugged 60 home runs, featured a pitching staff with an earned-run average of 1.45 and had nine players sign college scholarships,( four at Division 1 schools.) They were ranked No. 2 in the USA Today Super 25, earning Boatner the newspaper’s National Coach of the Year award as well.

In 39 years as a head coach, Boatner’s teams have posted a record of 923-286. West Lauderdale also has four state runnerup finishes and 25 district titles under his direction.

Boatner continued to lead West Lauderdale after being honored in 2007. In addition to his baseball team’s success, he also coached the girls’ slow pitch softball team to eight state titles in 19 years.

Boatner retired from West Lauderdale following the 2018 season after 50 years with an illustrious career. Boatner is the winningest coach in the state of Mississippi, boasting 1,202 wins. Despite his retirement Boatner is still involved as a volunteer coach at West Jackson Middle School in Georgia.

Records

Coached teams to 14 State Championships

Boasts over 1,200 career wins

Professional Achievements

2019 Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Inductee

American Baseball Coaches Association Inductee

NFHS Hall of Fame Inductee

Biography

Eastman’s 2006 Woodlands team, led by last year’s NHSCA Senior Athlete of the Year, Kyle Drabek, won the Class 5A state title, finishing with a 38-1 record and winning its final 31 games of the season. The Woodlands finished the season ranked No. 1 in the USA Today Super 25, earning Eastman the newspaper’s National Coach of the Year honors. Eastman has a 190-42 record in seven seasons at The Woodlands, winning four consecutive region and district titles. This spring The Woodlands finished 31-6, bowing out in the region meet. In 16 years as a head coach Eastman’s record is 313-143. The National High School Baseball Coaches Association named him its National Coach of the Year in 2006.

Since being honored in 2007, Eastman continues to lead The Woodlands to success. The Highlanders won another 5A Texas title in 2013. The Highlanders have most recently made state appearances in 2018 and 2019.

Over his career Eastman has produced 15 All Americans and 49 All State Players. In addition, he has had 24 players drafted into the MLB, including Arizona Diamondback’s Paul Goldschmidt and Pittsburgh’s Jamison Taillon. In addition, Detroit Lions wide receiver Danny Amendola was an All State player under Eastman’s guidance.

In 2019 Eastman secured his 600th career victory. He now has an overall career record of 602-263.

Records

Career Record of 602-263

Professional Achievements

2018 National High School Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame Inductee

2011 The Woodlands High School Hall of Fame Inductee

Biography

In the past two years, Salow’s teams have put this small school- just 334 students- in south central Michigan on the national high school sports map. After going 38-0 and winning the Division 3 state title in 2004, Homer went on to win its first 37 games in 2005, putting together a 75-game winning streak that broke a 40-year state record and also set a national high school record.

The previous record of 70 consecutive victories, set by Albuquerque (N.M.) La Cueva High and last year’s NHSCA National High School Coach of the Year, Stan McKeever, had lasted just two months. Saginaw Nouvel Catholic High ended Homer’s streak in the state finals.

The head coach at Homer the past five seasons, Salow entered this season with a record of 147-19. He was named Division 3 Coach of the Year by the Michigan High School Coaches Association and District 4 Coach of the Year by the National High School Baseball Coaches Association.

Since being honored in 2006, Salow still leads the Trojans.  Most recently, in 2019, the team made it to the state semi- finals before suffering their third loss of the season. In addition, Homer set a state record for the lowest ERA allowed by a team’s  pitching staff in one season with an impressive 0.78.

 

Records

Career Record of 577-157 as of 2019

Coached 2 State Championship Teams

Team won 75 straight games

Professional Achievements

2006 Spring Arbor University Hall of Fame Inductee

2005 Michigan Baseball Coach of the Year

Biography

In addition to going unbeaten and winning back-to-back Class 5A state titles in 2003 and 2004, McKeever’s La Cueva team set a national high school record by winning 70 consecutive games – a streak that began in 2002 and ended this spring.

When they beat Albuquerque Highland High 15-1 in the first game of a doubleheader April 2 before a crowd of more than 1,000, they eclipsed New York (NY) Archbishop Molloy High’s 68-game winning streak, set from 1963-66.

The 2003 team earned a No. 8 final ranking from USA Today, with the 2004 team finishing No. 6. The streak was ended in a 17-8 loss to Albuquerque Rio Grande High April 4, but the Bears were still alive to win a third straight state title at press time, which they did.

McKeever and the La Cueva’s Bears continued to win two additional state championships and finished second in 2009, which was McKeever’s last season at the school.

Records

Team 70 consecutive wins

Biography

Dunn’s Vestavia Hills team was once again among the best in the state of Alabama. Dunn, who has waged a valiant battle against medical issues to remain highly involved with his squad, is widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches in all-of-the-South, regardless of sport.

Over the years his teams have collected nine state titles, including a state record seven in a row. Dunn completed his career with a record of 621-159. He is the winningest coach in the history of Alabama high school baseball.

Dunn was also the Rebels’ football coach for over 20 years. He coached two state championship teams in 1980 and 1998.

Dunn has many collected many accolades over his career. In 1984, he was on the Baseball Olympic Selection Committee.

Records

Career Record of 621-159

Professional Achievements

Coached multiple state championship teams in baseball and football

Personal Honors

1997 University of Montevallo Hall of Fame Inductee

Biography

Jim Danley’s coaching record speaks for itself, and this year’s state championship for his Eaton High Reds is another example of what continued dedication can lead to,” said NHSCA executive director Bob Ferraro. “We are proud to honor Jim Danley as the National High School Baseball Coach of the Year.”

