Indiana Wesleyan University has announced that Chad Newhard has been hired as the new head baseball coach in addition to teaching in the Physical Education department.

"I am incredibly excited about the opportunity at Indiana Wesleyan and can not wait to get started," said Newhard. "I look forward to building on the success that the team has had and move it forward to even better heights. I would like to thank Coach DeMichael and the search committee for this opportunity that they presented me to work with these fine student-athletes."

Newhard comes to Indiana Wesleyan from Tabor College, located in Hillsboro, Kansas. He spent one season at Tabor and under his leadership the Blue Jays broke school records for runs scored and RBIs in a season.

"The thing that separated Chad was his ability to communicate a vision for the baseball program that encompasses athletic excellence, academic success and spiritual and character mentorship," said Indiana Wesleyan Athletic Director Mark DeMichael. "These are the things that Indiana Wesleyan Wildcat Athletics are all about and I believe Chad will take the Wildcat Baseball Program to new heights in all of those areas."

Newhard returns to Indiana where he played collegiate baseball and coached. He earned a B.S. in Sports Studies at Grace College in Winona Lake, Indiana and went on to earn his Master's Degree in Secondary Education at Indiana University.

During his four year career at Grace (1996-1999), Newhard ranks in the Lancers' top-10 in three offensive categories for career marks. He ranks sixth in hits with 136, fourth in runs with 93 and third in walks with 82. Newhard also ranks in the top-10 in single season performance with 48 hits in 1998 and 26 walks in 1998 and 1999.

Newhard, a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association, began his coaching career in 2000 as an assistant coach at Grace, followed by duties as an assistant at Glen Oaks Community College in Centreville, Michigan from 2001-2002.

Glen Oaks named Newhard the head coach in 2003 where he compiled a 66-39 record over two seasons. Each season, Newhard led Glen Oaks to a national ranking in the top-15.

After Glen Oaks, Newhard accepted a position as an assistant coach at NCAA Division I IPFW.

Newhard was the hitting coach and recruiting coordinator for IPFW during his three seasons at the school from 2005-2007. During his time there, IPFW finished 29th in the nation in batting average and ninth in stolen bases while the Mastodons set a team record for wins in a season at the NCAA Division I level.

"I like to implement an aggressive style of baseball. My teams will run a lot and put pressure on the defense," Newhard said. "And I expect our pitchers to do what all coaches want, throw strikes and get ahead of the hitter."

Newhard has also spent time as a Major League Baseball associate scout. From 2001-2004, Newhard did scouting work for the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays.

"We are ecstatic to have a coach of Chad's caliber coming to join our team at Indiana Wesleyan," said DeMichael. "Chad brings diverse college coaching experiences that have enabled him to foster excellent baseball connections throughout the state of Indiana and across the border to Michigan, Ohio and Illinois."