Northwest Nazarene University Men's Baseball

Biography Joe Schaefer enters his eighth season as the head baseball coach at Northwest Nazarene in the 2025-26 academic year. Schaefer has an overall career record of 546-351-2 (.608) through 18 seasons as a collegiate head coach, and a 205-124-1 (.623) mark through seven seasons at NNU.  Schaefer elevated the NNU baseball program to new heights in 2025, achieving the best overall season of any Northwest Nazarene team, regardless of sport, in the school's 24-year NCAA Division II history. The Nighthawks finished the year with a record of 46-16, claiming the GNAC Regular Season Championship, GNAC Tournament Championship, and NCAA West Region Championship, and winning two games in Cary to advance farther than any NNU team at the DII Baseball Championships. NNU was the No. 1 seed in the West Region for the first time in school history, and was ranked No. 3 in the nation in the final National College Baseball Writers of America (NCBWA) poll, the highest in program history. The 46 wins shattered the previous program record of 36 and are also a GNAC record. As a team, the Nighthawks set new NNU single-season records for games played, at-bats, runs, hits, doubles, triples, home runs (tied), RBIs, total bases, walks, sacrifice flies, sacrifice bunts, shutouts, and innings pitched. Schaefer was also named the 2025 ABCA West Region Coach of the Year, his fourth regional COTY award while at NNU. A pair of players, Ernesto Lugo-Canchola and Cole Calnon, earned consensus All-America honors. Six players received nods on All-Region teams, and the Nighthawks earned a program-record 14 All-GNAC recognitions. After missing out on NCAA Regionals in 2023, Schaefer led the Nighthawks back for the third time in four years in 2024. The Nighthawks finished the year 36-15-1 overall and 23-9 in GNAC play to win the GNAC Regular Season Championship. NNU then went on to grab the GNAC Tournament title and the 3-seed in West Regional in Monterey. The Nighthawks were ranked as high as 10th in the nation during the year. Schaefer earned West Region Coach of the Year honors from the NCBWA, with four players also earning All-Region nods. He was also the GNAC Coach of the Year and NNU had the GNAC Co-Pitcher of the Year in Kyle Ethridge and Freshman of the Year in Carter Walsh, among nine All-Conference honors. In 2023, Schaefer led the Nighthawks to a second-place finish in the GNAC with a 17-15 conference record and 24-29 overall mark. Relief pitcher Ty Pohlmann earned First Team All-Region honors along with being named the GNAC Co-Pitcher of the Year. He was joined by utility man Mason Leavitt on the First Team, with three Nighthawks on the Second Team and six more as Honorable Mention for a total of 11 all-conference honors. In 2022, the Nighthawks finished with a 31-23 overall record and 21-11 mark in GNAC play. NNU won a share of the GNAC Regular Season Championship for the second year in a row and went into the conference tournament as the top overall seed. The Nighthawks earned their second-straight berth to the NCAA West Regional, defeating Cal Poly Pomona in the regional opener before falling to eventual region champion Point Loma. Max Holtzclaw, Haden Keller, and Grant Kerry all earned All-Region selections, while ten Nighthawks earned All-GNAC honors. Blake McFadden, Holtzclaw, Keller, and Duke Pahukoa all received First Team recognition, Parker Price, Kerry, and Tyler Best were named to the Second Team, while Brock Moffitt, Kyle Payne, and Alex Salsman earned Honorable Mention accolades. In 2021, the Nighthawks had the best season in program history to date, and arguably for any team in NNU’s Division II history. NNU went 35-10, claiming the GNAC regular season title, GNAC tournament championship, NCAA West Region title, and finishing in the top six at the Division II College World Series. Grant Kerry was named an NCBWA All-American, consensus First Team All-Region selection, and the GNAC Newcomer of the Year. Max Holtzclaw, Shawn Grandmont, and Kyle Ethridge were consensus First Team All-Region and All-GNAC picks, while Ben Johnson, Colton Moore, Ryan Dearing, Blake McFadden, John Gonzalez, and Haden Keller were also named All-GNAC. Coach Schaefer was named the consensus West Region Coach of the Year and the GNAC Coach of the Year. Schaefer has taken the Nighthawks to the GNAC Tournament in every season that the event has been held during his tenure. NNU went 24-24 overall and 20-17 in GNAC play to finish third in the conference in his first year in 2019, while his second season in 2020 