Midway College Men's Baseball

Luther Bramblett has been with the Midway baseball program since its inception and will begin his 11th season as Eagle head coach this spring. Bramblett, who has won more than 700 games in his coaching career, was hired as the first-ever head baseball coach at Midway University in July 2016 as he started the program for the 2017 season. In his first season in 2017, Bramblett led the Eagles to the River States Conference Tournament Championship and an automatic berth in the NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round. He also led the Eagles to 28 victories in their first season. In his second season in 2018, Bramblett led the Eagles to 26 victories and the school’s first winning season in program history. He followed that up with 27 victories in 2019 which included his 600th career victory as a head coach. 2020 was tough due to Covid-19, the Eagles won seven games prior to the season being canceled. The 2022 season saw the Eagles finish with 19 wins, while they finished third in the River States Conference Tournament. Bramblett also had five players earn All-Conference honors which was the most in a single season in program history. Along with the five All-Conference honorees, the Eagles also produced the RSC Freshman of the Year and the third Gold Glove winner in program history. That proceeded a breakthrough 2023 campaign that resulted in Midway's first-ever, first-place finish in RSC regular season play, where the Eagles recorded a record of 20-7. They parlayed that into a 6-5 win over Saint Xavier (Ill.) in the first game of the NAIA Opening Round, the first national tournament win in program history. In 2025, the Eagles made it all the way to the championship round of the River States Conference Tournament for the first time since their title run in 2017. The 2026 season saw another winning record finishing at 28-21 overall. They won a three game series against Oakland City who were nationally ranked at the time (25) as they took two of three.  This season will mark his 26th season as a head coach for Bramblett and 33rd  overall in college baseball. He starts the year with an overall record of (753-515-1) (.593). Bramblett has also coached multiple players that have gone on to play baseball professionally, adding another in 2024. In the 2017 MLB Draft Hector Quinones was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 32nd round, while Jake McCoy signed a deal with the Evansville Otters. Marqusie Glenn sign a pro contract in the Puerto Rico Professional Baseball League, with Ryan Davis inking a deal with the Lexington Legends in 2024, then being drafted by the New Jersey Jackals of the Frontier Baseball League in 2025. Bramblett has seen 37 Academic All-Americans, 78 Academic All-Conference members and 40 RSC All-Conference players while at Midway. The Eagles had a particularly strong year in the classroom in 2024 with 27 RSC Scholar-Athletes (seven more than any other team), and 19 Daktronic NAIA Scholar-Athletes, the second most of any team in the nation. Things went even better in 2025, when the Eagles had 25 Daktronic Scholar-Athletes. Bramblett comes to Midway after a 15-year stint as the head coach at St. Catharine College. In his 15 seasons, he led the Patriots to thirteen 30+ win seasons finishing with an overall record of 532-262-1 (.595). In 2016, the Patriots finished with a 35-23 record and made it to the final three in the Mid-South Conference Tournament, finding themselves in and out of the NAIA Baseball Top 25. In 2015, Bramblett led St. Catharine to a 38-17 mark leading to a final ranking of No. 29 in the NAIA Baseball Top 25. The team also received an at-large bid to the NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round for the first time in program history. The Patriots finished the season as runner-up in the MSC Tournament while finishing second in the regular season standings Because of his team’s success on the field, Bramblett was named the Mid-South Conference Baseball Coach of the Year in 2015. Bramblett also coached two MSC Pitchers of the Year, one MSC Player of the Year as well as the MSC Co-Freshman of the Year. After moving to a four-year institution in 2009, Bramblett coached five All-Americans, 41 All-Conference players and 13 Gold Glove winners. He also had 44 players named Academic All-Conference, while 13 were named Academic All-Americans. Bramblett also had five players that went on to play professional baseball. In their first year as a four-year program in the NAIA in 2009, Bramblett led the Patriots to a 37-14 record, while winning the USCAA National Championship in their transition year. During his first seven years at St. Catharine, Bramblett went 258-88 and won nearly 75 percent of his games. He placed well over 70 kids at four-year schools as a Junior College. He also coached nine All-Americans and had 11 All-Conference, All-District, and All-Region players. Ten of his players also went on to play professional baseball.   His 2004 squad set the school record for wins finishing with a 48-8 mark. The team finished the season ranked third in the final NJCAA poll before losing in the Regional Championship game in St. Louis, Missouri. The Patriots led the nation in hitting with a .378 batting average. Bramblett also led the Patriots to a runner-up finish in the Super Regional as well as two runner-up finishes in the Regional during his time at St. Catharine. Coach Bramblett came to St. Catharine College from Campbellsville University, where he helped lead the Tigers to the 2000 Mid-South Conference Tournament Championship and 92 wins in three years (99-01). In 1997, he was an assistant at North Florida Community College in Madison, Florida. The Sentinels were 38-18 and had four players drafted into professional baseball. During the 1995 and 1996 seasons, Bramblett was an assistant at Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee. During that time, the Lions were 51-56 and reached the postseason for the first time in school history in 1996. Three Freed Hardeman players were drafted into professional baseball off those teams.  A 1994 graduate of Campbellsville University, Bramblett was a pitcher and middle infielder for the Tigers (1990-93). Bramblett holds a Bachelor of Science in History as well as a Bachelor of Science in Communications with an emphasis in Journalism. He earned his Master’s degree in Education from Freed-Hardeman University (1997). Coach Bramblett grew up in Fort Myers, Florida and graduated from Caldwell County High School in Princeton, Kentucky in 1989.  He is a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association and a veteran summer camp instructor. He was also a featured speaker at the Kentucky High School Baseball Coaches Association clinic. Coach Bramblett enjoys hunting, fishing and playing golf. He is married to the former Lena Campbell form Lebanon, Kentucky. She is the Principal in the Washington County School system.  They have two boys, Sy and Case, that you can either find at the field or in the gym. YEAR RECORD SCHOOL CONFERENCE RECORD 2002 26-20 St. Catharine College NJCAA 2003 37-11 St. Catharine College NJCAA 2004 48-8 St. Catharine College NJCAA 2005 38-10 St. Catharine College NJCAA 2006 39-14 St. Catharine College NJCAA 2007 34-12 St. Catharine College NJCAA 2008 36-13 St. Catharine College NJCAA NJCAA TOTAL - 7 years 258-88 (.746%) 2009 37-14 St. Catharine College 9-9 (MSC) NAIA/USCAA USCAA National Champions 2010 36-22 St. Catharine College 16-11 (MSC) NAIA 2011 31-26-1 St. Catharine College 12-14 (MSC) NAIA 2012 32-25 St. Catharine College 11-9 (MSC) NAIA 2013 37-21 St. Catharine College 10-11 (MSC) NAIA 2014 28-27 St. Catharine College 15-12 (MSC) NAIA 2015 38-17 St. Catharine College 15-5 (MSC) NAIA Opening Round 2016 35-22 St. Catharine College 10-11 (MSC) NAIA 2017 28-30 Midway University 20-12 (RSC) River States Champions NAIA Opening Round 2018 26-24 Midway University 15-11 (RSC) NAIA 2019 27-27 Midway University 14-13 (RSC) NAIA 2020 7-16 Midway University 3-1 (RSC) NAIA (Covid) 2021 12-30 Midway University 11-16 (RSC) NAIA (Covid) 2022 19-31 Midway University 13-10 (RSC) NAIA 2023 28-24 Midway University 20-7 (RSC) River States Champions NAIA Opening Round 2024 22-25 Midway University 12-12 (RSC) NAIA 2025 24-25 Midway Univesity 12-12 (RSC) NAIA 2026 28-21 Midway University 16-11 (RSC) NAIA NAIA TOTAL - 18 years 495-427 (.536%) 234-187 (.555%)  OVERALL - 25 years 753-515-1 (.593%)

