Ferrum College Men's Baseball

Eric Owens joined the Ferrum staff as Head Baseball Coach in July 2024. Owens' experience at the highest levels of the game includes stops at A, AA, AAA and the major leagues. Owens played baseball three years at Ferrum from 1989-92, as well as football in 1990 and 1991. A two-time All-America first team selection in baseball, Owens was the 1992 NCAA Division III Player of the Year. He is Ferrum's first and only NCAA Player of the Year, in any sport. Owens was chosen in the fourth round of the 1992 MLB Amateur Draft by the Cincinnati Reds, initially being assigned to the Billings Mustangs of the Pioneer League. He spent the 1993 season with the Class A Winston-Salem Spirits in the Carolina League. Owens moved up in 1994 to the Class AA Chattanooga Lookouts of the Southern League. In 1995 with the AAA Indianapolis Indians, he was named American Association Most Valuable Player. Owens made his MLB debut with the Reds June 1995, spending three seasons in Ohio before moving to the Milwaukee Brewers in 1998. He then played for the San Diego Padres from 1999-2000, Florida Marlins in 2001-02 and Anaheim Angels in 2003. For his MLB career, Owens batted .264 with 26 home runs and 214 RBI. During his time as the Assistant Hitting Coach with the Toronto Blue Jays, Owens helped the club making back-to-back American League Championship appearances. He coached 2015 American League Most Valuable Player Josh Donaldson, who also won the AL Hank Aaron Award, and a two time AL Silver Slugger (2015, 2016).  At Ferrum, Owens' 1991 honors include first team All-America, first team All-Region and first team All-Conference. His 1992 honors include first team All-America, first team All-Region, first team All-Conference, Dixie Conference Player of the Year and NCAA Div. III Player of the Year. Owens helped the Panthers reach the NCAA Div. III playoffs in 1990, 1991 and 1992, including South Regional runner-up finishes in 1991 and 1992. Ferrum's overall win-loss record during the three years at Ferrum was an impressive 94-22. During his final year in 1992, Ferrum opened the season with a 25-0 mark, reaching #2 in the national poll, before finishing with a 34-5 overall record. Owens left Ferrum with seven school records, including career marks for batting average (.430), stolen bases (68) and triples (18).         

Brittle Head Baseball Coach Ryan Brittle joined the Ferrum staff as head baseball coach in the summer of 2013.  He served as assistant baseball coach four years at Rogers State University in Claremore, Oklahoma.  Brittle was the assistant head coach at Rogers State, lead infield instructor and third base coach for the Hillcat baseball program, which was ranked in the NAIA Top 25 all four years Brittle was with the program. Prior to Rogers State, Brittle was assistant baseball coach and recruiting coordinator for seven years at Radford University, and assistant baseball coach two years at Virginia Tech. Brittle attended Ferrum two years before completing his bachelor's degree at Virginia Tech, where he played two seasons for the Hokies.  He was a member of the 1997 Virginia Tech team that went to the NCAA Division I Regionals.  At Ferrum, he was part of the 1996 Panther baseball team that competed in the NCAA Division III Regionals. Brittle earned his bachelor's degree in forestry from Virginia Tech in 2000, and his master's degree in education from East Central (Okla.) University in 2011.  Brittle is married to Rebecca Lynn Cooper Brittle from Stafford, Virginia.  The Brittles have two children, two-year-old Cooper Analynn (2) and seven-month-old Ryland Coleman.    

Matt Wojciechowski joined the Ferrum College athletics staff as Assistant Baseball Coach in September 2025. He came to Ferrum from Roanoke College, where he served two years as Assistant Baseball Coach for the Maroons. He was Roanoke's recruiting coordinator during his final season in 2024-25. A native of Reston, Virginia, Wojciechowski graduated from South Lakes High School in 2015. He attended and played baseball for two years at Chesapeake College on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, before transferring to Roanoke and playing his final two seasons. Wojciechowski earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Roanoke in 2020.

Darren Hodges rejoined the Ferrum baseball staff in January 2025 and will work with first-year Head Coach Eric Owens, who began in June 2024. Hodges originally joined the Panther athletic staff in August 1998 as assistant baseball coach. He was promoted to head baseball coach in April 2007, and remained in that position through the 2013 season. In six years as head coach, Hodges compiled a 100-106 career coaching record. His best season came in 2010, when Panthers finished with a 25-13 record. Ferrum had 20 All-Conference and 32 Academic All-Conference selections under Hodges. He also coached 2012 USA South Baseball Player of the Year Paul Jaglowski, who went on to earn Academic All-America and was Ferrum's 2012 President's Cup recipient. Hodges began his collegiate baseball career at Carson Newman University, but after his freshman season in 1988, transferred to Ferrum. Hodges earned USA South Athletic Conference All-Conference in 1989, and in 1990 was All-Conference and Academic All-Conference.  He played two seasons for the Panthers, 1989 and 1990, then was drafted in the 10th round of the 1990 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft by the New York Yankees. Hodges spent five seasons in the minor leagues with the Oneonta Yankees, Prince William Cannons and Albany-Colonie Yankees. He was a Carolina League All-Star in 1991 and was named to the Prince William Top-50 franchise list. Hodges was also inducted in to the Salem-Roanoke Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008. He earned his bachelors degree from Ferrum in 2002.

Jacob Woolwine joined the Ferrum athletic staff as Assistant Baseball Coach in February 2025. He previously served as Assistant Coach for the 5 Tool Bombers College Team from 2021-24, including his role as hitting coordinator. Woolwine has experience with summer/winter camps and clinics for kids of all ages, and has given private lessons. Woolwine graduated Summa Cum Laude from San Diego State University in 2021 with a bachelor's degree, majoring in Psychology with a minor in Interdisciplinatry Studies. He earned a Driveline Foundations of Hitting certificate in 2023.