Gene Stephenson
Biographical details | |
---|---|
Born | Council Grove, KS | August 31, 1945
Playing career | |
1965–1968 | Missouri |
Position(s) | First baseman |
Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
1969 | Missouri (assistant) |
1973–1977 | Oklahoma (assistant) |
1978–2013 | Wichita State |
Accomplishments and honors | |
Championships | |
| |
College Baseball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2014 |
Gene Stephenson (born August 31, 1945)[1] is an American retired college baseball coach, who served as the head baseball coach at Wichita State from 1978 to 2013.
Career
When he arrived at Wichita State, he inherited a program that had been dormant for over seven years. In his first year, despite not playing a home game until their 18th game, his Shockers finished with a winning record. In his third year, they made the first NCAA Tournament appearance in school history, and in his fifth they advanced all the way to the title game. The team, with four first team All-Americans (seven overall), lost to Miami. This was all the more remarkable considering that until 1984, they played at a bare-bones stadium with only a tiny bleacher section for seating. The momentum from their 1982 title game appearance helped spearhead the building of a permanent facility, Eck Stadium, in 1985.
Under his leadership, the Shockers made seven College World Series and 26 NCAA tournament appearances, including 14 straight from 1987 to 2000. His teams never had a losing season. His 1982 team went 73–14, establishing an NCAA record for single-season wins.[2] Stephenson won his first CWS championship in 1989; also in 1989, the Shockers won 24 consecutive games.
Stephenson was suspended in 1999 for his part in the Anthony Molina incident. Molina was due to lead off an inning for the University of Evansville. As pitcher Ben Christensen warmed up on the mound, Molina took practice swings 24 feet from home plate. Wichita State's coach, Gene Stephenson, taught his pitchers to "brush back" on-deck hitters standing too close. Christensen threw a pitch at Molina's head, the unsuspecting victim looked up just as the ball collided with his face. Molina was taken to the hospital and treated for his injuries. The hitter's vision fell from 20/10 to 20/400.
Prior to coaching at WSU, he served as an assistant coach at Oklahoma. During that tenure, the Sooners won five league championships, and went to five College World Series.
For most of the day on July 10, 2005, Stephenson was the head coach of Oklahoma. Several hours after accepting the job, however, Stephenson decided to remain at Wichita State, reportedly due to scholarship issues at Oklahoma.[3]
After 36 years, Stephenson was fired on June 4, 2013.[4][5][6][7]
Personal life
Born in Council Grove, Kansas; Gene attended Guthrie High School, Guthrie, Oklahoma, then attended the University of Missouri with his first year on a football scholarship. He had better luck playing baseball, however; as a first baseman under legendary coach Hi Simmons, he was an All-American in 1967. Stephenson served a three-year stint in the United States Army, spending one year in Vietnam. Gene has two children, Jay and Ginny.[8]
His younger brother is Phil Stephenson, who played under him from 1980 to 1983. Gene and Phil were inducted into the Guthrie High School Hall of Fame in 1994. Gene was a first team all-state honoree in football and baseball in his senior year.[8]
Head coaching record
The following is a table of Stephenson's yearly records as an NCAA head baseball coach.[9][10]
Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wichita State Shockers (Missouri Valley Conference) (1978–present) | |||||||||
1978 | Wichita State | 43–30–1 | |||||||
1979 | Wichita State | 65–15 | 10–2 | ||||||
1980 | Wichita State | 53–12–1 | 7–1 | NCAA Regional | |||||
1981 | Wichita State | 56–15 | 15–1 | 1st (West) | NCAA Regional | ||||
1982 | Wichita State | 73–14 | 15–1 | 1st (West) | College World Series Runner-up | ||||
1983 | Wichita State | 55–18 | 7–1 | 1st (West) | NCAA Regional | ||||
