Jim Gantt

VIDEO: Southeast Region Post-Tournament Interview with Coach Gantt

Jim Gantt became the head coach of the Catawba College baseball program in the summer of 1996.  Last year, Gantt was named the ABCA Southeast Region Coach of the Year and the North Carolina Amateur Coach of the Year as he guided the team to the 2012 College World Series where Catawba finished fourth in the nation.  Under Gantt, Catawba has posted 13 straight 30+ win seasons, including six 40-win seasons over the last nine years, and have made seven appearances in NCAA II Regional play.  He has a career record of 565-295. 

Gantt was honored as South Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year for the fifth time in 2011. The Indians garnered a SAC regular season championship at 41-15 and advanced to the regionals for the fourth consecutive year. In 2008, he earned SAC Coach of the Year as the Indians claimed a SAC Championship. The squad advanced to the NCAA II South Region Championship game and posted a 43-18 mark. He was named the 2006 SAC Coach of the Year after the Tribe went 47-14.  Catawba won both the SAC regular season and tournament titles and advanced to the NCAA II South Region Championship game.  The Indians were ranked as high as #2 in the nation.

Gantt also earned SAC Coach of the Year honors in 2004 after guiding the Indians to a then school record 42 wins, including its first-ever berth in the NCAA II Regionals. In 2005, Catawba won the SAC title and went 35-19. The 1997 squad, his first as head coach, equaled a then second most win total with 32. Gantt also led the Indians to the 2002 SAC Tournament title and was named SAC Coach of the Year for the first time in 1999.

As an assistant for seven seasons, Gantt was a key part of Catawba’s five straight seasons with at least 27 wins from 1991-95). The Indians won back-to-back South Atlantic Conference championships in 1992-93 and was a perfect 21-0 in league games in 1992 (38-7 overall). He currently serves as the coach of Rowan County’s successful American Legion team, guiding the team to the World Series for the second time in 2009. Gantt was named the North Carolina Amateur Coach of the Year in 2002 after guiding Rowan to a 43-2 record and a state championship. As an assistant, he helped the legion team to the 1996 Southeast Regional Championship, advancing to the World Series in Roseburg, Oregon.

Gantt, who graduated from Catawba in May 1989, with a bachelor’s degree in sports management, had an outstanding four-year career as a player for the Indians. As a third baseman, he was an all-conference performer and helped to Catawba to the 1988 Carolinas Conference championship and to the NAIA District 26 Tournament.  Gantt was an all-conference player at Newton-Conover (NC) High School before graduating in 1984.

Gantt resides in Salisbury with his wife, Adrian and their daughter Blakely.  Adrian is an assistant with the Catawba softball team and previously served as the head field hockey coach at Catawba.

Michael Lowman

Michael Lowman has been an assistant with the Catawba College baseball program over two stints. Lowman coached at Catawba from 2005-07 then was an assistant coach at his alma mater, High Point University, before returning to Catawba before the 2009 season.  He serves as third base coach for the Indians.

Lowman has been on the staff for five of the seven NCAA II Regional appearances, including the Southeast Regional Championship team in 2012 that finished fourth at the College World Series.  Lowman has also been a part of three South Atlantic Conference Championship teams and three SAC Tournament winning squads.  The Indians have posted 40-win seasons in each of the last three years.  

In 2006, the Indians had a banner year by setting a school and conference record for wins in a season by going 47-14 and winning the regular season and conference tournament championships. Catawba advanced to the regional championship game that season where they lost to the eventual NCAA II National Champion Tampa University. The Indians reached as high as #2 in the national rankings that season and finished the season ranked tenth overall.

In 2009, the Indians went 32-19 and once again qualified for regional play by defeating Tusculum twice on championship Sunday to win the conference tournament and earn the South Atlantic Conference automatic qualifier for the Southeast Regional Championships. In 2010, the Indians finished with an overall record of 40-13 and once again qualified for regional play by winning the conference tournament championship.  The 2011 squad went 23-4 in the SAC en route to the league title, finishing at 41-15 and advancing to NCAA regional play.

Prior to coming to Catawba in 2005, Lowman served as a graduate assistant at High Point University. As a player at HPU, Lowman earned All-Conference honors in his junior season.

Lowman also serves as the Head Coach of the South Rowan American Legion team. In his second season as head coach in 2010, Lowman led his team to a Southern Division Regular Season Championship, the team’s first since it was founded in 1996.

Lowman resides in Salisbury with his wife, Kelly.  The have a son, Colin, and a daughter, Carly.

Lowman on Strong 2013 Season Start

Todd Miller

Todd Miller joined the Catawba College baseball program as an assistant in 2011 and serves as the first base coach.  He came to Catawba after a two year stint as an assistant at his alma mater, Hanover College. Miller began coaching as a graduate assistant at Bluffton University and has also coached the LIDS nationally elite Indiana Bulls.

During his tenure at Catawba, the Indians have enjoyed three straight 40-win seasons and three trips to NCAA II regional play.  In 2012, Catawba won the Southeast Regional Tournament and finished fourth at the NCAA II College World Series.  The Indians won the SAC Championship in 2011 and the SAC Tournament title in 2010.

Miller played baseball and football at Hanover, graduating in 2006 with a degree in communications. He was a three-time all-conference pick in baseball, where he was team MVP and captain. Miller also earned all-conference honors in football. In 2008, he earned a master’s degree in business administration at Bluffton and for his work with the 2007 team he earned the 2010 NCAA Award of Inspiration.

A native of Franklin, Indiana, Miller starred in baseball, basketball and football at Franklin Community High School. He resides in Salisbury with his wife, Leigh, and their daughter, Madeline.

Randy Benson

Randy Benson joined the Catawba College baseball staff during the 2012 season.  He comes to Catawba after serving as a baseball scout for the St. Louis Cardinals for 11 years.

Benson was standout pitcher at Pfeiffer University, where he graduated with a degree in business administration.  He was inducted into the Pfeiffer Hall of Fame on February 3, 1990. 

In 1972, The Sporting News named him the “Best Left-Handed College Pitcher in the Nation.”  Benson was named All-American in 1971 and 1972 and was an honorable mention pick in 1970.  He was named the 1971 Carolinas Conference Player of the Year and was a three-time all-conference, all-district and all-state performer. 

While at Pfeiffer, Benson compiled a 26-2 record with a 1.19 ERA.  He posted 11 shutouts and recorded 297 strikeouts.  Benson was selected in the third round of the Major League Draft by the Baltimore Orioles in 1972.  He spent seven seasons in the minor leagues, pitching with the Orioles, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs and the Toronto Blue Jays organizations.  He pitched two years in the Winter Leagues for Cardenales de Lara in Venezuela.

Benson resides in Salisbury with his wife, Elinor.  The have three daughters Shanna, Shea and Sharla.  Shanna is married to Catawba assistant football coach Brian Hinson and they have two daughters, Elinor and Elsie.  Shea is married to Micah Overcash and they have a son, Benson.  Sharla is married to Charlie Drury.