Jon Ubbenga will begin his third season as assistant coach and infield coach.
Prior to joining the UAFS staff, he was the infield coach at NCAA Division I Florida International University.
Ubbenga’s responsibilities at FIU were on campus recruiting, working with hitters and base runners, handling all infielders and directing the summer camps.
Under Ubbenga's guidance last season, the FIU infielders compiled the second-highest fielding percentage in school history.
Prior to joining the FIU staff, Ubbenga was an assistant coach at NCAA Division I Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City, N.J. At Saint Peter’s, Ubbenga was the hitting and infield coach, as well as the recruiting coordinator.Â
During his time with the Peacocks, he was responsible for locating potential scholarship athletes and conducting official and unofficial visits to the university. Serving as the team’s third base coach on game day, Ubbenga also oversaw all scouting report duties. In addition to those duties, he operated all of Saint Peter's prospect camps.
For two summers, Ubbenga coached in the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League. Heralded as the top college summer league in the nation, the CCBL boasts players from primarily the major NCAA Division I conferences such as the ACC, SEC, Pac 12, etc.
As an assistant coach for the Harwich Mariners, Ubbenga helped lead the squad to a 31-17 record and the Eastern Division title in 2012. The team also finished the summer ranked 10th in the nation among all collegiate summer teams and set the league single season record for home runs (64). His duties included: working with infielders, hitters and base runners, creating practice plans, throwing batting practice, coordinating scouting reports and coaching 1st base during games.
Ubbenga also coached under the direction of the league’s Manager of the Year, Steve Englert, and coached the CCBL MVP, Phillip Ervin.
Prior to joining the Mariners, Ubbenga spent the 2011-12 season as an assistant coach with Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College. For the year, the Norseman finished with a 35-14 record and won the OCAC Regular Season Championship. Ubbenga’s responsibilities included: scouting/recruiting, coaching infielders, hitters, and base runners on various skill work, creating/implementing practice plans, overseeing student-athlete strength and conditioning programs and various other administrative tasks.
From 2009-2011, Ubbenga served as volunteer assistant coach for Missouri State University, spending the summer of 2011 coaching summer ball under head coach John Mayotte with the Glens Falls (New York) Golden Eagles in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League and helping them earn an Eastern Division title.Â
As a player, Ubbenga compiled numerous accomplishments and accolades.
A recipient of the Rawlings NAIA Gold Glove Award for being the best fielding shortstop in the nation, Ubbenga started four years for William Jewell College from 2005-2009. As a Cardinal, he was a First Team All-Conference shortstop, a Rawlings Heart of America Athletic Conference and Region V Gold Glove Team shortstop, NAIA Honorable Mention All-American and the recipient of the NAIA Champions of Character Team Sportsmanship Award. He finished his career with an impressive record of 168-70 and a Heart of America Athletic Conference Championship title (2006-07).
Following his undergrad years, the Washington native proceeded to play two years of professional baseball and captured the Frontier League Championship in 2010.
Ubbenga received a bachelor’s in sports and recreation management from William Jewell College in 2009, while earning the scholar athlete award six different semesters. In 2011, he received his master’s in administrative studies with an emphasis in sports management from Missouri State University.
