Former Bandit Chris Schwartz Named WIAC Coach of the Year

May 17, 2012

Former Manitowoc Bandits player/coach has been named the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's Baseball Coach of the Year in a vote by his peers.

Wisconsin State League

Chris Schwartz, a Manitowoc native and the head coach of the UW-La Crosse baseball team, has been named the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference’s Baseball Coach of the Year in a vote by his peers.

This past season, he led UW-La Crosse to a school-record 33 wins (33-9) while also setting a school record with 21 WIAC victories (21-2). The Eagles won their first conference title since 2000 this season and their first outright league championship since 1978.

UW-L also won its second WIAC Tournament title in school history with a 9-1 victory over UW-Whitewater May 12, qualifying the Eagles in the NCAA Division III Tournament. The No. 2 seed faces No. 7 Aurora University (Ill.) today at UW-Whitewater at 7 p.m.

Schwartz, a graduate of Manitowoc Lutheran High, is in his eighth season as head coach at UW-L and ranks third in career victories (166). He was also WIAC Coach of the Year in 2006 after guiding the Eagles to a 22-19 overall and 15-9 conference mark. The Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association also named Schwartz its 2006 Wisconsin College Coach of the Year.

Schwartz earned his bachelor’s (2002) and masters (2004) degrees from UW-L. Schwartz was a four-year baseball letter winner for the Eagles and named to the 2002 All-WIAC Team after pitching in a school-record 19 games. He is tied for second in career saves at UW-L (10) and was a member of two WIAC Championship teams (1998, 2000).

He played for the Manitowoc Bandits in the early 2000s, and was also a player/coach during his time with the squad.

Story by: Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter

The Wisconsin State League is one of the premier semi-professional/amateur baseball leagues in the mid-west. In operation since 1970, the Wisconsin State League is a highly competitive league that features many of the midwest's top current and former collegiate athletes, as well as many former professional baseball players. Keep up to date on everything happening in the Wisconsin State League by following the league online on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram.

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