Judson University found a replacement for baseball coach and athletic director Rich Benjamin with a past link to the school.
Chad Gassman was named Judson baseball coach and athletic director earlier this week. It was Gassman who served as coach for former Judson pitcher Ryan Perez with the Hyannis Harbor Hawks in the Cape Cod Baseball League, a summer amatuer league.
Perez, the ambidextrous former Westminster Christian pitcher, is now in the Cleveland Indians’ farm system.
Gassman was the baseball coach at University of Pikeville in Kentucky for three seasons. He has coached summers in the Cape Cod League since 2008.
Gassman also was baseball coach at Waldorf from 2006-2011, where he also served as an interim athletic director and assistant athletic director.
Judson plays in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference. Gassman is familiar with the league because he completed his master’s degree at Olivet Nazarene and was a baseball assistant there from 2000-2004.
“Filling the position of both athletic director and baseball coach with one person looked to be very challenging,” Judson University vice president Nancy Binger said in a statement. “But finding someone like Chad who has both outstanding baseball coaching experience, specifically in the NAIA ranks, as well as great leadership capabilities is very satisfying.
“I believe he is the right person to lead both our athletic department and our nationally successful baseball program forward effectively.”
Gassman was Cape Cod League Coach of the Year in 2011 and won three divisional titles. He played baseball at Moorehead State.
D-C Hall of Fame: Dundee-Crown High School will hold its annual Hall of Fame reception at 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 12 at Golf Club of Illinois. Cost is $40 per person.
This year’s list of inductees includes former athletic director Dick Storm, former football and basketball player Chad Copher (Class of 1990), four-sport athlete William Horcher (1981), three-sport athlete Josh Pasek (2007) and gymnast Roger Pasek (2007).
Checks or cash can be paid at the school’s athletic office.
Judson Hall of Fame: Five former Judson athletes will be inducted into the Judson Athletic Hall of Fame on Oct. 3 at a dinner and ceremony during homecoming weekend: soccer player Rachel Castilho (Class of 2004), soccer player Pedro Figueiredo (2002), basketball player Elizabeth Oleferchik (2005), softball player Laura Olson (2003) and baseball player Adam Schwelnus (2005).
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