| Mike Stawski (on the right), with Will Randerson and Eric Palmer, is the new head basebal coach at CUC. Concordia-Chicaho athletics photo |
July 24, 2015 – Mike Stawski has been appointed to the position of head baseball coach at Concordia University Chicago. Stawski will assume the responsibilities previously held by Adam Smith who has chosen to pursue another professional opportunity.
"I am thrilled to be the head coach of this program," said Stawski, who has served the program as the head assistant coach and pitching coach since July 2013. "I would like to thank the entire CUC administration for the opportunity, and I am grateful that they have the confidence in me to handle this responsibility."
Stawski's tenure as assistant coach at CUC has coincided with the program's rise as a regional power. The Cougars' pitching staff has accumulated many honors under his guidance, including consecutive Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) Pitcher of the Year awards in Dan Kluss (2014) and Cody Caballero (2015), with Kluss also named a D3Baseball.com third-team All-American. Also in 2014, relief pitcher Steve Cox set a school record with nine saves and pitched 22.2 innings (20 appearances) without allowing an earned run.
The head coach's position will be the second for Stawski. After he began his career as a head assistant and pitching coach at Webster University in St. Louis, MO from 2007 to 2009, Stawski served as the head baseball coach at Spalding University in Louisville, KY. Stawski led the Golden Eagles to a record of 82-44 during his three-year tenure after the team had gone 32-75 over its previous three seasons. In his first two years, he increased Spalding's win total by 11 and 10 wins respectively. During Stawski's third season, he led the team to a 32-11 record and the championship of the United States Collegiate Athletics Association (USCAA). That year, Stawski's pitching staff led the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (SLIAC) in six major categories including ERA, hits and walks allowed. For his efforts, Stawski earned the conference's Coach of the Year honor.
Stawski will take over a CUC program that has amassed a 72-22 record in his two years, won three consecutive NACC regular-season and tournament titles, and participated in a Division III regional in four consecutive years. "It's been an exciting two years being a part of this program and working with guys that I helped recruit. I will miss working with Adam, but he leaves this program with an excellent foundation, and I will look to build upon what we have. The Cougars still have goals to achieve, including that of a Division III World Series, and we want to make those a reality!"