Rob Ramseyer (First Season)
Phone: 620-327-8173
Email: robr@hesston.edu
Rob Ramseyer begins his first year leading the Hesston College baseball program. Ramseyer succeeds Art Mullet, who retired after 30 years as athletic director and baseball coach at Hesston.
Originally from Wichita, Kan., Ramseyer earned an undergraduate degree in history from MidAmerica Nazarene University, Olathe, Kan., in 2006 and a master’s degree in sport studies from the University of Kansas in 2010. He played two years as a first baseman for MNU. Ramseyer coached at MNU from 2007 until accepting the job at Hesston. He helped the Pioneers to four consecutive seasons of at least 20 wins, a first for the program. MNU finished the 2011 regular season with a 29-15 mark, winning its first Heart of America Western Division Championship and receiving votes in the national polls for the first time.
18 of Ramseyer’s former players have been selected in MLB’s amateur draft, with two additional players having played or are currently playing independent pro ball. While a hitting coach at MNU, Ramseyer tutored eight all-conference players.
Ramseyer started his coaching career at Lawrence Free State High School in 2006 where he served as an assistant varsity coach and head coach in the American Legion summer baseball program. He has spent several summers working in the Athletes in Action Baseball Organization. In the summer of 2008 he was the head coach of the Bolivar A’s of the New York Collegiate League. He served as the head coach for the Fairbanks AIA Fire of the prestigious Alaska Baseball League in summer 2009. He also was an assistant coach for the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod League, who took the Western Division Championship in the summer of 2010.
“I am honored and humbled to have the opportunity to serve as baseball coach at Hesston College,” Ramseyer said. “My wife and I could not be more excited in becoming part of the campus community at Hesston.We were very impressed with the people of Hesston College from our first interactions and throughout the interview process. It is a unique institution with a very strong commitment to Christian higher education and competitive athletics.”
Coach Ramseyer and his wife Charlie reside in Newton.
Max Hutson, pitching coach (First Season)
Max Hutson is originally from Terre Haute, Ind. He played college baseball for Wichita (Kan.) State University from 2004-2009. Since that time he has been an assistant coach at NCAA Div. I Indiana State University and Southeastern (Iowa) Community College. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Wichita State and a master’s degree in recreation and sports management from Indiana State.
Andy Frieze, catching coach (First Season)
Andy Frieze will mentor the Hesston catchers throughout the 2011-12 season. A two-time state-champion at Wichita Collegiate School, Frieze played one year of college ball at NCAA Div. I Kan. State University, Manhattan, before playing his final three years at Rockhurst University, Kansas City, Mo.
He and his wife Megan, along with their son Mason, live in Wichita.
Zach Mercer, assistant coach (First Season)
Originally from Midland, Mich., Mercer worked in the restaurant business for many years before moving to Ocala, Fla. Coach Mercer has worked extensively as an umpire and has coached at Lake City High School in Michigan. Zach and his wife Michelle have been married for 17 years and have three kids, TaShannah, Briannah, and Ryan.