University of Mount Union Men's Baseball

Knott is in his first year as an assistant baseball coach at Mount Union. Knott was an all-region and two-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference selection as a four-year letterwinner playing for the Purple Raiders.  He was a career .352 hitter with 95 RBI in 112 career games. The Canton, Ohio native and GlenOak High School alum graduated from Mount Union in 2014 with a bachelor's degree in Sport Business.  He spent a year working for Interstate Fire & Security before returning to Mount Union.

Email: [email protected] Paul Hesse is in his 29th season as head baseball coach at Mount Union and is the winningest coach in program history.   Since taking over as head coach in 1997, Hesse has posted a career record of 631-492-5 (.562), placing him first in wins and games coached at Mount Union and is one of only six coaches in the history of the Ohio Athletic Conference to have won more than 500 games. Hesse was named the OAC Coach of the Year in 2013, 2017 and 2025, he was named the D3baseball.com Region 7 Coach of the Year in 2025 and was inducted into the 2024 Greater Stark County Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame.  In 2017, Hesse led the Purple Raiders to their first OAC regular season title since 1970 and hosted the conference tournament for the first time in program history. In 2013, the Raiders claimed their first OAC Tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. In 2025, Hesse led the Raiders to the OAC Regular Season Title and their first NCAA Tournament victory in program history.   During Hesse’s tenure, nine school records have been either tied or broken. In 1999, the Raiders set season records in team batting average (.357), hits (503) and runs (384). In 2021, the team record for home runs in a season was broken as they belted 38, they also broke the record for fielding percentage (.968). The stolen bases record was broken in 2017 as the Raiders shattered the previous record of 86 with 114 in '17. The previous school mark of 28 wins in 2012, was shattered with 31 wins in 2017.   As head coach, Hesse has led the Raiders to 13 OAC Tournament appearances with championship game appearances in 1999, 2002, 2013, 2017 and 2021. During the Raiders’ three-year tournament run from 1993-95, Hesse served as an assistant coach under Bill Ek.   Hesse began his coaching career during the summer of 1971 with the Suffield Warriors in the Portage County League. He continued his coaching career at various levels throughout the Akron, Canton and Alliance areas until the summer of 1996 when he took over the Raiders. He was active at his alma mater, Field High School, where he worked as an assistant from 1972-78 and head coach from 1981-83.   In addition to coaching, Hesse is involved with many organizations in the collegiate ranks. He currently represents Region 7 on the American Baseball Coaches Association Division III All-American & the Coach of the Year Committee since 2001. He has served as the national chair since 2002.  Hesse also served as a high school basketball official for 21 years with the Ohio High School Basketball Officials Association.   In the summer of 2007, Hesse was inducted into the Greater Akron Baseball Hall of Fame in recognition for his years of coaching and contributions to the high school summer league and collegiate programs.   Hesse earned a bachelor's degree in education in 1982 and received a master’s degree in sport administration with a collegiate focus in 1986 from Kent State University. In addition to coaching baseball, Hesse serves as an assistant athletic director and has been a class lecturer at Mount Union. He is a native of Suffield, Ohio and currently resides in Alliance. Hesse Year-By-Year Year Overall W-L Pct. OAC W-L Pct. 2025 28-13 .683 15-3 .833 OAC Regular Season Champs, NCAA Tournament Appearance, First NCAA Tournament win in program history 2024 27-13 .675 10-8 .556 2023     22-15-1 .592 10-8 .556 2022 23-19 .547 11-7 .611 2021 28-13 .683 25-11 .694 2020 7-5 .585 Season shortened due to COVID-19 outbreak 2019 22-14 .611 9-9 .500 2018 21-16 .568 9-9 .500 2017 31-11 .738 16-2 .888 OAC Regular Season Champs 2016 18-20 .474 8-10 .444 2015 22-14 .611 10-8 .556 2014 24-10 .706 10-8 .556 2013 23-18 .561 11-7 .611 NCAA Tourney OAC Tourney Champs  2012 28-15 .651 13-5 .722 2011 17-20 .459 11-7 .611 2010 15-20 .429 5-13 .278 2009 20-18 .526 9-9 .500 2008 20-18 .526 11-7 .611 2007 17-21 .447 7-11 .389 2006 23-17 .575 10-8 .556 2005 16-19-1 .457 7-11 .389 2004 16-16 .500 10-8 .556 2003 18-17 .514 7-11 .389 2002 20-19-1 .513 9-8-1 .529 2001 16-26 .381 7-11 .389 2000 23-15-1 .603 7-8-1 .467 1999 22-20 .524 10-8 .556 1998 19-17-1 .529 10-8 .556 1997 22-15 .595 11-6 .647 Totals 631-492-5  .562 288-225-2 .561 Updated June 5, 2025