Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Athletics

In the summer of 2007, the athletic administration at Embry-Riddle was faced the daunting task of finding someone to take over the very successful Eagle baseball program. Following an extensive national search, Randy Stegall was named the third head coach in the history of Eagle baseball in July 2007.

Stegall inherited a program that was considered a national power, having made five Avista-NAIA World Series appearances in six seasons. Stegall set about building on that tradition of success. In his first season, he led the Blue and Gold to a 44-18 overall and an 18-3 conference record. The Eagles started 2008 league play 3-3, but rebounded for a 15-game winning streak that led to a sixth conference championship in seven years.

The league title gave the Eagles the No. 1 seed for the NAIA Region XIV tournament and they capitalized on the advantage, claiming the regional crown and earning a spot in the 10-team NAIA World Series as the sixth seed. The Eagles went 2-2 at the World Series to finish fifth in the nation. Stegall's success in his inaugural season with the Eagles earned him, Florida Sun Conference, NAIA Region XIV American Baseball Coaches Association NAIA Region XIV Coach of the Year honors.

Stegall's second season with the Eagles culminated in a 44-14 record and The Sun Conference regular season and tournament titles. Once again, Stegall was hailed as the conference Coach of the Year. The NAIA introduced a new format to postseason play, eliminating regional and super regional tournaments and introducing a National Championship Opening Round. Stegall and his ballclub showed that they were not only up to the task of hosting a six-team Opening Round tournament, they were also quite capable of winning it, collecting three straight victories to advance to the NAIA World Series.  Stegall garnered NAIA-Rawlings East Region Coach of the Year honors for his club's NAIA National Championship Opening Round crown.

The 2010 season proved to be the best to-date in Stegall's tenure with Embry-Riddle. The Eagles finished 47-19 overall and finished as the No. 3 team in the nation. ERAU won it's third consecutive Sun Conference title during the regular season with a 21-6 record, then followed that up with The Sun Conference tournament crown, coming out of the loser's bracket to beat St. Thomas twice to claim the title.

The Blue and Gold were granted a No. 1 seed in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round and the hosts did not dissapoint, getting a two-out, two-run double from senior Branden Roper-Hubbert in the bottom of the ninth inning against St. Thomas in the championship finale to win a thrilling 3-2 game over the Bobcats, sending ERAU to their ninth NAIA World Series.

Stegall lead his team to a 3-2 record in the 10-team event, including a win over national No. 1 Lewis-Clark State. The Eagles would eventually bow out in the semifinals, finishing as the third-best team in the nation, for the second-best finish in program history. Stegall again earned NAIA-Rawlings East Region Coach of the Year honors.

Stegall accomplished additional firsts during the 2011 year, earning his first 50-win season, as well as getting his team ranked No. 1 overall over the final three weeks of the season. The Eagles breezed through The Sun Conference slate with a 24-3 record, the best in conference history. Next, the Eagles blew out all four of their opponents in The Sun Conference tournament, earning a No. 1 seed in the NAIA Opening Round - Daytona Beach bracket. ERAU continued their undefeated postseason, posting two wins over Brewton-Parker (Ga.) en route to their 10th NAIA World Series Appearance.

The Eagles entered the 2011 World Series as the No. 1 overall seed, winning their opening game aganst eventual national champion Concordia (Calif.) in convincing fashion. ERAU would end up placing fifth in the 10-team event, ending their 2011 season with a 51-11 overall record.

Stegall came to Embry-Riddle from Indiana Tech where he spent two seasons as the Warriors' head coach, compiling a 69-44-2 overall record. In 2006, the Warriors were 29-29-1 overall, were third in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference and finished second in the Region VIII tournament.

A year leater, Stegall guided the Warriors to a 40-15-1 record and the WHAC regular season and tournament titles, earning him league Coach of the Year honors. Indiana Tech was also ranked 20th in the final NAIA poll.

Prior to coaching at Indiana Tech, Stegall spent five years as the top assistant coach to Woody Hunt at Cumberland University in Tennessee where he worked primarily with hitters and infielders. During his time at Cumberland, the Bulldogs won three conference championships, two regional titles, two super regional titles and made two straight trips to the Final Four at the NAIA World Series. In 2004, the Bulldogs defeated Oklahoma City to capture the school's first NAIA World Series crown.

Stegall has coached four first-team All-Americans (Jordan Roberts, ERAU; Justin Zinkovich, ERAU; Austin Quinn, ERAU; Charlie MacFarlane, CU), eight second-team All-Americans (Aaron Varnum, ERAU; Phillip Reamy, ERAU; Steve Sabins, ERAU; Tucker Jensen, ERAU; Ryan Vigue, ERAU; Donnie Burkhalter, CU; Phillip Cuadrado, CU; Chris Torres, CU) and five honorable mention All-Americans (Phillip Reamy, ERAU; Ben Kline; ERAU, Keaton Stroud, ERAU; Eric Ogden, ITU; Josh Judy, ITU).

Stegall began his collegiate career playing at the University of South Carolina where he earned honorable mention All-Southeastern Conference honors in 1995. After two seasons with the Gamecocks, Stegall transferred to Cumberland (Tenn.) where he set the school single-season record in hitting (.479) and finished fifth in the nation in runs scored (87), hits (113) and total bases (201) as a junior. His performance that year earned him Mid South Conference and Regional Player of the Year honors. He was also a first team All-American and was the runner-up to the NAIA Player of the Year.

Stegall was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 25th round of the 1998 Major League Baseball draft. During his four years as a professional baseball player, Stegall played for the Billings Mustangs, Clinton Lumberkings, Rockford Reds, Dayton Dragons and the Chattanooga Lookouts.

In 1998, he earned All-Pioneer League honors after finishing ninth in the league in batting (.316) and hits (83). In 2000, he led the Midwest League in doubles (43), which was second in all of minor league baseball, and tied for fourth in batting average (.311), the second best among all Cincinnati Reds minor leaguers. He was also selected to the Midwest League All-Star game in 2000.

Stegall is a native of Orlando, Fla. where he played high school baseball at Lake Brantley High School, and was inducted into the Lake Brantley High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005 He earned his bachelor's degree in History/Geography from Cumberland in 2002 and a Master of Science degree in Social Studies Education from Nova Southeastern. He currently resides in DeLand, Fla. with his wife Laura, Embry-Riddle's assistant volleyball coach and eligibility coordinator, and their daughters Sarah and Ashtyn.

Coaching Highlights
Four NAIA World Series appearances (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)
Five conference regular season titles (Indiana Tech, 2007; Embry-Riddle, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)
Two NAIA Regional titles (Indiana Tech, 2007; Embry-Riddle, 2008)
The Sun Conference Tournament Champion (2009, 2010, 2011)
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Coach of the Year (2007)
Three-time Sun Conference Coach of the Year (2008, 2009, 2011)
Five 40+ winning seasons
One 50+ winning season
Has produced 12 All-Americans