Walsh University Men's Baseball

All time winningest coach in Walsh history, with 959 wins, Tim Mead begins his 43rd year in the Cavs’ dugout. Since joining the G-MAC in 2018, he has guided the Maroon and Gold to seven consecutive postseason appearances, including a G-MAC Championship in 2022 and a G-MAC South Division Championship in 2025. For the past ten years, under Mead's direction, his program has received the ABCA Academic Excellence Award. Balancing baseball and academics, the Walsh Baseball Program has over 82% above a 3.0 GPA, with 27 Student-Athletes being named to the G-MAC Academic All-Conference team in 2025. Mead says, "The development of young men's character is the most rewarding part of my career. I am extremely humbled and honored of the way that the Walsh Baseball program represents our University."  Off the field, Mead is the chairperson of the ABCA Hall of Fame and Veterans' HOF Committees. The ABCA consists of over 14,000 members, ranging from youth to college, accounting for all amateur baseball. In 2011, he served as President of the entire ABCA. In 2025, Coach earned the ABCA Lifetime Achievement Award!  In 2003-2005, Mead served as the NAIA Baseball Coaches Association President.  Mead is the longest tenured Head Baseball Coach in the entire NCAA. As of recent, Mead coached two time All-American, Andrew Czech. In Czech's career as a Cavalier he was conference Player of the Year as well as First Team All Midwest Region and a National Gold Glove winner. Czech is one of many All-Americans under Mead's leadership.  In January 2017, the NAIA Baseball Coaches Association honored Coach Mead with the 2017 Robert E. Smith Lifetime Achievement Award at the American Baseball Coaches Association Convention. The award is named in honor of Robert "Ish" Smith, former president of the International Baseball Federation which is the international governing body for the sport. Smith is credited with getting the sport accepted into the Olympic Games as a gold medal sport. "It's one of the greatest honors I have ever received," said Coach Mead. "It is a privilege to receive a lifetime achievement award with the name Robert E. Smith. Bob was one of the greatest ambassadors of NAIA baseball, USA baseball, and international baseball. I am very humbled and honored to receive this award today." Pre NCAA era, in 2007, Mead led Walsh to 29 wins and their first trip to the NAIA World Series. Walsh stormed its way through the NAIA Region IX Tournament, and then hosted, and won the East Coast Super Regional to earn the World Series berth. At the series the Cavs won their first game, before being eliminated by Houston Baptist. In 2005, Mead led Walsh to the AMC North title and was named AMC North and Region IX Coach of the Year. He had previously directed Walsh to a school record 36 wins, and the AMC regular season championship in 2000, and was selected AMC and NAIA Region IX Coach of the Year. Mead also directed Walsh to the Mid-Ohio Conference title in 1991 and was named District 22 Coach of the Year. Walsh reached its only District 22 title game that year, and won a then-school record 29 games. Mead’s 1996 team also won 29 games and reached the MOC semifinals. Under Mead, the Cavs qualified for post-season play in 16 out of 25 seasons. In 2002, Tim served on the staff of the NAIA team that toured Czechoslovakia as an assistant to Sam Riggleman. He was inducted into the Greater Stark County Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001. In 2005, he concluded a seven-year term as an officer of the NAIA Baseball Coaches Association. In May 2006 he was inducted into the Allegany County (NY) Athletic Association Hall of Fame. Tim recently completed his term as an officer for the American Baseball Coaches Association Executive Committee and is currently on the Board of Directors. A native of Andover, N.Y., Mead built a solid reputation on the field, earning letters in both soccer and baseball. Mead continued his excellence after enrolling at Walsh. He was a three-time All-MOC selection in soccer and was twice named All-District 22. The Cavs’ captain also received All-Ohio and Area IV honors. Mead was a pitcher on the diamond and was elected to the Walsh Wall of Fame in 1983. Mead completed his 29th season as Walsh’s head soccer coach in the fall of 2010. The all-time leader in coaching victories (306), Tim was selected conference Coach of the Year six times and was tabbed Ohio Coach of the Year in 1993. His 1993 and 1994 teams won back-to-back MOC crowns and the 1993 team made Walsh’s first and only NAIA National Soccer Championship appearance. Mead graduated from Walsh (‘81) with a degree in English and secondary education. He earned his master’s degree in physical education from the University of Akron in 1982. His late wife, Cindy, was a stand-out athlete at Walsh in volleyball and softball, and also a member of the Walsh Wall of Fame. Mead has three daughters, Mandi, Alex, and Jackie, and a son, Jake. He also has two grandchildren, Henry and CJ. 

