Spalding University Men's Baseball

Larry Owens was hired as Spalding's head baseball coach in December of 2025. Owens coached at Bellarmine from 2014-2022, nine total seasons. As the Knights coach, Owens earned three All-Conference awards and helped right-hander Deylen Miley sign a free-agent deal with the Houston Astros. Prior to Bellarmine’s transition to Division I, Larry Owens established one of the most successful stretches in program history at the Division II level. Over seven seasons, Owens compiled a 188–146 overall record and a 104–82 mark in GLVC play, leading the Knights to three consecutive NCAA II Tournament appearances from 2017–19 and the 2019 GLVC Tournament championship. The 2018 squad set a program record with 38 wins, marking the second of three straight seasons with at least 34 victories. Under Owens’ leadership, Bellarmine produced five Division II All-Americans, two GLVC Players of the Year, two GLVC Pitchers of the Year, and two Major League Baseball draft picks while consistently ranking among the GLVC’s top offensive teams. Owens’ tenure was defined by sustained competitive growth, postseason success, and elite player development, creating a strong foundation for Bellarmine’s eventual move to Division I following his arrival from seven seasons as a minor league pitching coach in the Chicago White Sox organization. Prior to his time with the White Sox, Owens was an area scout for the Boston Red Sox (2006) and a pitching coach for the Independent Professional Baseball League’s San Diego Surf Dawgs (2005), who captured a Golden League championship and were managed by former Major League All-Star catcher Terry Kennedy. Owens was part of a team that included future MLB Hall of Fame outfielder Rickey Henderson, who is often considered the best leadoff man in history and played that summer for the Surf Dawgs. Prior to his nine years of professional baseball service, Owens coached college baseball for 11 years, nine of which were spent at Division-I institutions. He worked at the University of Memphis from 2001-04 under former big leaguer Dave Anderson, who also managed in the minor leagues and coached in the majors. Owens spent two seasons each as the pitching coach at the University of Louisville (1996-97) and Austin Peay State University (1999-00). He also had coaching tenures at Missouri State University and Wabash Valley College. Owens is no stranger to the summer circuit of college baseball either. He was the pitching coach for the Falmouth Commodores (1997) of the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League and, before that, spent three summers with the Rochester Honkers serving as pitching coach in 1994-95 and manager in 1996. Owens’ prep career was played in close proximity to Spalding at Jeffersonville High School in Indiana. Playing for Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame Coach Don Poole, Owens earned honorable-mention All-State status as a senior and played in the annual North/South all-star game series. He was also a member of Team Indiana, which won a round-robin tournament against Team Illinois, Team California and Team Wisconsin at Milwaukee County Stadium, former home of the Milwaukee Brewers. Following his high school career, Owens played at Bellarmine for one season and was teammates with current Bellarmine Director of Athletics Scott Wiegandt. He then transferred to Vincennes University, where he received his associate’s degree and played for Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame Coach Jerry Blemker. Owens played his final two seasons of college baseball at Armstrong Atlantic State University and was a member of the 1989 team that advanced to the Division II World Series. Following his senior season, Owens was a 27th-round draft pick of the Atlanta Braves. He played briefly for the Pulaski Braves in the Appalachian League before beginning his coaching career. Owens and wife Kelley reside in Jeffersonville and have four children: McKenna, Dawson, Grayson, and Easton.

Cooper French, a native of Louisville, KY, is entering his second season with the Golden Eagles. French will serve as the Golden Eagles Pitching Coach and Recruiting Coordinator. In his first year, French served as the Graduate Assistant for the Golden Eagles. Prior to his time at Spalding, French played two years of college baseball at Hanover College. After French’s playing career came to an end, French took over as the Student Assistant Coach for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. As the Student Assistant Coach, French served as the outfielder’s coach, 1B coach, and also assisted with scouting reports. In his time as Student Assistant Coach, French helped coach the Panthers to their first-ever regular season and conference tournament championship and helped them to their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.             In his first year as the Pitching Coach for Spalding, the Golden Eagle Pitching Staff ranked in the top 50 nationally in every statistical category, including ERA, WHIP, BB/9, shutouts, K/BB ration, and K/9. The Golden Eagle Pitching Staff produced 3 All-Conference pitchers – Jake Mueller, Caden Krystofiak, and Cameron Rayborn. Mueller also earned All-Region honors.

Michael Speck returns to his alma mater, Spalding University, to join the Golden Eagles coaching staff after completing an accomplished collegiate playing career and gaining valuable coaching experience at the collegiate level. Speck will be the Outfielders coach, along with assisting with the hitters. Speck played five seasons (2020-2024) as an outfielder for Spalding, where he became a key contributor on and off the field. During his time at Spalding, he earned his Bachelor’s in Business Administration, a Master’s in Business Communication, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a concentration in Sports Management.  His career was marked by both athletic and academic achievements, including: • 2024 Third-Team All-Conference  • 2023 SLIAC ALL-Academic Team  • 2023 Academic All-District  • 2022 SLIAC First Team All-Conference  • 2022 SLIAC Hitter of the week (April 18, 2023)  • 2021 SLIAC First Team All-Conference  • 2021 SLIAC Hitter of the week (May 11, 2021) • 2021 D3baseball.com National Team of the week (March 9, 2021)  Before his time at Spalding, Speck began his collegiate career at Spartanburg Methodist College (2017-2019) in South Carolina, where he competed for the Pioneers and earned his Associate of Arts degree. Following his playing career, Speck gained his first coaching experience at Hastings College (Nebraska), where he served as the team’s outfield, hitting, and baserunning coach. Speck was also the head coach of the JV Squad for Hastings. He served on staff for Hastings from January 2025 to May 2025. His coaching approach emphasizes player development, strong fundamentals, and the same passion for the game that fueled his own success as a student athlete. Now back at Spalding, Speck brings both experience and energy to the Golden Eagles program as he helps guide the next generation of players. 

Spalding University (Lousville, KY) Hitting and Catching Coach

Entering second year as the Head Pitching Coach at Spalding University