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Chris Francis - Assistant Coach

Assistant Coach Chris Francis brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Mansfield University baseball program.  Coach Francis has been involved with many great programs and players.  He has had 23 players that he has coached sign professional contracts.

He played collegiate baseball for Hall of Fame coach George Valesente at Ithaca College from 1994 to 1997.  Were he played on the ’94, ’95, ’97 team that made the NCAA regional tournament and the ’94 team that made the NCAA college world series.  He was the team captain on the ’97 team and was named 2^nd team all region and Coach Francis was the recipient of the Carlton “Carp” Wood award for his attitude. Coach Francis graduated with a Bachelor of Science in sports information and communications.

Coach Francis began his coaching career in 1998 with the University of Rochester.  He coached there for two years.  Coach Francis was assistant coach in charge of pitching, catching, outfielders, and recruiting.  In ’98 the team went 23 – 17 and was the ECAC Up State NY champions.  He helped to lower the teams ERA by 2 runs. In ’99 they went 24-12, which led to the 2^nd straight ECAC Up State NY championship and the first NCAA mid-west regional apperance since 1991. 

In 2000 he moved to Ithaca College and became the assistant coach in charge of outfielders.  He coached there for three years.  Where they won 3 straight Empire 8 conference championships also 3 straight NCAA regionals where they were the runner up all 3 years.  In ’01 and ’02 he moved to coaching the pitchers where in ’01 the team ERA was 11^th in the nation and in ’02 it was 9^th in the nation.  Also during his time as the assistant at Ithaca College he had 3 pitchers and a catcher sign professional contracts. 

In 2003 he arrived at Virginia Wesleyan where he was in charge of the pitching, scheduling, defense, traveling, recruiting, and the budget for 5 years.  In ’03 the team set a school record going 34-9 also winning the Old Dominion Athletic Conference and tournament.  They finished 3^rd in the NCAA south regional.  The team ERA was 2^nd in the nation.  In ’04 they went 32-12 and the teams ERA was 25^th in the nation also qualifying for the NCAA south regional finishing 6^th.  In ’05 they went 22-18 and Coach Francis had 2 players drafted by the Florida Marlins one in the 21^st round and the other in the 27^th round.  In ’06 the team went 24-22 and was the tournament champions and finished 3^rd in the NCAA south regional.  In ’07 the team went 24-18 and was the regular season champions and he had 4 players sign professional contracts.  Two signed with the Chicago Cubs and were also conference players and pitchers of the year.  The other 2 signed independent contracts.

Coach Francis has also coached summer teams in the NYCBL and the Coastal Plains summer leagues.  In the summer of ’02 he managed the Cortland Apples in the NYCBL and coached the All-Star team from that league.  In 2003 the Daredevils won the Pettite Cup championship and in 2004 they were the runners up.  In 2007 coach Francis was the pitching coach for the Peninsula Pilots.  His pitching staff set the Coastal Plains League strike out record with 495 strike outs in 491.1 innings pitched.  Eleven pitchers recorded 20 or more strike outs.  Where he also coached the North All-Star team.  The Pilots were runners up in the 2007 Pettite Cup  Tournament.  In all Coach Francis has seen 23 of his former players between college and summer seasons move on to professional baseball.

Assistant Coach Chris Francis is a greatly welcomed addition to the Mansfield University Coaching Staff and Baseball program.  He resides in Mansfield with his wife, the former Meghan Fitzgerald, and his two children Christian, three, and Lillian, three months.