Kurt Davidson has been Walsh’s assistant coach since 2015. Davidson helped lead the Cavaliers to a 2022 G-MAC Tournament Championship and a first ever appearance in the Division II Regional. In the same season, the Cavs had G-MAC Freshman of the Year, Brady Maciak. In 2025, the Cavaliers won the G-MAC South Division title. In the NCAA era, the Cavs had two All-Americans and two First Team All Midwest Region Players in Brenden Spaulding and Andrew Czech. Czech also was a Gold Glove winner.  The 2019 season proved to full of accolades for the Cavaliers, highlighted by Andrew Czech being the first Walsh player ever named an ABCA/Rawlings All-American. Czech was named G-MAC First Team and Player of the Year after ranking second in batting average (.417) and tying for first in hits (73). He also led the conference in slugging percentage (.823). Czech finished the season with 63 RBI, 18 doubles and 17 homeruns. Czech was named to three regional teams and two All-American teams. The Cavs made their fourth consecutive post-season appearance and finished with an overall record of 27-24 and 19-13 in the G-MAC.  Despite the the loss of 16 seniors, the 2018 season was suppose to be a rebuilding year. Instead the Cavaliers reloaded and made the conference tournament for the third straight-season. The offense continued right where it left off and finished in the top five in hits, doubles (first in the league), homeruns, RBI, runs, SLG %, OBP, walks, and HBP. The offense was paced by First Team All-GMAC outfielder Eric Conner and Second Team All-GMAC selections Andrew Czech, Marcus Bobb and Avery Janning. Eric Conner went on to be an All-Midwest Region selectee. Another program first saw wins against multiple teams ranked in the Top 25. The win against Minnesota State Mankato who was ranked No. 7 at the time was the highest ranked team Walsh has ever defeated. The Cavaliers also saw wins against Ohio Dominican ranked No. 15 at the time. The 2017 season was the best in Walsh's NCAA era at 32-16. The season saw many first for the program. Luke Caple was named Pre-Season All-American a first in program history.  The high octane offense finished in the top five in every offensive category.  The offense set a conference GLIAC for runs scored in a game vs Ohio Dominican with 28. The Cavs finished with a program-best ranking of No. 8 in the Midwest Region. The Cavaliers also received votes in the top 25 for a first time in program history. Additionally the Cavs had seven All-Conference performers and four All Midwest Region players. Another program first occurred with Austin Szink and Ryan McSweeney being named All-Americans. Under Davidson’s tutelage, Jason McPeek and Luke Caple had one of the best years in school history and received First Team All-GLIAC selections. Luke Caple was also selected First Team All-Region while Jason was selected Second Team All-Region. Jason had an incredible year at the plate batting .357 with 20 doubles, three triples, 16 home runs, and 47 RBI out of the leadoff spot. Luke Caple hit .367 with 20 doubles three Triples and 10 home runs to along with 65 RBI.  Caple was equally as impressive behind the plate throwing out 66 percent of potential base stealers. In 2015, Davidson’s first year on staff, the team raised its batting average from .265 in 2014 to .277 and also saw a jump in several other categories as well. The team raised their total in doubles from 58 in 2014 to 72, triples with three in 2014 to 13 in 2015, and a jump in slugging percentage from .330 in 2014 to .377 in 2015.  Andrew Bonnette received Second Team All-GLIAC while also breaking the single season record for triples with 7 in 2015. In Davidson’s second year on staff, and first full time, the team reached new milestones in several offensive categories as the single season records for homeruns, doubles, and RBI were all broken in 2016. Davidson took the team batting average from .277 in 2015 to .302 in 2016. The Cavs offense ranked in the Top 5 in the GLIAC in several areas including second in Homeruns (58), second in slugging percentage (.468), third in doubles (107), third in runs (341), and third in RBI (308). The offensive output has continued to be impressive with Cavaliers amongst the league leaders in both the GLIAC and G-MAC.  Davidson started his coaching career at the University of Akron. He coached three years with the Zips from 2009 to 2011. In 2011, he saw two Zips get drafted as Drew Turocy, a First Team All-MAC selection, went in the 24th round of the MLB Draft to the Boston Red Sox. Turocy broke the Akron all-time single season record for hits in a season under Davidson’s guidance. Chris Bassitt went on to get drafted in the 16th round of the MLB Draft in 2011 to the Chicago White Sox. Bassitt was called up to the Major Leagues with the Chicago White Sox in 2014. Bassitt is currently on the Oakland Athletics roster and in the starting rotation. During Davidson’s time at the University of Akron, he coached four All-MAC selections, six All-Academic First Team members, and six MLB draftees. His teams set the school record with 57 home runs in 2009, 629 hits in 2010, 114 doubles in 2010, and total bases with 879 in 2009. Individual single season records broken during his time include at-bats, hits, and singles. In the summer of 2009, Davidson was an assistant coach for the Waynesboro Generals in the Prestigious Valley League. Davidson helped coach 11 players who went in to be drafted in the MLB Draft with several players currently in AAA. In total Davidson has coached over 30 players who have played in MLB Baseball.  Davidson had an illustrious playing career at the University of Akron from 2005-2008. Davidson is one of the few players in the history of Akron to have started in every game of his career with 201. Davidson managed to be named All-Mideast Region Second Team in 2007. Davidson was a three-time All-MAC selection, received First Team honors in 2007 and 2008, and Second Team honors in 2006.  Davidson received MAC Player of the Week six times in his career. Davidson is the only player in Akron history to be named Team MVP three times. Davidson also won the Joe Thomas award for highest batting average in 2006. Davidson finished his career at Akron as the leader in several statistical categories, including home runs (41), RBIs (180), at-bats (807), and total bases (430). He is also second in career hits with 253 and third in career doubles with 52. He remains tied for second on the all-time single season list for home runs with 12, a feat he managed to accomplish twice in his career as both a sophomore and senior. Davidson is a 2009 graduate from the University of Akron with a Bachelor's Degree in Communications. He currently resides in North Canton, Ohio.

