With the SUNY Old Westbury Panther men’s baseball team’s season-opening victories over Lehman College (CUNY), head coach Rod Stephan officially became the winningest coach in the history of the campus’ baseball program, reaching 295 career wins in his 16th season at the helm.
Stephan, who was elevated to head coach for the 2011 season following four years as an assistant coach, posted wins 294 and 295 in a doubleheader sweep of Lehman, moving past John Lonardo for the program lead in wins.
“Coach Stephan’s milestone is a testament to his unwavering dedication to our student-athletes and to the SUNY Old Westbury community,” said Lenore Walsh, SUNY Old Westbury director of athletics. “Beyond wins and championships, Coach Stephan has built a program defined by integrity, hard work, and student development. We are proud to celebrate this achievement with him and look forward to the continued success he will inspire.”
Under his leadership, the Panthers have advanced to the Skyline Conference Championship in 11 of his previous 15 seasons. His historic tenure includes guiding SUNY Old Westbury to its fourth NCAA Division III Baseball National Championship Tournament appearance in 2015, marking the program’s first trip to the national stage since 2001.
A two-time Skyline Conference Coach of the Year, Panther has cultivated excellence on the field and in the classroom. His student-athletes have achieved:
- 3 All-American honors
- 25 ABCA/Rawlings All-New York Region selections
- 19 D3Baseball.com All-New York Region designees
- 2 ECAC Metro Region All-Star honors
- Skyline Conference Player of the Year (2)
- Skyline Conference Pitcher of the Year (2)
- Skyline Conference Rookie of the Year (1)
- 37 All-Skyline First Team selections
- 18 All-Skyline Second Team selections
In addition, four of Panther’s players have earned the prestigious SUNY Chancellor’s Scholar-Athlete Award, recognizing excellence in both academics and athletics.