was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic after just 16 games. Seven Nighthawks were named All-Conference following the 2019 season. The 2003 Point Loma Nazarene University graduate spent the previous 10 years as the head coach at his alma mater, compiling a 341-227-1 record and taking the Sea Lions to the NCAA Division II national tournament in 2016 and 2018. He also took the program to the NAIA World Series in 2009 and 2010 and had 16 former players sign professional contracts. Schaefer was an assistant coach at Point Loma for five years before becoming the head coach. He played shortstop and pitched in college at PLNU and has spent his coaching days working with infielders and hitters. He started his college career at Santa Ana College in California, transferred to Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Calif. and then finished at Point Loma in San Diego, graduating with a Bachelor's of Arts degree in Philosophy and Theology. He has a Master's degree in Human Performance and Sport from New Mexico Highlands University (2006). Schaefer is married to his wife Cheryl and they have three sons, Brayden, Riley, and Cannon. Year-by-Year Year Overall Pct. GNAC Pct. Postseason 7 Seasons 205-124-1 .623 136-61 .690 4 GNAC Regular Season Championships | 6 GNAC Tourney Appearances | 3 GNAC Tourney Championships | 4 NCAA West Regional Appearances | 2 NCAA DII College World Series Appearances 2019 24-24 .500 20-17 .541 GNAC Tournament 2020* 9-7 .563 7-1 .875 -- 2021 35-10 .778 21-3 .875 GNAC Regular Season Champs | GNAC Tournament Champs | NCAA West Region Champs | NCAA DII College World Series 2022 31-23 .574 21-11 .656 GNAC Regular Season Champs | GNAC Final | NCAA Regional Final 2023 24-29 .453 17-15 .531 GNAC Tournament 2024 36-15-1 .702 23-9 .719 GNAC Regular Season Champs | GNAC Tournament Champs | NCAA Regional Appearance 2025 46-16 .742 27-5 .844 GNAC Regular Season Champs | GNAC Tournament Champs | NCAA West Region Champs | NCAA DII College World Series Semifinals *The majority of the 2020 GNAC regular season & all postseason was canceled due to COVID-19  

Matt Hollod enters his eighth season coaching at Northwest Nazarene in the 2025-26 academic year, serving as the team's pitching coach and recruiting coordinator. After four seasons as an assistant coach, Hollod was promoted to Associate Head Coach in August 2022. Hollod helped elevate the NNU baseball program to new heights in 2025, achieving the best overall season of any Northwest Nazarene team, regardless of sport, in the school's 24-year NCAA Division II history. The Nighthawks finished the year with a record of 46-16, claiming the GNAC Regular Season Championship, GNAC Tournament Championship, and NCAA West Region Championship, and winning two games in Cary to advance farther than any NNU team at the DII Baseball Championships. Hollod's pitching staff finished the year 18th in the nation with a 4.27 ERA, fifth with eight shutouts, fifth with a 2.72 strikeout-to-walk ratio, 13th with a 1.38 WHIP, and fourth with 3.00 walks allowed per nine innings. A pair of pitchers, Ernesto Lugo-Canchola and Cole Calnon, earned consensus All-America honors from the four outlets, including D2Baseball naming Lugo-Canchola the National Pitcher of the Year and Calnon the National Two-Way Player of the Year. They were both also consensus First Team All-Region performers and, with Calnon named the GNAC Pitcher of the Year and Lugo-Canchola the GNAC Newcomer of the Year. Three other pitchers joined the duo on the 2025 All-GNAC teams.  During the 2024 season, Hollod's pitching staff was among the best in the nation, as the team led all of Division II with just 2.09 walks allowed per nine innings. NNU was also third nationally with a 2.98 strikeout-to-walk ratio, fifth with a 1.27 WHIP, and 31st with a 4.51 ERA. Closer Wade Duncan earned First Team All-Region honors from the NCBWA, while starter Kyle Ethridge was a consensus All-Region performer and the GNAC Co-Pitcher of the Year. In 2022, Hollod had two pitchers, Max Holtzclaw and Haden Keller, earn All-Region honors and four total receive All-GNAC selections. His staff set new program records for strikeouts with 490, strikeouts per nine innings with 10.15, and saves with 16. The strikeouts per nine innings mark was 14th in the nation, strikeout-to-walk ratio of 3.12 was seventh nationally, and WHIP of 1.35 was 16th across Division II. Following NNU's run to the NCAA Championships in 2021, two members of Hollod's pitching staff, Max Holtzclaw and Kyle Ethridge, were named consensus First Team All-Region and All-GNAC selections, while Blake