Ryan Whiteley, head baseball coach at Carl Albert (OK) High School is the 2026 ABCA/ATEC High School Div. II Coach of the Year. Whiteley has built his career around developing players, building relationships, and creating a culture where winning becomes a byproduct of doing things the right way.

In 2026, Whiteley led Carl Albert to the Oklahoma Class 5A State Championship, adding another championship chapter to one of the state’s premier high school baseball programs. This was the Titans 4th State Championship since 2021.

A Lawton, Oklahoma, native and Lawton Eisenhower graduate, Whiteley played his college baseball at Hutchinson Community College before finishing his playing career at Cameron University. Whiteley then began his coaching career in his hometown before taking his first head-coaching position at Cache High School.

In 2017, Whtieley arrived at Carl Albert as an assistant baseball and football coach. He spent four years learning under longtime Titans head coach Tim LaValley, along with fellow assistant Tony Borum, before taking over the program.

Today, we’re going to talk about that journey—the lessons he’s learned along the way, what makes the Carl Albert baseball and football culture so special, developing young athletes and building a championship program.

This episode is brought to you by Rapsodo Baseball. Great coaching starts with knowing what to work on next. Rapsodo gives coaches the objective data, video, and instant feedback they need to make every rep more purposeful.

With 20+ hitting and pitching data points, Live-on-Live capabilities, Seam Orientation, Scripted Sessions, and more, Rapsodo’s PRO 2.0 and PRO 3.0 units help coaches dial in on player development for their athletes with pro-level data and ball-tracking technology.

From establishing baselines to validating adjustments and tracking progress, Rapsodo takes the guesswork out of development.

Measure what matters. Train with purpose.

Learn more by emailing sales@rapsodo.com or visit their website: Rapsodo.com/Baseball.

The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

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We’re joined on the ABCA Podcast by Tennessee Wesleyan head baseball coach Billy Berry, 2026 ABCA/ATEC NAIA Coach of the Year following a championship season that added another chapter to the Bulldogs’ storied tradition.

Berry led Tennessee Wesleyan to a 49-15 record and a 6-1 run at the 69th Avista NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho, where the Bulldogs capped off the season with a dominant 21-3 victory over No. 1 seed Taylor University. That victory delivered Tennessee Wesleyan its third NAIA National Championship and set a World Series championship-game record for largest margin of victory.

And the numbers behind this team were just as impressive. The Bulldogs led the NAIA with 735 hits and 170 doubles, ranked fifth nationally with a .349 team batting average, and finished fourth in the country with 538 RBIs. On the mound, Tennessee Wesleyan posted a 4.40 team ERA, led by Justin Jackson, who won 13 games, posted a 2.82 ERA, and led the nation with 108.1 innings pitched.

Over nearly two decades leading the Bulldogs, Berry has built Tennessee Wesleyan into one of the premier programs in NAIA baseball. He enters this season with more than 900 career victories at Tennessee Wesleyan, multiple national championships, numerous conference championships, and a résumé that includes previous ABCA/NAIA Coach of the Year honors in 2012 and 2019.

Today, we’ll talk about that incredible 2026 championship run, what makes Tennessee Wesleyan baseball so successful year after year, the evolution of recruiting and player development, the lessons that come from nearly two decades in the dugout, and what it takes to build a program that can sustain excellence across generations of players.

This episode is brought to you by Rapsodo Baseball. Great coaching starts with knowing what to work on next. Rapsodo gives coaches the objective data, video, and instant feedback they need to make every rep more purposeful. With 20+ hitting and pitching data points, Live-on-Live capabilities, Seam Orientation, Scripted Sessions, and more, Rapsodo’s PRO 2.0 and PRO 3.0 units help coaches dial in on player development for their athletes with pro-level data and ball-tracking technology. From establishing baselines to validating adjustments and tracking progress, Rapsodo takes the guesswork out of development. Measure what matters. Train with purpose. Learn more by emailing sales@rapsodo.com or visit their website: Rapsodo.com/Baseball.

The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

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ABCA/Soldier Sports NAIA Assistant Coach of the Year, Justin Barber, is someone who has built his coaching career around developing pitchers and building championship-caliber pitching staffs.

Barber finished his ninth season on staff at Taylor University, where he serves as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator. And over that span, his pitching staffs have consistently ranked among the best in the NAIA. This past season Barber led Taylor University to a 56-7 record, finishing ranked 2nd in the country and played in the NAIA World Series Championship game. The Trojans pitching staff had a 4.73 era and held opponents to a .253 batting average.

