Palm Tabbed OAC Coach of the Year

For the second-straight year, and fourth time overall, the Ohio Athletic Conference baseball coaches have voted Heidelberg University head coach Matt Palm the Don Schaly Coach of the Year. Palm has been awarded the top honor also in 2000, 2004 and 2008.
 
Thus far in 2009, Palm has guided the Berg to the OAC Regular Season and Tournament Titles, as well as the Mideast Regional where the Berg is the no. 1 seed. Currently the team owns an overall record of 36-7 and is riding a 10-game winning streak, while standing fourth in the nation according to D3baseball.com. Palm placed 11 players on the All-OAC list, including the Kent Tekulve Pitcher of the Year in sophomore closer Andy Lowe, along with four first team performers. In the classroom, Palm has three ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District IV selections, highlighted by senior first baseman Biagio Boytim’s first team nod.
 
In 10 years at the helm of Heidelberg, Palm has amassed a record of 302-136-2. He picked up his 300th coaching victory with a 13-3 OAC Tournament opening round win against John Carroll University. Heidelberg has made three NCAA regional appearances (2004, 2008, 2009). Against league foes, Palm has a career record of 125-52-1 and has won four regular season titles (2003, 2007, 2008, 2009) and three tournament championships (2004, 2008, 2009). He has reached the 20-win plateau every year, eclipsing 30-wins on five occasions, and recorded 41 wins in 2008.
 
Palm has brought a tradition of championship caliber teams to Heidelberg since day one. He has coached three OAC Players of the Year (Aaron Fischer 2000, Jon Hatfield 2003 and A.J. Schlea 2006), two OAC Pitcher’s of the Year (Bill Sheets 2002 and Andy Lowe 2009), had 13 Academic All-OAC First Team award winners, and 33 All-OAC First Team honors. He has also coached three All-Americans in first team honoree A.J. Schela (2006), second team recipient Jon Hatfield (2003) and Jeremy Wentworth (2008).