(SAN DIEGO) For the second time in three years, PLNU Baseball Head Coach
Justin James was named the ABCA/ATEC West Regional Coach of the Year, as announced by the American Baseball Coaches Association on Tuesday.
This season, James led Point Loma to the West Region championship and a trip back to the NCAA Division II World Series.
The Sea Lions finished the year with a 46-13-1 overall record.
Along the way PLNU won a third-straight PacWest Conference title, winning 18 of its final 20 regular season games, before claiming its first-ever PacWest Championships crown in the second year of the tournament's existence.
Point Loma then earned the No. 1 seed in the NCAA West Regional, making its third-consecutive regional appearance and fourth in four full seasons in James' tenure.
PLNU swept through the regional, winning all three of its games to advance to the Super Regionals, where it hosted Cal State Monterey Bay.
After the Otters took game one, the Sea Lions answered back with back-to-back victories in thrilling fashion to punch its ticket to Cary, North Carolina.
At the World Series Point Loma won its first game, 2-1 over IUP, before consecutive losses brought a close to another historic season on The Point.
James coached a PLNU single-season program record 11 All-PacWest selections this year, including
Scott Anderson (Player of the Year) and
Dylan Miller (Co-Pitcher of the Year).
Six earned All-West Region honors, with Anderson being named West Region Player of the Year by the ABCA, D2CCA and NCBWA.
Anderson, Miller and relief pitcher
James Sashin all received All-American recognition, as Sashin led all of NCAA Division II in saves with 18.
In six seasons as PLNU Head Coach, James holds a 185-89-1 (.675) overall record.
For the full list of ABCA/ATEC Regional Coaches of the Year, click HERE.
