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It’s all Wright for Div. III coaching honors

Owen Wright, who has been coaching baseball and soccer at ULV for 13 years, will be honored in Tennessee this January as Division III West Region Coach of the Year and National Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association. Wright led his team to the Division III National Championship. / photo by Melissa A. Collett
Owen Wright, who has been coaching baseball and soccer at ULV for 13 years, will be honored in Tennessee this January as Division III West Region Coach of the Year and National Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association. Wright led his team to the Division III National Championship. / photo by Melissa A. Collett

by Heather Morales
Editorial Assistant

When Owen Wright, professor of physical education and head baseball coach, took his team to the national championships in Salem, Va., last spring he had no idea of the honor he would receive this fall.

On Sept. 5, Wright was notified that he had received the honor of Division III National Coach of the Year from the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), as well as being named Division III West Region Coach of the Year.

“I feel very honored to receive this award from my colleagues,” said Wright.

The National Coach of the Year is chosen from one of the Coaches of the Year of the eight regions—New England, New York, Mid-Atlantic, South, Mid-East, Central, Mid-West and West.

Wright says that the National Coach of the Year is usually the coach whose team wins the national title, but it could be any of the winners of the regions, not necessarily the coach of the national champions.

The nine-member board that chooses the winner consists of one member from each region and a chairman.

All but one of the coaches that won their region took their teams to the national championship playoffs.

Wright will be honored at the Hall of Fame/Coach of the Year banquet on Saturday, Jan. 6, which takes place during the ABCA National convention in Nashville, Tenn. The convention consists of clinics and exhibitions for amateur baseball.

At the banquet, all of the regional coaches of the year will be presented with their awards and then Wright will be presented with the National Coach of the Year award and will be able to give a short speech.

“He deserved it,” said senior baseball player Poncho Quintana. “He had a good coaching staff, everything they did helped us win the title.”

Quintana attributes this honor to Wright’s paternal influence.

“Owen was like our dad. We were like brothers on and off the field. Whatever Owen said we did,” Murray said.

Wright is the first baseball coach to win National Coach of the Year at La Verne, but he did win the West Region Coach of the Year award in 1984.

“This is not just an honor for me, but it is also an honor for the team, the assistant coaches and the University baseball program,” said Wright.

Wright will be honored by the University during Homecoming activities on Nov. 4 along with the rest of the baseball team.

Heather Morales, Arts & Entertainment Editor
Heather Morales
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Melissa A. Collett, Photography Editor
Melissa A. Collett
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