Head Coach: Jon Copeland
Jon Copeland was given the honor of starting and building the Trinity Baptist College Eagles baseball program.
In 2011, Copeland started the program at Florida Christian College (now Johnson University-Florida), and in their first two seasons the Suns enjoyed one of the best program starts in college baseball history. Last season the FCC Suns racked up an impressive season, building a winning record while accumulating wins over NCAA DII power Ashland University (OH), series wins over NAIA #16 William Carey University (MS) and Ave Maria University (#2 in the Sun Conference), and series splits with NAIA powers Mt Vernon Nazarene University (OH) and Southeastern University (FL). The Suns finished the season ranked #2 in the country, made it to their second consecutive regional final, and finished in 3rd place at the NCCAA College World Series. FCC placed five players on the All-South region squad and had four players named All-American and one selection to the All-National Tournament Team.
In Copeland’s first year at FCC the Suns ended their inaugural 2012 season with a winning record (including a regular season filled primarily with NCAA DII and NAIA opponents), a #2 national ranking and a Runner-Up finish at the NCCAA College World Series. The 2012 Suns also produced the South Region Player of the Year, four All-Americans, six All-South Region players and two All-National Tournament selections from the College World Series. The national Runner-Up finish and Region Player of the Year were the first in FCC Athletic history. The program also produced the Hank Burbridge Award winner, given to the most outstanding NCCAA baseball player both on and off the field, and the National Team Sportsmanship Award.
A native of southern California, Jon played four years of collegiate baseball at Biola University in La Mirada, California where he graduated with degrees in English and Physical Education. Upon graduation, and after his playing career had ended with stints in Texas and California; and in Europe with Athletes in Action, Jon spent the next eight seasons coaching in southern California at the high school level, five of them as a Head Coach- with three trips to the postseason.
Jon’s next stop was as an Assistant Coach/Assistant Head Coach at his alma mater, Biola University, where he helped lead the Eagles to four conference championships in a row, a #4 final NAIA ranking during the 2001 season and a 6th place finish at the NAIA World Series. After Biola, Copeland spent one year at NCAA DI, University of California-Irvine, under the leadership of current 2013 NCAA Div. I National Champion, UCLA Head Baseball Coach, John Savage. Jon was then privileged with an opportunity to build a baseball program from the ground up at NCAA DII Colorado Christian University as the Assistant Head Coach.
In 2006, Copeland was named the Head Coach at Nyack College in New York, where he turned a perennial losing program into a national contender in only three seasons. Jon compiled an impressive list of accomplishments while at Nyack, most notably a semi-final finish at the NCAA DII CACC Championship Tournament. Under Copeland’s leadership, the Warriors also earned consecutive NCCAA Regional appearances, a #4 national ranking, and an invitation to the NCCAA College World Series as a team. He also produced a CACC Player of the Year, a CACC Pitcher of the Year, nine All-CACC players, six NCAA Div.II All-Region players, ten NCCAA All-Region players, and a NCAA DII All-American, during the most honored three seasons in Nyack College baseball history. Jon was then given the opportunity of spending the ‘09-‘10 season as an intern assistant coach at NCAA DI powerhouse Vanderbilt University under the tutelage of legendary coach, Tim Corbin.
Jon currently has an overall coaching record with over 500 wins and a .623 winning pct., and he picked up head coaching win no. 250 in 2012 against St. Leo University. He has 20 winning seasons in 24 years of coaching high school and college baseball. Jon has had seventeen former players who have been drafted or signed to professional baseball contracts; including three who have reached the Triple A level.
Jon and his wife, the former Stephanie Nickel, have a son, and a daughter, Sydney. Jon’s wife, Stephanie, is a worship leader, a college voice teacher, and a professional vocalist.