In 2025, Taylor put together the best regular season in program history at a 41-8 record and finished with a program-record 47 wins, climbed to No. 9 nationally, and captured its third straight Crossroads League regular-season championship and second consecutive tournament title. Barber’s pitching staff was a huge part of that success, ranking second nationally in WHIP, third in opponents’ batting average, and fourth in both ERA and strikeouts per nine innings. The staff also produced the Crossroads League Pitcher of the Year, three first-team all-league selections, an NAIA All-American, and an MLB draft pick.

Barber’s track record goes well beyond his time at Taylor. Before arriving in Upland, he spent eight years with the Indiana Chargers, helping more than 90 players reach the collegiate level and working with four pitchers who eventually reached professional baseball, including three MLB draft picks.

Barber started his coaching career as a high school varsity head coach and also worked as a pitching and hitting instructor at Great Lakes Baseball Academy.

In this episode, we’re going to talk pitching development, recruiting, player development, and what it takes to consistently build a pitching staff that can compete at the highest levels of college baseball.

The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

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Chris Sheehan is the 2026 ABCA/Soldier Sports High School Div. III Assistant Coach of the Year and a longtime member of the Bishop Hendricken High School baseball program in Rhode Island. In 2026 the Hawks won their third straight State Championship and 25th overall for the program.

A Warwick native and Bishop Hendricken graduate, Sheehan was a standout pitcher for the Hawks before continuing his playing career at the University of Rhode Island. Unfortunately, a shoulder injury brought his playing days to an early end—but that setback ultimately helped shape the path he would take as a coach and educator.

A Kinesiology major at URI and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Sheehan has developed a player-development philosophy that goes beyond simply throwing more strikes or adding velocity. Sheehan focuses on helping pitchers understand how to prepare their bodies for optimal performance, durability, and the demands of a baseball season.

Sheehan has spent the last decade coaching varsity baseball while also taking on significant leadership roles within Bishop Hendricken as Dean of Strategic Leadership and Grade 8, Athletic Director and now Assistant Principal.

Today, we’re going to dive into pitching development, movement prep, strength & conditioning and tips on keeping athletes healthy.

This episode is brought to you by Rapsodo Baseball. Great coaching starts with knowing what to work on next. Rapsodo gives coaches the objective data, video, and instant feedback they need to make every rep more purposeful.

With 20+ hitting and pitching data points, Live-on-Live capabilities, Seam Orientation, Scripted Sessions, and more, Rapsodo’s PRO 2.0 and PRO 3.0 units help coaches dial in on player development for their athletes with pro-level data and ball-tracking technology.

From establishing baselines to validating adjustments and tracking progress, Rapsodo takes the guesswork out of development.

Measure what matters. Train with purpose.

Learn more by emailing sales@rapsodo.com or visit their website: Rapsodo.com/Baseball.

The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

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2026 ABCA/Soldier Sports NCAA Div. I Assistant Coach of the Year, Scott Jackson, is one of the most respected assistant coaches and recruiters in college baseball—and someone who has spent more than two decades helping build winning programs and develop players at the highest level.

Jackson has been a key part of some of the most successful stretches in both North Carolina and Liberty baseball history, taking the 2026 Tar Heels team to the CWS Championship Series. During his first stint in Chapel Hill, Jackson helped the Tar Heels go 345-156, make three College World Series appearances, reach six straight NCAA Regionals, and win the 2013 ACC Championship.

Jackson was also instrumental in building those Carolina rosters, helping recruit eight first-round MLB Draft picks and more than 40 players who went on to be selected in the draft. His recruiting classes were consistently among the nation's best, including the No. 1-ranked class in 2014 and another top-ranked class in 2016.

Then, Jackson took over as head coach at Liberty, where he went 246-181 over eight seasons. He led the Flames to five 30-win seasons, three NCAA Regional appearances, a program-record 43 wins in 2019, and Liberty's first ASUN Championship. Along the way, 15 of his players were selected in the MLB Draft and 16 went on to play professionally.

Jackson’s coaching journey stops included Campbell, Barton, Wofford, UNC Wilmington, Liberty, and even the Wilmington Sharks of the Coastal Plain League, where he earned Coach of the Year honors.

So today, we're going to talk about what it takes to recruit at an elite level, develop players for professional baseball, build championship programs, and ultimately create a culture that consistently produces winning baseball.

This episode is brought to you by Rapsodo Baseball.

Great coaching starts with knowing what to work on next. Rapsodo gives coaches the objective data, video, and instant feedback they need to make every rep more purposeful.