1984 | Wichita State | 40–22 | 7–7 | 4th | |||||
1985 | Wichita State | 68–20 | 15–5 | 1st | NCAA Regional | ||||
1986 | Wichita State | 45–18 | 12–8 | 2nd | |||||
1987 | Wichita State | 59–20 | 13–7 | 1st | NCAA Regional | ||||
1988 | Wichita State | 56–16–1 | 16–4 | 1st | College World Series | ||||
1989 | Wichita State | 68–15 | 13–5 | 1st | College World Series Champions | ||||
1990 | Wichita State | 45–19 | 14–6 | t-1st | NCAA Regional | ||||
1991 | Wichita State | 66–13 | 21–3 | 1st | College World Series | ||||
1992 | Wichita State | 56–11 | 18–3 | 1st | College World Series | ||||
1993 | Wichita State | 58–17 | 17–3 | 1st | College World Series | ||||
1994 | Wichita State | 45–17 | 19–2 | 1st | NCAA Regional | ||||
1995 | Wichita State | 53–17 | 24–8 | 1st | NCAA Regional | ||||
1996 | Wichita State | 54–11 | 24–4 | 1st | College World Series | ||||
1997 | Wichita State | 51–18 | 21–7 | 1st | NCAA Regional | ||||
1998 | Wichita State | 56–7 | 26–1 | 1st | NCAA Regional | ||||
1999 | Wichita State | 59–14 | 24–7 | 1st | NCAA Regional | ||||
2000 | Wichita State | 44–21 | 24–8 | 1st | NCAA Regional | ||||
2001 | Wichita State | 42–24 | 21–11 | 2nd | |||||
2002 | Wichita State | 47–17 | 23–9 | 1st | NCAA Regional | ||||
2003 | Wichita State | 49–27 | 19–13 | 2nd | NCAA Regional | ||||
2004 | Wichita State | 49–16 | 28–4 | 1st | NCAA Regional | ||||
2005 | Wichita State | 51–24 | 16–8 | 2nd | NCAA Regional | ||||
2006 | Wichita State | 46–22 | 15–9 | 3rd | NCAA Regional | ||||
2007 | Wichita State | 53–22 | 20–4 | 1st | NCAA Super Regional | ||||
2008 | Wichita State | 48–17 | 19–5 | 1st | NCAA Super Regional | ||||
2009 | Wichita State | 30–27 | 11–7 | 3rd | NCAA Regional | ||||
2010 | Wichita State | 41–19 | 15–6 | t-1st | |||||
2011 | Wichita State | 39–26 | 14–7 | 2nd | |||||
2012 | Wichita State | 35–25 | 12–9 | 3rd | |||||
2013 | Wichita State | 39–28 | 15–6 | 2nd | NCAA Regional | ||||
Wichita State: | 1837–675–3 | 590–192[a] | |||||||
Total: | 1837–675–3 | ||||||||
National champion
Postseason invitational champion
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See also
Notes
- ^ Incomplete (records unavailable for 1978)
References
- ^ http://web1.ncaa.org/stats/StatsSrv/careercoach
- ^ "The History of Shocker Baseball" (PDF). GoShockers.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 July 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2012.
- ^ Kimmey, Will (12 July 2005). "True Shocker: Stephenson returns to Wichita State". Baseball America. Retrieved 13 June 2012.
- ^ Chronicling 36 years with Gene Stephenson at Wichita State; The Wichita Eagle; June 4, 2013.
- ^ Sexton says Stephenson’s 36-year tenure could’ve ended differently; The Wichita Eagle; June 4, 2013.
- ^ "Sources: Wichita State's Gene Stephenson given choice of his exit as baseball coach; The Wichita Eagle; June 3, 2013". Archived from the original on June 9, 2013. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
- ^ "Bob Lutz: Stephenson has final chance to protect legacy; The Wichita Eagle; June 3, 2013". Archived from the original on June 9, 2013. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
- ^ a b "Gene Stephenson Official Biography; Wichita State University". Archived from the original on 2011-05-20. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
- ^ "History & Records" (PDF). 2013 Missouri Valley Conference Baseball Media Guide. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 6, 2013. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
- ^ "History" (PDF). Wichita State Shockers Baseball Media Guide. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 6, 2013. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
- 1945 births
- Living people
- United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War
- Baseball first basemen
- Missouri Tigers baseball coaches
- Missouri Tigers baseball players
- Missouri Tigers football players
- Oklahoma Sooners baseball coaches
- Wichita State Shockers baseball coaches
- People from Guthrie, Oklahoma
- United States Army soldiers
- National College Baseball Hall of Fame inductees