Stan Eldridge announced as head coach for Lawrence Technological University

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – The Lawrence Technological University Athletic Department has officially announced the hiring of Head Baseball Coach, Stan Eldridge. Eldridge joins the Blue Devil staff as part of an athletic revival that began in the spring of 2012. Since its rebirth, the athletic department has blossomed into 16 varsity sports with several more on the horizon.

"We are very excited for Stan Eldridge to lead our baseball program," said Athletic Director Scott Trudeau. "The new program will continue to help in the growth and development of our university and Coach Eldridge is the right person to build new traditions. The team will be a source of great pride for LTU, both on the field and in the classroom."

"First and foremost, I would like to thank Scott Trudeau and the search committee for giving me this opportunity," Eldridge said. "I want to build a program that everyone at this great university can be proud of, while bringing in student-athletes that represent what Lawrence Tech is all about."

Eldridge's first duty as Head Coach will be to recruit a team to compete on the field in the fall of 2016. The baseball team will be joined by a softball team to kick off its inaugural season within the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) – something Coach is very familiar with.

Eldridge, in his 15th year in the collegiate ranks, has previously coached at three WHAC institutions, including Siena Heights University, Concordia University – Ann Arbor, and Madonna University. Moreover, he spent nine seasons with Spring Arbor University, a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) school. Eldridge also spent several years coaching at the high school level early in his career.

"Coach brings a ton of experience to the table, not only in our league [WHAC] but in the NAIA as well. With years of experience and connections in the baseball world, it will enable him to hit the ground running and field a competitive team right away," said Trudeau.

Immediately prior to joining the Blue Devils, Eldridge spent just over a year at Siena Heights University, working primarily with the hitters and more recently the offensive direction of the Saints program.

While at Spring Arbor, Eldridge served as the Associate Head Baseball Coach and Recruiting Coordinator, overseeing hitters and infielders, while helping the running game and outfielders. He assisted in leading his teams to the height of NAIA Baseball with two trips to the NAIA World Series in Lewiston, Idaho. During his nine-year tenure, the Cougars hit a combined .318 and fielded a .960 mark, leading the NAIA nationally in fielding in 2007 and finishing third in 2011.

Eldridge also tutored plenty of individual talent, sending seven players to the professional ranks, while developing three Conference Player of the Year winners, a Rawlings NAIA National Gold Glove honoree, and several others selected to All-Conference, All-Region, and All-American teams.

During his time at Concordia, Eldridge served as the Associate Head Coach and was primarily responsible for implementing a more aggressive style of offense, while assisting the Cardinal pitchers. In his years at Concordia, the program broke almost every individual and team offensive record in the program's history. Several players under his tutelage were named to the All-Conference and All-Region 8 teams, with one player receiving NAIA Honorable Mention All-American accolades.

Eldridge's first stop in the collegiate level was at Madonna, where he began to hone his offensive craft. In his time with the Crusaders, the offense combined to hit a .312 average. Defensively, coach worked with the outfielders to develop a situational philosophy. In his years with Madonna, Eldridge coached his first set of All-Conference and All-Region selections.

Eldridge is a graduate of Concordia University – Ann Arbor where he earned a bachelor degree in Business Administration & Leadership.  He also holds a degree in Criminal Justice and is a graduate of the EMU School of Staff & Command.  Eldridge saw his playing career come to an abrupt halt as he sustained an on-field injury that altered his playing career.  However, he was able to briefly resume his career to play collegiately for two years before entering the coaching profession and beginning a long and rewarding career in law enforcement, from which he is now retired. Stan resides in Ypsilanti, Mich. with his wife and two children.