Photo courtesy Jeffrey Martin##
New Linfield head baseball coach Dan Spencer previously worked as an associate head coach in the Washington State program. He also served as the Cougars’ pitching coach and recruiting coordinator.
Photo courtesy Jeffrey Martin## New Linfield head baseball coach Dan Spencer previously worked as an associate head coach in the Washington State program. He also served as the Cougars’ pitching coach and recruiting coordinator.
By Logan Brandon • Sports Editor • 

Linfield names former WSU assistant Dan Spencer next baseball manager

After a three-year stretch serving as an associate head coach in Washington State University’s baseball program, Dan Spencer will fill the recently vacated manager position at Linfield College. He succeeds Stan Manley, who resigned his position at the end of the 2019 season after two years at the helm.

Spencer becomes the sixth Linfield baseball coach in the span of the last 70 seasons. He is the first non-Linfield graduate to manage the program since 1949.

Asked what drew him to the opportunity at Linfield, Spencer replied, “The biggest thing about the college is the prestige of the program. This is a winning culture with high expectations for national championships.

“I’m excited to coach the hard-working athletes at Linfield College. I want to coach these kids and turn them into fine, young men. If we can win a bunch of games along the way, it’ll be a success,” he added.

While on WSU’s staff, Spencer also acted as the Cougars’ pitching coach and recruiting coordinator. Prior to his stop in Pullman, he coached at New Mexico (2013-15) as an assistant and Oregon State (1997-2003, 2004-07) as an associate head coach to Pat Casey.

Spencer helped the Beavers reach three consecutive College World Series in the mid-2000s. OSU won two straight titles with Spencer directing a stingy pitching staff which led the Pac-12.

A shot at additional national hardware also drew Spencer to McMinnville.

“The college expects championships and these players are willing to work hard to achieve that goal,” he said. “We want to win as many games as we’re supposed to – which means making some noise at the national level.”

Spencer injects the ‘Cats’ baseball program with experienced recruiting acumen. The college should focus on elite-level local talent, he said, starting at McMinnville High School and branching outward.

“We want hard-working, intelligent Division III talent. There are many excellent student-athletes at our local schools, and that’s where we’ll look. I don’t want them going to UPS or PLU any more.”

As a player, Spencer played three seasons as a catcher and third baseman at Texas Tech after beginning his collegiate career at Mira Costa College in Oceanside, California.

A native of Vancouver, Wash., and a Fort Vancouver High School graduate, Spencer earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Portland State University in 1990.

“My family and I are excited to come to McMinnville and be a part of the Linfield culture,” he noted.

“It’s an ideal situation for us.”

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Linfield Sports Communication assisted with this story.

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