With 20+ hitting and pitching data points, Live-on-Live capabilities, Seam Orientation, Scripted Sessions, and more, Rapsodo’s PRO 2.0 and PRO 3.0 units help coaches dial in on player development for their athletes with pro-level data and ball-tracking technology.

From establishing baselines to validating adjustments and tracking progress, Rapsodo takes the guesswork out of development.

Measure what matters. Train with purpose.

Learn more by emailing sales@rapsodo.com or visit their website: Rapsodo.com/Baseball.

The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Download & Subscribe to the Podcast:
https://abca.castos.com
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2026 ABCA/Soldier Sports NCAA Div. II Assistant Coach of the Year, Jenzen Torres, enters his 14th season on the Cal Poly Pomona coaching staff and his sixth as Associate Head Coach. He wears a lot of hats for the Broncos, serving as the pitching coach, catching coach, and recruiting coordinator—and the results speak for themselves.

During his time on staff, the Broncos have compiled nearly 400 wins, while Torres has recruited and coached multiple All-Americans and helped develop 18 players who have gone on to play professional baseball, including 15 who were drafted out of Cal Poly Pomona.

And on the pitching side, since 2020, the Broncos have consistently ranked among the top programs in the CCAA in categories including ERA, strikeouts, fewest walks allowed, and WHIP.

But long before he was developing pitchers and building recruiting classes, Torres was one of the most accomplished players in program history. A four-year starter at Cal Poly Pomona from 2009 through 2012, he was a three-time All-West Region selection and remains the program’s all-time home run leader, launching 34 home runs in 199 career games. Torres also ranks second all-time in RBIs and finished his career as a .300 hitter.

After his playing career, Torres spent time in professional baseball before quickly transitioning into coaching—and has since had the opportunity to coach some of the game's top talent, including a championship summer with the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox in the Cape Cod League.

This episode is brought to you by Rapsodo Baseball. Great coaching starts with knowing what to work on next. Rapsodo gives coaches the objective data, video, and instant feedback they need to make every rep more purposeful.

With 20+ hitting and pitching data points, Live-on-Live capabilities, Seam Orientation, Scripted Sessions, and more, Rapsodo’s PRO 2.0 and PRO 3.0 units help coaches dial in on player development for their athletes with pro-level data and ball-tracking technology.

From establishing baselines to validating adjustments and tracking progress, Rapsodo takes the guesswork out of development.

Measure what matters. Train with purpose.

Learn more by emailing sales@rapsodo.com or visit their website: Rapsodo.com/Baseball.

The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Download & Subscribe to the Podcast:
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Cary, NC has been the premier home of the NCAA Div. II Baseball National Finals since 2009, hosting the championship event nearly every year at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.

This will be part I of on-location episodes we will hear from Catawba’s Jim Gantt, Point Loma’s Justin James, UT-Tyler’s Brent Porche and Tampa University’s Joe Urso. Congrats to Tampa University’s Joe Urso for winning his eighth NCAA Div. II Championship and an unprecedented 3-Peat. As always, I appreciate the coaches for taking time out of their schedules to sit down with me.

The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Download & Subscribe to the Podcast:
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Today’s guest on the ABCA Podcast is ABCA/Soldier Sports High School Div. I Assistant Coach of the Year, Kobe Wixon. Today’s guest is someone who understands that coaching is about far more than what happens between the lines.

Wixon led Arizona College Prep to their first ever Arizona 5A State Championship this Spring. Wixon is an award-winning baseball coach, pitching coordinator, educator, and youth pastor based in Arizona. His coaching journey has included stops at the high school, junior high, and collegiate levels, including Arizona Christian University and Westwood High School.

But what really sets Wixon apart is the way he approaches player development. He’s passionate about pitching, mental skills, team culture, leadership, and communication—but at the center of all of it is a simple philosophy: people first, always. Relationships matter more than anything else.

Wixon is also deeply invested in developing young people away from the baseball field. After earning his degree in education from Northern Arizona University, he worked as a teacher and has served as a youth pastor in the Tempe area, using both ministry and coaching as avenues to help develop the next generation of leaders.

He’s also an author and contributor, writing about pitching, mental skills, culture, and the lessons that baseball can teach us about life. You can read his article “No Such Thing as “Little Things” in the July/August 2025 edition of Inside Pitch Magazine.

So today, we’re going to talk about pitching development, building a winning culture, the mental side of the game, leadership, relationships, and what it really means to coach the person—not just the player.

The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Download & Subscribe to the Podcast:
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