JaVon Shelby enters his second season with the Midway University Baseball coaching staff bringing elite playing experience and a strong background in player development. A Lexington native, Shelby was a standout athlete at Tates Creek High School before continuing at the University of Kentucky, where he became one the SEC’s premier infielders. A standout infielder at the University of Kentucky, Shelby was a key contributor for the Wildcats from 2014–2016. During his career in Lexington, he earned ALL SEC freshman team & First-Team All-SEC honors and was recognized as one of the conference’s top power hitters, finishing his sophomore season with a .312 batting average, 9 home runs, and 44 RBI. Known for his athleticism and leadership, Shelby helped elevate Kentucky’s infield defense and offensive production throughout his three-year career. Following his collegiate success, Shelby was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 5th round of the 2016 MLB Draft. He went on to compete in the A’s minor league system, gaining valuable experience across multiple levels and developing a reputation for his versatility and baseball IQ. Shelby comes from a strong baseball lineage — his father, John Shelby, is a former Major League Baseball player and coach along with two of his brothers John T & Jaren Shelby who also played at Kentucky— and he continues that family tradition through his dedication to player development and mentorship. As a coach, JaVon focuses on infield and outfield play, offensive approach, and mental preparation, emphasizing a detailed, disciplined mindset on and off the field. His goal is to help student-athletes reach their full potential by combining elite fundamentals with a professional work ethic. At Midway, Shelby plays a key role in developing the infield and outfield  unit, overseeing offensive strategy, and mentoring student-athletes on both their physical and mental approach to the game. His coaching philosophy emphasizes discipline, confidence, and consistency—traits he believes are essential for success on and off the field.  

Dallen Turner enters his first season as the pitching coach at Midway University after a standout year developing one of the top pitching staffs in the South Atlantic Conference at Mars Hill University. In his lone season at Mars Hill, Turner played a key role in one of the most successful seasons in program history. The Lions improved their team ERA from 8.94 to 5.75 while setting a program record with 19 conference victories and recording their highest-ever conference finish (4th). Under his guidance, the pitching staff established a new school record with 8.7 strikeouts per nine innings. The pitching staff also made significant strides across the board, nearly doubling its win total (14 to 26), lowering its WHIP from 2.02 to 1.62, and holding opponents to a .275 batting average after allowing a .333 average the previous season and earned four victories over nationally ranked Top 25 opponents. Turner developed several of the conference's top pitchers during the 2026 season. Brady Stephens lowered his ERA from 18.44 to 2.84 while leading the SAC in WHIP (1.13). Reid Withers posted a 4.36 ERA with 58 strikeouts, led the conference in strikeout-to-walk ratio, set a Mars Hill program record with 12.05 strikeouts per nine innings, and finished with the best winning percentage in program history at 6-1 (.857). Freshman Collin Chappel earned Third Team All-SAC honors and a spot on the SAC All-Defensive Team after posting a 3.69 ERA, while Jacob Davis earned SAC Pitcher of the Week recognition following a complete-game shutout against Anderson. Prior to Mars Hill, Turner served as a Pitching Performance Coach at Pitching Performance Lab in Louisville, Kentucky, where he worked with pitchers from the youth, collegiate, and professional levels. There, he helped design individualized throwing and development programs while utilizing TrackMan, Edgertronic, and movement assessments to improve velocity, command, pitch characteristics, and arm health. A former collegiate pitcher, Turner began his collegiate career at the NCAA Division I Wagner College before transferring to Academy of Art University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications and Media Technology. He continued at Carson-Newman, helping the 2025 team win 37 games and advance to the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional. He earned his MBA in Sports Management from Carson-Newman in 2025.