Heath Stover Named LHU’s Head Baseball Coach
After serving as the interim head coach this past spring, Heath Stover has officially been named LHU’s head baseball coach
LOCK HAVEN – After serving as the interim head coach during what was a successful 2018 season, Heath Stover has officially been named Lock Haven University’s head baseball coach.
As interim head coach this past spring, Stover guided the Bald Eagles to a number of special accomplishments. During the regular season, LHU cracked the top-25 and was nationally ranked for the first time in school history.
Lock Haven finished the season at 22-19 overall and LHU went 12-14 in the highly competitive Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division. The Bald Eagles went into the final weekend of divisional play with a playoff spot on the line.
As a team, LHU showed their dominance at the plate and hit.332, the best regular-season average in the PSAC and one of the best marks in all of Division II baseball.
Following the 2018 season, both Cayden Stover and Nick Stotler earned All-Region honors and a total of seven players earned All-PSAC East honors including pitcher Scott Leitholf, who was named the PSAC East Freshman of the Year. The seven All-Conference honorees were the most since Lock Haven had eight student-athletes earn All-PSAC West honors following the 1997 season.
“I could not be more excited for this opportunity and I’m so grateful to be given the chance to continue to lead this program, both on and off the field,” said Stover. “LHU baseball has been a huge part of my life for more than 20 years and it means the world to me to continue the journey as the head coach.”
“Our goals are lofty and I will work hard on behalf of the entire campus community to reach them,” added Stover.
“I am extremely thankful that Heath accepted the offer to direct our baseball program this past spring,” said LHU Director of Athletics Dr. Tom Gioglio. “His efforts and commitment to the student-athletes, and the athletic department as the interim head coach showed me that he is the perfect fit and ready to lead the baseball program.”
“I’m confident in his abilities and know that our program is in the right hands moving forward,” added Gioglio.
After 20 seasons as the assistant coach at Lock Haven, Stover was named the program’s interim head coach for the 2018 season on January 9, 2018.
Stover is a 1997 graduate of LHU, earning a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education. In 2009, he earned his master’s in teaching and learning. As a player at LHU, Stover was a standout and still ranks among the top-10 in several of the school’s all-time offensive categories.
Stover resides in Lock Haven with his wife Jen along with their three daughters Alyssa, Katelyn, and Sophia. He is also proudly following in his father Paul “Smokey” Stover’s footsteps. His father served as head baseball coach at LHU for 25 seasons.