McFadden also earned one All-Region nod and All-GNAC honors. As a team, NNU set new program records for strikeouts (400), strikeouts per nine innings (9.58), strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.39), walks allowed per nine innings (2.83), and WHIP (1.27). The Nighthawks led the West Region in each of those five categories, as well as pacing the region with a 4.48 team ERA. Even more impressively, the strikeout-to-walk ratio was sixth in the nation and the walks allowed per nine innings mark was seventh across Division II. In just the last few years, Hollod has had six of his pitchers sign professional contracts: Blake McFadden, Ty Pohlman, Cole Calnon, Haden Keller, Sasha Jabusch, and Josh Bishopp. "Coach Hollod has been one of the most impressive coaches I have had in my baseball career," said 2022 graduate Max Holtzclaw. "His ability to get the best out of each player is unmatched. He allows his players to have freedom in their training and preparation while continually giving helpful insight. He is not afraid to get players' opinions on how the program should be molded and does a great job listening. His knowledge of the game and ability to manage big game situations is shown regularly."  Before NNU, Hollod spent the previous two years as pitching coach and recruiting coordinator for Riverside College in Riverside, CA.  The 2017 pitching staff put together one of the school's best pitching seasons in recent memory.  A team earned run average of 2.83 was 3rd best in the state.  In 375 innings pitched, the Tigers walked only 79 batters which was best in the country, and also allowed fewer runs than any other team.  The 2018 campaign was another solid season as the Tigers put together a 3.63 team earned average.    Prior to Riverside, Hollod spent one year at Division I California State Northridge as the Director of Player Development and Operations. At Northridge, Hollod oversaw all statistical analysis, managed team travel, recruiting visits, and led fundraising events. Hollod was instrumental in doubling the profits from the programs annual alumni weekend. Hollod served as head coach at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania from 2013-2015. At Wilkes, Hollod took over a last place program with a roster of 23 players and a team ERA of a 7.83. In three seasons, Hollod helped turn Wilkes into a playoff contender with a roster that increased to 35 players, a team ERA that was lowered to 4.79 and a victory over a #8 nationally ranked team. Twelve Colonels were named to the Freedom All-Conference team during his tenure. In the fall of 2015, Hollod brought in the biggest recruiting class in the program's history. Off the field, Hollod implemented year around strength and conditioning programs for his athletes, both throwing and hitting programs. Furthermore, he created camps on campus for both high school and youth kids. Both programs and camps were a first for Wilkes University. Additionally, with the help and support of the university administration and president, Hollod spearheaded a facility upgrade that included a 30-foot tall, navy blue wall built in left field with a padded wall extended around to right field. Prior to Wilkes, Hollod served as associate head baseball coach at DeSales University for two seasons. He handled recruiting duties for the team and worked with the pitching staff. In his two seasons with DeSales, Hollod helped lower the team ERA from 6.16 to 4.18. "Coach Hollod really knows how to handle a pitching staff. He played a huge role in our pitchers development during his two years here, and did the same at Wilkes where he turned that program into a competitor very quickly." ~ Tim Neiman, Head Baseball Coach at DeSales University. Prior to DeSales, Hollod served as an assistant coach at Willamette University in 2009 and at the University of Portland from 2003 to 2008. With the Pilots, Hollod helped recruit for Portland from 2006 to 2008 and he was instrumental in the program signing five All-Conference players as well as one All-American freshman. "Matt was instrumental in attracting several of our key players, some of whom went on to enjoy all-conference and national recognition". Chris Sperry- former head coach at Portland. At Portland, Hollod also helped set up an in-state rivalry match-up against former NCAA National Champion Oregon State at PGE Park in 2008. Hollod arranged and coordinated the 2009 Rose City Classic as well, featuring the Portland Pilots, Oregon Ducks, Washington Huskies and Hawai'i Warriors. He served as a representative for the university at the annual LPGA Safeway Classic fundraising events while performing other duties including managing the team budget and scheduling and implementing his fall hitting school for the first time at the university. Hollod has had the privilege of working with more than 40 players who have gone on to play professionally, with seven of those players currently playing at the big league level. Hollod also has extensive summer coaching experience. Hollod has spent six seasons as a head coach for both the Willmar Stingers (Northwoods League) and the Fayetteville Swamp Dogs (Coastal Plain League).  