Ken was named Saint Martin’s baseball head coach about 10 years ago, in 2008. From the beginning he was a passionate believer of hard work both in the classroom and on the field. In his first three seasons (2009, 2010, 2011), the Saints baseball team was named GNAC Academic Team Champions.
On the diamond, Ken coached the Saints to many individual records and team successes. Over his 10 seasons, the Saints earned three Freshman of the Year awards, Chandler Tracy (2013), Zack Larsen (2014) and Mickey Walker (2016) and have had over 30 players named to the All-GNAC team. In 2011, Ken led the Saints to a second-place finish in the GNAC, with a conference record of 21-11. During the 2014 season, the Saints qualified for the GNAC Championships and Ken was named Coach of the Year.
As the grounds supervisor, Ken oversaw Saint Martin’s extensive campus grounds. He and his crew not only took care of all the athletic fields – the baseball and softball fields, the track and soccer fields – but also the landscaping around the academic buildings, the recreation facilities and tennis courts, the residence halls and all the entrances to Saint Martin’s. He was involved in many campus beautification projects, including the Jan Halliday Memorial Plaza and Flag Pavilion.
Ken will be remembered for his dedication to his students and his big heart. He took great pride in being a member of the Saint Martin’s community – as a coach, as a staff member and as a caring colleague to all. Every December, Ken made a tradition of driving out to Rochester with a small group of staff to select a Christmas tree for Saint Martin’s annual staff and faculty Christmas party. He was a true Saint on and off the field.
Prior to his arrival at Saint Martin’s, Ken was the head baseball coach and defensive coordinator for the football team at the University of Puget Sound. He also coached both baseball and football at Willamette University and Linfield College.
Ken himself was a dual-sport athlete at Willamette University. He was team captain and earned all-conference honors in football (three times) and baseball. After graduating with bachelor’s degrees in economics and physical education, Ken went on to attend Idaho State University to earn his master’s degree in athletic administration. He also served as a graduate assistant coach in Idaho State’s football program.
Ken is survived by his wife, Cathy, their sons, Chris and Matthew, and their three grandchildren, Chase, Justin and Adelei.
A memorial service for Ken will be held on campus. Details will be forthcoming.
