ABCA Podcast

Next up on the ABCA Podcast, we bring you a preview of the NAIA season with two voices deeply connected to the level: Brian Michalak, head coach at St. Francis and NAIA Committee Chair and Taylor Thomas of NAIA Ball.  In this episode, we recap LSU Shreveport’s historic season from 2025, break down key storylines across NAIA baseball, and discuss what coaches and fans should be watching as the seas...

Joining us this week on the ABCA Podcast is Danielle Martin, elite mental performance coach, speaker, and founder of True Mindsets. Martin works with some of the highest-performing athletes in the world, including competitors from MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS, MLR, the Olympics, NCAA programs, and elite high school athletics, helping them sharpen their mental edge when the pressure is highest. Martin’s...

We’re closing the book on the 82nd Annual ABCA Convention with a special post-convention wrap-up episode featuring several key ABCA member leaders who helped make the week such a success. In this episode, we check in with several ABCA Officers: Chris Pollard – NCAA Division I Committee Chair Jim Cahill – ABCA Second Vice President and 2026 Main Stage Clinics coordinator Jordan Baltimore – Newly-el...

For the first time ever the World’s Largest Baseball Convention will be heading to Columbus, OH for the 82nd annual ABCA Convention. Today’s episode covers everything you need to know about the convention hearing from Craig Keilitz, Jon Litchfield, Kurt Birkins, Juahn Clark, Zach Haile and Ryan Brownlee. Our goal every year is to make this a wonderful experience for our attendees, guests, sponsors...

Safe travels to all the coaches headed to Columbus this week! The ABCA is excited to welcome everyone for the 82nd annual ABCA Convention. Stay tuned as the Convention Preview Episode drops this Wednesday, January 7th to help make your trip and on-site experience as smooth as possible! Kicking off convention week on the ABCA Podcast is Lyndon Coleman, head coach at Pasco-Hernando State College and...

Brian Johnson is the founder of the social training platform Heroic, a Public Benefit Corporation focused on helping people flourish by embodying their "best, most Heroic self" through integrating ancient wisdom and modern science, with a goal for 51% of humanity to flourish by 2051. Johnson is the author of the book Areté and has worked with the Navy Seals, Notre Dame Football and the European Ri...

Next up on the ABCA Podcast, we’re joined by two of the most trusted voices in arm care and throwing development: Alan Jaeger and Randy Sullivan. Jaeger is the CEO and Founder of Jaeger Sports and has been at the forefront of arm health and mental performance in the baseball community for more than 30 years. Sullivan is the CEO and Founder of the Florida Baseball ARMory, author of eight books on p...

We wrap up our 2026 ABCA Hall of Fame Class interviews with one of the most influential figures in college baseball history—Pat Casey. Over a coaching career that spanned more than three decades, Casey built programs defined by toughness, consistency, and championship standards. Casey began his head coaching career at George Fox University from 1988–1994, compiling a 171-113-1 (.602) record before...

Continuing our 2026 ABCA Hall of Fame Class interviews, this week’s ABCA Podcast features one of California’s most influential and respected baseball minds: Sam Piraro. With a career spanning high school, junior college, and NCAA Division I baseball, Piraro forged a legacy defined by program-building, competitive excellence, and lasting impact. Piraro’s head coaching journey began at Mission Colle...

Joining us this week on the ABCA Podcast is the 2025 ABCA/Soldier Sports High School Div. III Assistant Coach of the Year Saint Thomas Aquinas (KS) assistant coach, Michael Jacobs. Aquinas is coming off back-to-back Kansas Class 5A State Championships and fifth overall for the school. The Saints finished the season with a 27-4 record. Jacobs is a Kansas City native, Aquinas alum and pitched colleg...

This week on the ABCA Podcast, we’re joined by Terry Gobert, the legendary head coach at Jasper High School (IN) and one of the winningest high school baseball coaches in state history. Across 38 seasons, Gobert has built a true dynasty in Jasper, compiling an extraordinary 912-249 (.786) career record and becoming just the fifth coach in Indiana history to surpass the 900-win milestone. Gobert’s...

This week on the ABCA Podcast, we’re joined by Jordan Schwellenbach, assistant coach at LSU Shreveport and the 2025 ABCA/Soldier Sports NAIA Assistant Coach of the Year. In his first season with the Pilots, Schwellenbach served as Recruiting Coordinator and Pitching Coach, helping steer LSUS to one of the greatest accomplishments in college baseball history — a perfect 59-0 season and the program’...

