MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- North Central University (NCU) Director of Athletics, Michael Knipe, announced the hiring of Devin Lehnhoff today as NCU's new head baseball coach. With the announcement, Lehnhoff becomes North Central's sixth head coach in program history.
When speaking of the new hire, Knipe stated, "It became clear early on during this process that Devin was the right person to lead NCU baseball into a new era of unprecedented success. His experience as both a collegiate student-athlete and coach have uniquely prepared him to lead our baseball team to sustained excellence. I am convinced that NCU baseball is in great hands with Coach Lehnhoff leading the charge."
Lehnhoff, a former star pitcher for the Rams who still holds numerous pitching records at his alma mater, is no stranger to helping build excellence into every team he touches. As a player, the Rams experienced their highest single-season winning percentage during Lehnhoff's junior season. His coaching resume is equally as impressive, having most recently worked as an assistant and head JV coach with Bethel University. During his tenure at Bethel, he was part of Bethel's first-ever MIAC tournament win and NCAA baseball regional tournament participation. In addition to team success, Lehnhoff was a part of the 2018 Bethel University pitching staff development that posted one of the top-20 best ERA's in NCAA Division III history.
Former NCU head baseball coach and newly retired, associate head baseball coach for Bethel University, Tim Beasley, stated, "I am very excited about the future of NCU baseball under Devin's leadership! His passion for NCU and the baseball program, heart for the student-athletes he coaches, and drive to be great is a perfect combination to help the Rams achieve success. Devin will make a great impact on the lives of his student-athletes because of his strong faith, character, and leadership qualities. I look forward to watching the Rams compete at a high level under Devin!"
When asked about why a return to leading NCU baseball was a desire, Coach Lehnhoff stated, "I love this school. I love this baseball team. Some of the most pivotal and transformational lessons I have learned came from my time at NCU. I am so incredibly excited to get started with all of our players and recruits as we embark on this journey together."
The Rams will look to continue building on a 2022 campaign that saw the team finish in sixth place in UMAC play. Lehnhoff returns 14 student-athletes from last year's team and will look to add support in the coming weeks to help solidify continued progress for the team.