Kennesaw State Owls baseball


The Kennesaw State Owls baseball team represents Kennesaw State University, which is located in Kennesaw, Georgia. The Owls are an NCAA Division I college baseball program that competes in Conference USA. They began competing in Division I in 2006, joining Conference USA in 2024.

Kennesaw State Owls
2024 Kennesaw State Owls baseball team
Founded1984
Overall record419–393
UniversityKennesaw State University
Head coachRyan Coe (3rd season)
ConferenceConference USA
LocationKennesaw, Georgia
Home stadiumFred Stillwell Stadium
(Capacity: 900)
NicknameOwls
ColorsBlack and gold[1]
   
NCAA regional champions
2014
NCAA Tournament appearances
2014, 2022
Conference tournament champions
2014, 2022
Regular season conference champions
2016

The Kennesaw State Owls play all home games on campus at Fred Stillwell Stadium. Under the direction of Head Coach Mike Sansing, the Owls have played in one NCAA tournament. Over their fifteen seasons in the ASUN Conference, they have won one ASUN regular season title and two ASUN tournaments.

Since the program's inception in 1984, eight Owls have gone on to play in Major League Baseball, highlighted by 2005 World Series champion Willie Harris. Over the program's 37 seasons, 55 Owls have been drafted, including Max Pentecost and Chad Jenkins who were selected in the first round of the 2014 and 2009 drafts, respectively.

Before joining the NCAA in 1994, the Owls additionally won the NAIA World Series in 1994.

Conference membership history (Division I only)

Fred Stillwell Stadium

Fred Stillwell Stadium is a baseball stadium on the Kennesaw State campus in Kennesaw, Georgia, that seats 900 people. It opened in 1984. A record attendance of 1,314 was set on April 3, 2012 in a game against Georgia Tech.[2]

Head coaches (Division I only)

Records taken from the 2020 KSU baseball record book.[3]

SeasonCoachYearsRecordPct.
2006–2021Mike Sansing15419–393.516
2022–presentRyan Coe136–28.562
Totals2 coaches16 seasons455–421.519

Year-by-year NCAA Division I results

Records taken from the 2020 KSU baseball record book.[3]

Statistics overview
SeasonCoachOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Atlantic Sun Conference (2006–present)
2006Mike Sansing24–3212–18T-8th
2007Mike Sansing32–2313–14T-5th
2008Mike Sansing30–2621–122nd
2009Mike Sansing30–2220–92nd
2010Mike Sansing23–3212–158th
2011Mike Sansing32–2518–113rdASUN tournament
2012Mike Sansing34–2515–113rdASUN tournament
2013Mike Sansing30–3013–14T-6thASUN tournament
2014Mike Sansing40–2417–93rdASUN tournament
Louisville Super Regional
2015Mike Sansing28–2810–106thASUN tournament
2016Mike Sansing29–2717–41stASUN tournament
2017Mike Sansing25–3210–115thASUN tournament
2018Mike Sansing25–3011–103rdASUN tournament
2019Mike Sansing27–2911–137th
2020Mike Sansing10–80-0N/ASeason canceled on March 12
due to Coronavirus pandemic
[4]
2021Mike Sansing29-2213-82nd (East)ASUN tournament
2022Ryan Coe36-2819-111st (East)ASUN tournament
Hattiesburg Regional
Total:455–421

      National champion        Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion      Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

NCAA Division I Tournament history

YearRecordPctNotes
20143–3.500Eliminated by Louisville in Louisville Super Regional
20221–2.333Eliminated by Southern Miss in Hattiesburg Regional
Totals4–5.444

Awards and honors (Division I only)

  • Over their 15 seasons in Division I, two Owls have been named to an NCAA-recognized All-America team.
  • Over their 15 seasons in the ASUN Conference, 18 different Owls have been named to the all-conference first-team.

Johnny Bench/Buster Posey Award

YearName
2014Max Pentecost

All-Americans

YearPositionNameTeamSelector
2009PChad Jenkins3rdCB
2014CMax Pentecost1stABCA
BA
CB
NCBWA
2022OFJosh Hatcher3rdCB

Freshman All-Americans

YearPositionNameSelector
2013SSKal SimmonsCB
2015DHTaylor AllumCB
2016SSDavid ChabutCB
20183BTyler SimonCB
20221BDonovan CashCB, NCBWA

ASUN Conference Player of the Year

YearPositionName
2014CMax Pentecost

ASUN Conference Defensive Player of the Year

YearPositionName
20172BGrant Williams

ASUN Conference Pitcher of the Year

YearHandednessName
2009RightChad Jenkins

ASUN Conference Coach of the Year

YearName
2016Mike Sansing

ASUN Conference Freshman of the Year

YearPositionName
20221BDonovan Cash


Taken from the 2020 KSU baseball record book.[3] Updated March 15, 2020.

Owls in the Major Leagues

= All-Star= Baseball Hall of Famer
AthleteYears in MLBMLB Teams
Willie Harris2001–2012Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, Washington Nationals, New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds
Brian Mallette2002Milwaukee Brewers
Jason Jones2003Texas Rangers
Jason Childers2006Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Brett Campbell2006Washington Nationals
Chad Jenkins2012–2015Toronto Blue Jays
Justin Freeman2013Cincinnati Reds
Alan Busenitz2017–2018, 2023Minnesota Twins, Cincinnati Reds
Richard Lovelady2019–2023Kansas City Royals, Oakland Athletics
Travis Bergen2019–2021San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, Arizona Diamondbacks

Taken from the KSU MLB draft history.[5] Updated November 22, 2023.

See also

References