Southeastern University Athletics Director Drew Watson has announced the hiring of Gabe Grinder as the next head coach of the Fire baseball program.
The first-year Fire head coach made a tremendous mark in his inaugural season. Southeastern finished 47-15, with a sixth consecutive Sun Conference Regular Season title. The year started with a historic 20-0 record, with a complete sweep of the East/West Challenge which featured four ranked and three Top 10 teams. Sun Conference play did most of the damage to the Fire's record, as they posted a 18-10 record in conference. However, as the home team, the Fire dominated, posting a 33-3 record, and a 9-8 road record. Thirty-Five ranked teams fell victim to Southeastern as the Fire rolled their first ever NAIA Opening Round hosted at Ted A. Broer, a perfect 3-0 to secure their seventh straight trip to the Avista NAIA World Series. He led the sixth-seeded Fire through the gauntlet of teams in Avista NAIA World Series, defeating the #5 Webber International Warriors (15-2), and eliminated #2 Georgia Gwinnett after two straights wins over the Grizzlies (2-1, 16-6). The season ended for the Fire in the title match, falling to the 59-0 LSU-Shreveport Pilots (13-7). Under Grinder's leadership, two were named Sun Conference All-Academic, there were eight SUN All-Conference, two on the Sun Conference All-Tournament team, three NAIA All-Americans, and three on the Avista NAIA All-Tournament Team. Additionally, for his excellence Grinder was awarded Sun Conference Coach of the Year.
Grinder is no stranger to Ted A. Broer Stadium, spending three seasons from 2009-2011 on the mound and serving as pitching coach during the 2013 season.
Most recently, Grinder served as the head coach at NCAA Division II University of Texas - Permian Basin, leading the Falcons to 35 wins and their first NCAA Tournament win in program history during the 2024 season.
"Gabe brings a unique mix of passion, experience, and spiritual maturity to this role," said Watson. "During the process, I was impressed by his proven approach to building a healthy team culture that invests extensively in the student-athlete while not minimizing or sacrificing the level of play on the field. His teams play hard and for each other, and I am excited to see how that approach enriches the tradition of success our program has built."
Grinder's first head coaching position came at NAIA Ottawa (Kan.) where his teams won 117 games over four seasons, highlighted by a Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament title in 2021 and a 43-win season in 2022, when they were the KCAC regular season champs. The Braves were also honored as the KCAC Champions of Characters team that year and were ranked 14th in the NAIA coaches' poll at the end of the season.
"I want to thank SEU President, Dr. Kent Ingle, and Athletics Director Drew Watson for the opportunity to lead the Fire baseball program," said Grinder. "This institution is a special place, and it is a great privilege to come back here. I look forward to deepening the culture of excellence, raising my family here, and being a part of the community. As we look to build on the success of the past, we will work hard to create an environment where we watch young men grow in their faith, succeed in the classroom, and become the best players they can be on the field."
Grinder served as the pitching coach at Oklahoma Wesleyan for three seasons from 2016-18, with the Eagles appearing in the Avista NAIA World Series in 2017. He also had stops at West Virginia Wesleyan and Morningside. Additionally, he served as head coach of the Haysville Aviators collegiate summer league team for three summers.
Five of his former players have gone on to become MLB Draft picks and another 10 have signed professionally as free agents. Grinder has tutored nine All-Americans and five Pitcher of the Year honorees.
Grinder currently ranks third in the SEU record books with 72 appearances and his career .214 batting average against ranks sixth-best all-time. During the 2009 season, Grinder's 14 saves was third best in the NAIA.
Southeastern is the five-time defending Sun Conference regular season champion and has made six consecutive Avista NAIA World Series appearances.
Grinder, his wife Nicole, and their three children will relocate to Lakeland this summer.
