Jim Gantt Position: Head Coach Alma Mater: Catawba '89 E-mail: jimgantt@catawba.edu Office Phone: (704) 637-4469

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.