Brian Owens

  • Title
    Head Coach / Baseball
  • Email
    owens@mc.edu
  • Phone
    601-925-3346

Mississippi College Head Coach Brian Owens enters his 10th year in the program and ninth season as the head coach of the Choctaws.  Over his eight seasons, he has compiled a record of 193-154 overall. Over his eight-year career, the Choctaws are 112-64 (.636) in games at Frierson Field.

The Choctaws played their final season in Division III and the American Southwest Conference in 2014, finishing with a 21-19 record and a 5th-place finish in the league. Brooks Fortenberry was a Third-Team All-ASC selection, while Robbie Jernigan, Spencer Wilson and Blake McIlwain were Honorable Mentions.

The 2013 season got off to a slow start, but the Choctaws would get things going as they grabbed a three-game sweep of Huntingdon in Clinton at the end of March. Each of the games were decided by one run, but the most exciting game came on Friday night when MC scored six runs in the ninth inning, eventually winning in extra innings, 7-6. Four Choctaws earned All-ASC recognition as Brett Hightower and Josh Perez were Second Team selections and Kyle Blount and Brooks Fortenberry were Honorable Mention.

In 2012, the Choctaws advanced to the ASC Championship Tournament after pulling out a series win at Texas Lutheran in the ASC Championship Series.  The Choctaws went 21-24 but won four of their last five games to clinch the #3 seed in the ASC Tournament.  MC was 4th in the league with a .309 batting average and finished 3rd in the league with 292 runs scored.  J'Marcus Brooks and Mike Kerdock were First Team All-ASC selections, while Ryan Glover and Brett Hightower earned Second Team nods.  Hightower and Kerdock were also named to the ABCA All-West Region Team.

The 2011 season saw the Choctaws advance to the ASC Tournament for the 11th consecutive time and 12th time in 13 tries, which is the most of any team in the league.  MC led the nation in home runs (50) and home runs per game (1.19).  The Choctaws also led the American Southwest Conference in batting average (.330), slugging percentage (.504), runs scored (373), and runs batted in (329).  The pitching staff also led the league with 321 strikeouts.  MC went on a streak of winning 11 of 12 games to help clinch a berth in the conference tournament.  Four different Choctaws were named to the All-ASC teams (Brandon Benton, Spencer Brunson, Clay Crosswhite, and Stuart Magee).

In 2010, Owens led the Choctaws to the most wins (39) and least losses (11) in school history as MC advanced to the West Region championship game for the first time.  The Choctaws led the league in ERA with a mark of 4.06 in 423.0 innings pitched.  MC opened the season 17-1, including a 15-game winning streak.  In 2010, MC set school records for at-bats (1786), runs scored (456), hits (620), batting average (.347), doubles (114), triples (22), total bases (910), and runs batted in (397).  MC also set pitching records in 2010, including strikeouts (351), wins (39), losses (11), and innings pitched (423.0).  Overall, 12 Choctaws earned All-ASC selections with Bo Bell being named Hitter of the Year and Tyler Seaman being named Pitcher of the Year.

In 2009, Owens led the Choctaws to an ASC East Co-Championship with a 30-16 overall mark and a 14-4 conference record.  The Choctaws eliminated Mary Hardin-Baylor in the ASC Championship Series and advanced to the championship game of the ASC Tournament.  MC finished third in the ASC with a .337 batting average and led the league with 111 stolen bases.  Under Owens' tutelage, the Choctaws had two All-Americans in Brett Hinson and Bo Bell.  Hinson and Bell also earned ABCA-Rawlings First Team All-West Region honors with Hinson being named the region's Pitcher of the Year.  Tim Bruss, Tyler Seaman, and Bell earned All-ASC First Team honors.  Seaman was named ASC Newcomer of the Year after throwing two no-hitters on the year.  Overall, eight Choctaws earned All-Conference honors.

In 2008, Owens led the Choctaws to the ASC Championship Tournament and a 24-19 overall record, inclduing an outstanding 14-5 mark in the conference.  The Choctaws reached the tournament after beating Mary Hardin-Baylor in two games in the ASC Champioship series.  Owens is the primary pitching coach and watched the team ERA improve from 6.41 in 2007 to 5.40 in 2008.  For his efforts, Owens was named ASC East Division Coach of the Year and had five players earn All-ASC honors.

In 2006, Owens served as the pitching coach and top assistant coach for the Choctaws and put together one of the top pitching staffs in the ASC. Under his tutelage junior pitcher Jonathan Russell earned ASC East Division Pitcher of the Year honors. Russell led the conference in wins (10) and innings pitched (88.2). He finised the season 10-3  with a 3.05 earned run average and 79 strikeouts, good enough for second in the league.

The entire staff ranked 4th in the ASC with an earned run average of 4.87 and led the conference with 324 strikeouts. They were second in the league with an opposing batting average of .271.

Before joining the staff at MC, Owens spent two years at Tennessee Tech where he filled the position of pitching coach. At Tennessee Tech, Owens was responsible for the pitching staff as well as field maintenance. He also was involved with fund-raising efforts and recruiting.

Owens spent his first season of coaching as a student assistant on Ron Polk's staff at Mississippi State University. There he assisted with the pitching staff and performed gameday duties with the staff. He oversaw the bullpen during the games. He also worked summer camps with the Bulldogs as an instructor.

Prior to his coaching career, Owens spent his collegiate playing career at Mississippi State and also Hinds Community College.

He and his wife Anna have two children, Ella and Parker Michael.
 
YearOverall RecordASC RecordNotes
200717-257-114th in ASC East
Lost to TLU in ASC Series (2-1)
200824-1913-52nd in ASC East
Def. UMHB in ASC Series (2-0)
200930-1614-41st in ASC East
Def. UMHB in ASC Series (2-0)
Advanced to ASC Championship Game
201039-1114-32nd in ASC East
Def. UMHB in ASC Series (2-0)
Advanced to ASC Championship Game
Advanced to NCAA Regional Championship game
201124-1811-74th in ASC East
Lost to HSU in ASC Series (2-1)
201221-249-93rd in ASC East
Def. TLU in ASC Series (2-1)
Advanced to ASC Championship Tournament
201317-227-116th in ASC East
201421-1918-155th in ASC
Total193-15493-65