Overall Record: 834-649 (.555)
Back in the summer of 1990, Sanders accepted the job after serving as head coach of North Greenville Community College. His inheritance was a program that lacked facilities, support, and wins.Through his journey, he has not only turned the program into a national power, he has made the program a desirable place to play for prospective student athletes.
Facility improvement includes the addition of lights in 2010 and a quarter million dollar renovation of Tiger Stadium in 2008 that now has the complex fitted with state-of-the-art sunk-in dugouts, an underground media center and elevated seating that holds 700 fans. On top of the stadium improvements, the playing surface is professional quality.To go along with field improvements under the Sanders regimen, the Baseball program has also seen the implementation of a pro-style club house/locker room that is fully loaded with over 50 open lockers and a lounge area.The club house is also equipped with cable television, video games, coach's offices, laundry services, a weight room, and it sits inside the Hawkins Athletic Complex. In 2004, the completion of the Coca-Cola indoor training facility took place so the players may have a quality practice facility on cold or rainy days.The Astroturf facility is 10,000 square feet, equipped with high ceilings, drop down hitting tunnels, and is big enough to do modified intersquads.
The
Tigers have won five straight Mid-South Conference championships. In 2008, CU started 7-10. Despite the tough start,
Sanders rallied the Tigers to their fourth straight MSC Championship as
they knocked off University of the Cumberlands in the MSC Championship
game.In the regional tournament, Campbellsville opened up with rival
Trevecca Nazarene and took the tournament opener in dominant fashion,
winning 21-0.After falling into the loser's bracket, the Tigers again
overcame adversity as they advanced to the regional championship game
for the second straight year.Their run ended as they lost to 2004
national champion Cumberland University.
In
2007, Sanders guided the Tigers to a 43-18 overall record, which was
good for a #11 national ranking and a Mid-South Conference
Championship.The Tigers came one game away from the super regionals
during that year.
Sanders has proven over the years that he and his clubs are no strangers to post-season competition. The Tigers have appeared in the post season in every year but one in the 21st century, and appeared in several playoff games in the 1990's.In Sanders 17 years, the Tigers have appeared in 8 regional finals, coming just one game away from the College World Series back in 2007.
Sanders reached his most recent milestone on March 14th, 2006, when he amassed his 700th overall career win against national power Cumberland University by a score of 11-4. He reached his overall career 800th win Feb. 20, 2009 in extra innings against Indiana Tech. On April 23, 2010, he won his 600th game at Campbellsville, joining former CU women's basketball coach Donna Wise as the only other coach to win 600 games in a sport at CU.
On top of success on the field, Sanders has preached life lessons into the ears of his players over the years.Known for his commitment to becoming a man off the field, Sanders has seen around ninety percent of his players graduate and many of those players have been selected as Academic All-Conference and All-Americans.
A YEAR BY YEAR LOOK AT SANDERS' LEGACY
1991:8-30.210Started 0-18, Finished 8-12
1992:26-20.565Western Division Champions
1993:20-21-1.488
1994:30-19.612KIAC Runner-Up
1995:41-14.745KIAC Champions
1996:37-19-1.661KIAC Champions
1997:28-25.539Mid-South Regional Appearance
1998:18-31.367
1999:30-22.577
2000:31-29.517MSC Champions
2001:31-18.633MSC Champions
2002:14-36.280
2003:29-17.630Region XI Qualifier
2004:33-23.589Region XI Qualifier
2005:43-14.754MSC Champions
2006:38-14.731MSC Champions
2007:43-18.705MSC Champions
2008:27-20.575MSC Champions
2009: 39-12 MSC Champions, Region XI Champions, World Series Qualifier
What they're saying about Sanders:
"Our club has been coming down to play Campbellsville for the last 10 years.I consider Beauford to be one of my best friends.Coach Sanders is truly one of the most respected coaches in the NAIA.He does a tremendous job of building lifetime character traits in young people and challenges his players to live up to those standards."
-Tim Mead, Head Baseball Coach - Walsh University
"I've known Beauford since we coached against each other back when he was coaching Junior College ball in South Carolina.I will always remember him as one of the most gracious, hospitable, and classiest coaches I've ever had the pleasure of competing against. I know he has done a great job at Campbellsville, turning them into a national power."
-Rob McDonald, Head Baseball Coach - Murray State University
"I know that when we play Campbellsville, it is going to be a conference series where two teams really get after each other.At the same time, I have no concern that there will be unsportsmanlike behavior, trash talk, or dirty play.That is a credit to Coach Sanders.No matter what happens in a series, Coach Sanders is a class act.I have tremendous respect for him as a person and as a coach.I am proud to say that Beauford Sanders is my friend."
-Brad Shelton, Head Baseball Coach - University of the Cumberlands
"Coach Sanders has been a mainstay in NAIA Baseball for several years.He has built a great program at Campbellsville.I congratulate him as he reaches the milestone of 800 wins."
-Woody Hunt, Head Baseball Coach - Cumberland University
"A true competitor and motivator on the field.It has been a pleasure battling against his clubs over the past 10 plus years."
