Hope College baseball coach Stu Fritz has been voted by the American Baseball Coaches Association membership as the 2016 ABCA Fourth Vice President.
Fritz will have a one-year term as Aabcan Fourth Vice President. He will have one-year terms as Third, Second and First Vice President for the organization before serving as ABCA President in 2020.
Established in 1945, the ABCA is the primary professional organization for baseball coaches at the amateur level. Its members represent all 50 states and 23 countries. Since its initial meeting of 27 college baseball coaches in June 1945, ABCA membership has broadened to include eight divisions: NCAA Division I, II and III, NAIA, Junior College (NJCAA and Pacific Association Division), High School and Youth.
Fritz has been involved in the ABCA throughout his career. He is the outgoing NCAA Division III Chair for the organization. He has served on the Executive Committee’s Board of Directors and Standing Committee and other ABCA committees.
Fritz previously was the ABCA’s NCAA Division III regional chair.
The 2016 season will be Fritz’s 23rd as head coach of the Flying Dutchmen. He owns a career record of 480-353-2 at Hope. He has led the Flying Dutchmen to nine Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association championships and is tied for first among MIAA coaches in league titles with Albion’s Frank Joranko and Adrian’s Craig Rainey.
Fritz has been involved in youth baseball through the Roberto Clemente All-Stars program and has taken several baseball teams overseas for competition.
Fritz is a 1988 graduate of Wartburg, Iowa College where he lettered in football and baseball. He received a Masters degree in sports administration from the University of Northern Colorado in 1992.