From 2010-2013 for the Stingers, Hollod tallied 160 wins, which put him in the top 10 all-time in the league. His .573 winning percentage was also the second-highest in the league's history.  In two seasons in Fayetteville (17-18'), Hollod led the Swamp Dogs to two playoff appearances. Prior to his coaching career, Hollod was a four-time letter winner in baseball at the University of Washington and the University of Portland. During his freshman year at Washington, the Huskies won the Pac-10 Championship. He was an All-West Coast Conference Honorable Mention during his junior season with Portland where he was a consistent starter for the Pilots on the mound.  As a hitter, Hollod was one of the conference's top hitters during his final season.  Before college, Hollod played at Mark Morris High School in Longview, Washington. Hollod resides in Meridian with his wife, Tra-My, and daughters Amelia and Everley.     

Jason Bell joined the Northwest Nazarene baseball staff as an assistant coach in the summer of 2025.  Bell played his final two seasons of college baseball at NNU in 2024 and 2025, appearing in 77 games with 56 starts at catcher over the two years. His senior year in 2025, Bell was named Honorable Mention All-GNAC at catcher. He was also a contributing member to the best season in the NNU Athletic Department's Division II history in 2025, advancing all the way to the National Semifinals of the DII College World Series, just one win away from playing in the National Championship series.  Bell, a native ov La Quinta, California, also played at Umpqua Community College prior to coming to Nampa. He earned his degree in Sport Management from NNU in the spring of 2025.

Kyle Ethridge joined the NNU baseball coaching staff ahead of the 2024-25 academic year after a successful five years as one of the best starting pitchers in program history. As a player, Ethridge helped lead the Nighthawks to their only three NCAA West Regional appearances in program history, including the run to the College World Series in 2021. He was also a part of three GNAC Regular Season Championships and two GNAC Tournament titles.  The Alta Loma, California native earned consensus All-Region honors in both 2024 and 2021, along with the GNAC Pitcher of the Year accolade during his senior season in 2024. At the completion of his career, he was tied for first in GNAC pitching history in games started, second in strikeouts, and 10th in innings pitched. Across Northwest Nazarene baseball's 77-year history, he is second all-time in wins, third in innings pitched, ninth in walks allowed per nine innings, and 10th in strikeouts per nine innings. He was also named to the GNAC All-Academic Team in all four years of eligibility, two CSC Academic All-District Teams, and earned the prestigious CSC Academic All-America honor in his final season.  

Cole Calnon joined the Northwest Nazarene baseball staff as an assistant coach in the summer of 2025. Calnon stays in Nampa after an outstanding two seasons with the Nighthawks' program to close out his collegiate career. He helped lead NNU to the best season in the athletic department's Division II history in 2025, advancing all the way to the National Semifinals of the DII College World Series, just one win away from playing in the National Championship series. He was a key member of the squad, going 12-0 on the mound with a 2.27 ERA while hitting .309 as NNU's shortstop in every game he wasn't pitching. Following his senior season, he was named the Division II Two-Way Player of the Year by D2Baseball and earned consensus All-American honors from all four outlets, including a First Team nod from D2Baseball, Second Team from the D2CCA, Third Team from the ABCA, and Honorable Mention from the NCBWA. He was also named consensus First Team All-Region and the GNAC Pitcher of the Year. Calnon also played at Lane Community College prior to NNU. The Snohomish, Washington native earned his degree in Psychology from Northwest Nazarene in the spring of 2025.