Mike Pritchard begins his sixth year as the head baseball coach at Centre College. Pritchard came to Centre from Hanover College, where he served as the pitching coach for three years.

The Colonels have won 82 games in his first five years, 10 more than the previous six years combined, and 33 SCAC games in that time compared to only 31 total conference wins in the seven years prior to his arrival. During his five years, the Colonels have broken or tied 28 school records and have had 25 all-conference players, two all-region selections and three players named the Centre Male Student Athlete-of-the-Year.

In his first year at Centre, the Colonels made a 12-game improvement, the eighth largest in Division III that year, going from a 4-29 record in 2004 to a 16-20 record in 2005. The team also made a four-game improvement in SCAC play winning five games in 2005 compared to only one in 2004.

The 2007 season saw Centre qualify for its first conference tournament appearance in eight years, winning only its second conference tournament game in the 17-year history of the SCAC.

In 2008, Centre posted only its third 20-win season in school history and its first winning season since 2001. The Colonels also qualified for the SCAC Tournament for the second straight season with an 8-8 mark, it’s first .500 or better record in conference play since 1997.

Last year Pritchard guided the Colonels to their third straight SCAC Tournament appearance and won two games in a tournament for the first time during the SCAC era, finishing third in the tournament for it’s highest finish in SCAC Tournament history. One of Centre’s two wins was a 4-2 upset over the No. 2 team in the nation, Millsaps College, in the opening round.

Pritchard, a 1999 graduate of the University of Dayton, pitched for the Flyers and was a team captain his senior year. After graduating, he served two seasons as an assistant coach at Dayton working primarily with the outfielders.

A native of Watsontown, PA, Pritchard grew up only 15 minutes from Williamsport, Pa., home of the Little League World Series.