Danley, who has coached the Reds of Eaton High for over 30 years, managed his team to its fifth state championship this season. And there was plenty of drama in doing so. Eaton High defeated returning champion La Junta High 3-2 in a 15-inning classic that lasted four hours and 32 minutes. The game set numerous Colorado state records, including the longest state title game ever played. Along with the five state championships, Danley, whose career record is 506-133-1, has also led the Reds to six state runner-up finishes and 24 conference championships. This year’s Class 3A state championship team finished 22-2 under Danley, and it was the Reds fourth consecutive state finals appearance in a row. Formerly named the state of Colorado coach of the year, now Danley can add the NHSCA National Coach of the Year honor to his impressive coaching resume.

In 2015, Danley and the Reds won their 11th State Championship. Danley departed from Eaton later in 2015 after amassing a career record of 807-162-2. In his 37 years as the coach, the Reds have impressively won either a league, regional or state championship.

Records

Career Record of 807-162-2

Coached 11 State Championship teams

Professional Achievements

2016 Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Inductee

2007 Colorado High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame Inductee

Biography

Lowery has been a head baseball coach for 29 years, the last 28 at Jefferson High after one year at Harpers Ferry (West Virginia) High. One of high school baseball’s all-time leading winners, he has averaged 26 wins per season and has a streak of 25 consecutive seasons with 20 or more victories. Lowery’s teams have won twelve Class AAA state titles and been the runner up four times.

Lowery’s 800th career victory came at historic Abner Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, New York. He won his 1000th in March of 2008 with a win against Freedom High School. He is the 10th high school coach to hit the 1000 win mark. He is the first West Virginia coach to hit 1000 wins in any sport.

He didn’t stop there. In May of 2018, Lowery set the bar with his 1300th win with a victory. According to the NFHS record book, Lowery has the most wins of any active coach in any sport.

Lowery has received many awards in his distinguished career. He is one of three coaches to be inducted into the National Federation of State High School Associations Hall of Fame in 2002. The National High School Athletic Coaches Association named Lowery its Coach of the Year in 1998, and he has twice been voted Baseball Coach of the Year by the West Virginia High School Coaches Association.

Lowery is anticipating coaching his 50th season in the 2021 season after a hiatus due to COVID-19.

Records

Career Record of 1313-333-3 (as of end of 2019 season)

Coached 12 State Championship Teams

Professional Achievements

2019 Fairmont Hall of Fame Inductee

2002 NFHS Hall of Fame Inductee

1998 NHSACA Coach of the Year

Biography

Hofman has received many awards during a coaching career that spans 30 years. He has won 10 Florida state titles, eight at Westminster Christian School in Miami between 1981 and 1998 and two more at Westminster Academy in 1999 and 2000. His 1992 and 1996 teams were consensus high school national champions, and USA Today named him its National Coach of the Year both years. This year’s team finished 27-7 and reached the Class 2A state quarterfinals. He owns a career record of 787-196.

Hofman also runs the Rich Hofman Baseball School and has coached many great players, including Major League Baseball’s highest-paid player, Alex Rodriguez of the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees.

In 1999, Hofman was named National Coach of the Decade by Baseball America magazine. A nine-time Coach of the Year selection by the Florida Athletic Coaches Association, Hofman was named National High School Baseball Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association in 1988, 1996, and 1999, and by the National Federation of Interscholastic Coaches of Athletics and the National High School Athletic Coaches Association in 1997. He was inducted into the Florida Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1992 and the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1993.

Hofman came out of retirement and took over the University School of Nova Southeastern University program in 2010. On Tuesday, April 10th, Hofman did what few have done. He won his 1,000 career victory. In 2013, he left for a position as the Athletic Director and Baseball coach at the new SLAM Academy, Sports Leadership And Management Charter School in Maimi. SLAM was the first all sports elective high school in the country.

He then went on to coach Stoneman Douglas High School and won their first 9A State Championship. The Eagles were deemed the National Champions, giving Hofman his 3rd National title.

Records

Career Record of 1,020-264-17

Coached teams to total of 11 State Titles & 3 National Championships

Professional Achievements

National Coach of the Decade for Baseball American Magazine

1992 and 1996 Coach of the Year for USA Today

FHSAA Hall of Fame Inductee - 2008

Biography

“Sam Blalock is an outstanding example for successful high school baseball coaches,” NHSCA executive director Bob Ferraro said. “They place a high value on the teamwork skills players learn for success in the classroom and on the field, and we are proud to be honoring him.”

Blalock’s Rancho Bernardo team finished with a 30-3 record and won its second consecutive San Diego Section title (baseball is contested only to the section level in California). Two of his players, right-handed pitcher Matt Wheatland and catcher Scott Heard, were selected in the first round of this year’s major-league draft. Rancho Bernardo batted .358 as a team, hit 75 home runs, and outscored its opponents by a 281-127 margin, finishing the season No. 1 in the USA Today Super 25 High School Baseball team rankings.

Blalock had an incredibly successful 43 year career (between Mt. Carmel & Rancho Bernardo) until his retirement in 2017. He is the winningest coach in the San Diego region, and the second winningest coach in the state with a whopping 946 wins. Blalock coached 26 players that were selected in the MLB draft.

Records

Boasted 946 Career Wins