Next up on the ABCA Podcast is Sam Mote, assistant coach at Angelo State University and the 2025 ABCA/Soldier Sports NCAA Division II Assistant Coach of the Year. Since joining the Rams’ coaching staff in 2018, Mote has helped elevate Angelo State into one of the premier hitting programs in the country. Under his guidance, the Rams have led the Lone Star Conference in batting average in four of hi...

Joining us this week on the ABCA Podcast is Adam McGinnis, Heartland Community College Recruiting Coordinator and the 2025 ABCA/Soldier Sports NJCAA Division II Assistant Coach of the Year. Since rejoining the Heartland staff in 2021, McGinnis has helped guide the Hawks to four straight NJCAA World Series appearances, highlighted by a National Championship in 2023. On the field, he oversees the hi...

Next up on the ABCA Podcast, we’re joined by Matt Williams, the ABCA's 2025 NCAA Division I Assistant Coach of the Year and pitching coach for Coastal Carolina University. In just his second season with the Chanticleers, Williams helped guide Coastal Carolina to its second appearance in the College World Series Championship Series, cementing the program’s place among college baseball’s elite. Befo...

Continuing our 2026 ABCA Hall of Fame Class podcasts, this week’s ABCA Podcast features Steve Ruzich, the legendary head coach of South Suburban College (IL). For more than 40 years, Ruzich has been the face of the Bulldogs’ baseball program, building one of the most successful legacies in NJCAA history. With a career record of 1,385-817 (.629) through 2025, Ruzich ranks fifth all-time in wins amo...

Kicking off our 2026 ABCA Hall of Fame Class interviews is Florida Atlantic University head coach and ABCA First Vice President, John McCormack. McCormack completed his 17th year at Florida Atlantic University as head coach in 2025, and 35th season with the program. He had previously served 11 years as associate head coach and seven years as an assistant coach, beginning in 1991. The Owls finished...

This week on the ABCA Podcast, we’re joined by Kermit Smith, head coach at Appalachian State University, whose leadership and steady influence have made him one of the most respected coaches in collegiate baseball. Smith recently completed his ninth season at App State (2025), where he continues to guide the Mountaineers with integrity and purpose. Before arriving in Boone, he led programs at Land...

This week on the ABCA Podcast, we’re joined by Tom Griffin, one of the most respected catching instructors and collegiate coaches in the game. Griffin just completed his 20th season leading the Carson-Newman program and has amassed 746 career wins over his 28 years in college coaching. A true authority in catching instruction, Griffin is a staple at national events such as CatcherCon and has been...

This week on the ABCA Podcast, we’re joined by Pat Doyle, the distinguished recipient of the 2026 ABCA/Wilson Lefty Gomez Award. Named after the legendary Lefty Gomez, this honor is presented annually to an individual who has made significant contributions to baseball locally, nationally, and internationally—and Doyle’s career epitomizes that standard. Doyle’s coaching journey began while still a...

Joining us this week on the ABCA Podcast is Oscar Reed, Recruiting Coordinator and Pitching Coach at Alcorn State University. Reed joined the Braves’ staff this summer after two seasons at Alvin Junior College, continuing a coaching career that has spanned high school, junior college, travel baseball, and now the NCAA Division I level. Reed’s path has taken him from Crescent City Baptist High Scho...

Baltimore Orioles Minor League Hitting Coach, Jake Ratz, joins the ABCA Podcast this week. Ratz joined the Orioles Organization in December of 2022 coaching in the Dominican Summer League. This past season Ratz coached in the Florida Coast League. Ratz got his coaching start collegiately where he started his collegiate playing career at Ellsworth Community College. Other stops along his coaching j...

This week on the ABCA Podcast, we’re joined by John Vodenlich, head coach at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, member of the 2024 ABCA Hall of Fame Class, and the 2025 ABCA/ATEC NCAA Div. III Coach of the Year. Vodenlich has turned UW-Whitewater into a perennial powerhouse, leading the Warhawks to three national championships (2005, 2014, 2025). His 2025 squad was one of the most dominant in...

Next up on the ABCA Podcast, we’re highlighting another of our ABCA/ATEC Coaches of the Year with John Knott, head coach at Mount San Antonio College and the 2025 ABCA/ATEC Pacific Association Division Coach of the Year. Knott guided Mt. SAC to a historic season in 2025, capturing the 3C2A Championship for the first time in 60 years. The Mounties finished with an incredible 45-6 record, including...

This week on the ABCA Podcast, we’re joined by Jim Koerner, USA Baseball’s Director of Player Development. In his role, Koerner oversees on-field programming for six national teams and three national development programs. Since taking over the position in 2021, Koerner has brought a wealth of coaching experience from his time leading and assisting collegiate programs at North Carolina Central Univ...