SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – After announcing his retirement prior to the start of the 2016 season, Spring Arbor University head baseball coach Sam Riggleman is preparing to coach the final home games of his 40-year coaching career this week.
Spring Arbor will welcome Crossroads League rivals Mount Vernon Nazarene University on Tuesday, Apr. 26 and Goshen College on Thursday, Apr. 28. The team will host non-conference foe Rochester College in its final regular season home contest on Friday, Apr. 29 at 4 p.m.
The Cougars are 16-18 this season and currently sit tied for second place in the league standings with an 11-7 record. The top four teams in the standings will host a first round conference tournament game on Saturday, May 7.
Riggleman has won more than 1,000 games over his career – a feat only 18 other NAIA coaches have accomplished. He is a two-time NAIA National Coach of the Year and has led SAU to five national tournament appearances, including a national runner-up finish in 2007. The Cougars have captured three regular season conference championships and two conference tournament titles under his direction.
Riggleman has reached the pinnacle of his profession, and was honored by the American Baseball Coaches Association this past January with his induction into the ABCA Hall of Fame. He has also been selected for membership into the hall of fames of Spring Arbor Athletics in 1998, the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) in 2007 and the NAIA in 2009.