-Mike Talley, Head Baseball Coach - Lindsey Wilson College
ALL ABOUT BEAUFORD SANDERS:
Date of Birth:November 21, 1953
Parents:Beauford and Shirley Sanders
Siblings:Stanley (53) and Lisa (49)
High School:Woodruff High School (SC)
Education: B.A. in Educationfrom the University of South Carolina
M.A. in Educationfrom Furman University
Awards/Honors: 2007 & 2005 MSC Coach of the year
Morgan Carlile, 2005 MSC Player of the year
Matt Antle, 2003 MSC Pitcher of the year
Enrique Lazu, 1999 MSC Player of the year
Coach Sanders has resided in Campbellsville, Kentucky for the last eighteen years since accepting the job and he is originally from South Carolina.Off the field, Sanders is an avid hunter and fisherman. He is also the Assistant Director of Athletics at Campbellsville University. He takes a great deal of pride in being a devoted family man and giving his players the best possible opportunity to grow as people on and off the field.
Sanders on Hortness:
"Coach
Hortness has done an outstanding job develping a solid conditioning and
preperation program for our pitching staff. We have been first or
second in the MSC for team ERA the past six years and have been ranked
nationally in the top ten in several categories."
2002: 14-36 .280
A look at Hortness' pitchers over the last few years:
*In each of the last five seasons, the Tigers have had at least one pitcher with an ERA of under 3.00.
Birth Date: September 23rd, 1964
"Randy
does a super job working the third base box with our offense. The
implementation of his conditioning program has greatly reduced our
injuries and has helped each player improve"
*The Tigers have finished over .500 in 6 of the 6 seasons LeBleu has been on staff
*The Tigers have won 30 or more games in 4 of LeBleu's 6 years
All about Randy LeBleu:
Birth date: September 12th, 1969
Experience at
Campbellsville:
1st Year
Alma Mater: Eastern Oregon
Office Phone: (270) 789-5086
E-mail: cmlewis@campbellsville.edu
2010
will mark Chris Lewis' eleventh year coaching baseball, and it will be his
first on the Campbellsville University coaching staff. A proven winner and recruiter, Lewis was the
obvious hire for head coach Beauford Sanders in the summer of 2009. In his first year with the Tigers, Lewis will
be looked at to expand recruiting boundaries, on top of assisting with the day
to day operations of the Tigers who are ranked #8 in the NAIA preseason
poll. Lewis will be in charge of
infielders, will assist with hitters as well as handling the strength program.
Lewis'
most recent stop before moving to Kentucky was in Lake Oswego, Oregon, where he
was the head coach for the Portland Baseball Club, a team of collegiate preps. While with Portland, Lewis led his team to a
35-15 record, good for a state championship and a 3rd place finish
in the Northwest Regional Tournament.
During
the spring of 2009, Lewis finished his second stint as the assistant coach of
his high school alma mater, Sherwood High School, in Sherwood, Oregon. While at Sherwood, Lewis helped lead his former
high school to back to back conference championships, as he saw his team finish
with a 21-7 record. During his summers
at Sherwood, Lewis was the assistant head coach for the college prep team at
Northwest Star Academy in West Linn, Oregon. In 2008, his team won the Babe Ruth World Series Championship and was
named Oregon Sports Team of the Year.
In
2006, Lewis was given his first college head coaching job at Bethany
University, in Scotts Valley, California. While at Bethany, he turned around what had been an abysmal program and
led them to their best season in school history. The 2006-2007 season still stands as the best
season Bethany has ever had. The Bruins
finished with a 31-20 final record, which still remains the only season Bethany
has ever been over .500. During the
season, Lewis helped the Bruins set 40 new team records, and they led Region II
with 92 stolen bases on the season. Two
All Americans were named off that team, and still remain as the only All
American athletes in the history of Bethany University.
The
summer prior to Bethany, Lewis was the head coach for the Portland Titans, a
Summer Collegiate team that competed in the Pacific International league. Their 2006 season included the most wins and
the highest winning percentage in program history.
In
the spring of 2006, Lewis served as the head coach at North Valley High School
in Merlin, Oregon. Lewis inherited the
team with just a few weeks before the season started and made an immediate
impact. In just two weeks, Lewis
fundraised $13,000 making the season a possibility.
From
2002-2005, Lewis served as the top assistant coach at Lewis & Clark College
in Portland, Oregon under head coach Reed Rainey. His duties for the Pioneers included
recruiting coordinator, third base coach, hitting coach, and infield coach. As the recruiting coordinator at one of the
nation's most academic schools, his 2005 class was the largest recruiting class
in the history of L&C. Lewis was an
instructor as well as athletic facilities supervisor. During his time at L&C, Lewis spent his
2004 summer coaching in the California Collegiate League for the Salinas
Packers in Salinas, CA.
Lewis's
coaching career began in 2001 when he was an assistant at Southwestern Oregon
Community College, in Coos Bay, Oregon. While at SWOC, Lewis helped lead his team to the best finish in school
history. His responsibilities included
first base coach and he was in charge of the hitters. In the summer of 2001, Lewis was named head coach
of the Bay Area Rams American Legion team, which finished 37-14, solidifying
the most successful season in program history.
As
an athlete, Lewis was a two sport athlete in college and a three sport athlete
in high School. A graduate of Eastern
Oregon University, he was a team captain in baseball, and was also an All
Northwest Football Team selection. Lewis, an attendee of Sherwood High School, was named All State in
football and baseball as well as being named to the 1995 Who's Who National
List of high school athletes.
Lewis
is working on completing his Master's Degree at Campbellsville University and
expects to be finished in the spring of 2011. He and his wife Stephanie reside in Campbellsville.
| Campbellsville at | |
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