Darren Ware joined the Cavaliers dugout in 2023 and serves as Pitching Coach. Ware also helps with recruiting where he has been able to sign great, talented players from the local area as well as in the rest of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Kentucky, California, Illinois, and New York. In 2023, through the first half of the season Ware’s pitching staff at Walsh ranked number 2 in the country for D2 in least number of walks and were in the top 20 in multiple other categories. With his “Old” School “New” School methods of coaching Ware has developed his pitchers to have the “Pound the Zone” mentality. Ware’s  “Work Wins” message has his pitcher's mentality and physically ready to compete. Before coaching in college, Ware coached 25 years with various high school programs all over the Stark County in Ohio area including Jackson HS, GlenOak HS, and North Canton Hoover HS, along with Malvern HS. In those 25 years of High School coaching, Ware’s teams have won severval league titles as well as District Championships and Regional Appearances. During Ware’s high school coaching career, he has helped several players get into college and continue their baseball aspirations. Among some of those colleges were Kent State, Lipscomb University, Auburn University, Santa Clara University, Walsh University, Ashland University, Hiram, and Mount Union College to name a few. Along with his role as Pitching Coach, Ware is also a pitching instructor at Velocity Sports Ohio in North Canton, Ohio.  Ware’s college career started out at Gulf Coast CC in Panama City, Florida where he was coached by legendary coach Bill Frazier. Ware then transferred to Walsh University and played for another legendary coach, Tim Mead. After Ware graduated in 1997 from Walsh University with a bachelor's degree in education, he became a middle school teacher and HS baseball coach for the next 25 years.  Ware attended Holy Name HS in Parma Hts, Ohio. As a member of the Varsity team, he had a great HS career setting multiple records in Wins(season/year), Strikeouts(season/year), being named All State, Conference Pitcher of the Year, Plain Dealer Player of the Week multiple times and Plain Dealer Pitcher of the Year. Ware also threw a No-Hitter in the District Finals in 1990 to get his team to the Regionals.  Ware currently resides in North Canton, Ohio with his wife (Molly) and two sons Brody and Tanner. Both of Ware’s sons played college baseball. Brody played at Kent State and Walsh University. Tanner is currently playing at Oakland University in Rochester Hills, Michigan.

Cam Benoit serves as the Cavs first-base coach, as well as the infield and base running coach and recruiting coordinator. Benoit assists with daily practices for both offense and defense, as well as creates video for coaches and players to review, develops scouting reports, and works camps to help develop players and strengthen the program. Originally from Dayton, Ohio, Cam earned his undergraduate degree in management and a minor in data analytics from Walsh in 2024. He completed his MBA in management in 2025. 

Mason Decker serves as the Graduate Assistant for Walsh Baseball.  He is from Berea, Ohio and earned his undergraduate degree in sports management from Baldwin Wallace in 2025. He also played baseball for the Yellow Jackets for four years.  He is currently pursuing his MBA from Walsh.