Entering his sixth season this upcoming spring, Govek navigated the Saints through uncharted waters with a breakout 2011 campaign that included an upstart fifth-place finish in the Midwest Collegiate Conference Tournament.

Govek led the Saints to a program record single-season win total with 22 last year and ushered the Saints into the qualified postseason for the first time in his tenure. Sandwiched into the successful season was another school record, an eight-game win streak compiled through the latter portion of March.

Carrying the fifth and final seed in the double-elimination MCC Tournament, Govek managed the Saints to upset wins against No. 4 seed Waldorf College and No. 3 seed Clarke University when down to potential elimination.

Govek has carved a reputable niche in a conference loaded with talented pitching thanks to his aggressive play calling on the bases, resulting with the Saints as the MCC team leader in steals for back-to-back years in 2010 and 2011.

After serving as the head coach at his alma mater of Div. III Lakeland College in Sheboygan, Wis., for a two-year tenure, Govek was brought on board as head coach at Ashford in time for the 2007 campaign.

During his tenure at Lakeland College, Govek helped the team to a fifth-place finish in the Div. III NCAA College World Series in 2002, back-to-back regional bids (2002, 2003) and four consecutive Lake Michigan Conference titles (2001-04). He also coached two players who would later sign professional contacts.

He guided the Muskies of Lakeland to a 29-51 mark in two years, working his way up to head coach with four years of experience as an assistant coach.

Govek's playing experience was also at Lakeland College where he was a part of back-to-back Lake Michigan Conference Tournament titles as a first baseman and right-handed pitcher.

Govek obtained his degree in business administration, his master's degree from Ashford and currently resides in nearby Fulton.

The Saints Under Govek (2007-Present)

The Govek File

• Student Assistant Baseball Coach - Lakeland College (Wis.) (2000)
• Assistant Baseball Coach - Lakeland College (Wis.) (2001-03)
• Head Baseball Coach - Lakeland College (Wis.) (2004-06)
• Head Baseball Coach - Ashford University (2006-Present)

Ashford baseball assistant coach Darryl Cochran enters his 13th year as the head varsity coach at Camanche High School and his sixth season assisting the Saints' program on a volunteer basis. He has won over 150 games at the varsity level in his coaching career and is averaging nearly 15 wins per season.

Since joining the Big East Conference in 2004, Camanche has won two conference titles, recorded two second-place finishes and a third-place performance, under Cochran's leadership. He has produced eight all-state players, 17 all-district performers and 54 all-conference players.

A total of 11 of his players have gone on to play at the collegiate level.

In 2008, Cochran was named the head coach of the Big East squad in the Big East vs. Eastern Iowa Hawkeye Senior All-Star Challenge. In 2006, he was selected by the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association as one of the assistant coaches for the Small Schools East Squad in the 30th annual All-Star Series held in Clinton at Alliant Energy Field.

Cochran also served as an assistant coach on Camanche's 1996 state-qualifying baseball team.

Cochran is a graduate of Northeast Missouri State University, now Truman State University (1985-88), receiving his Bachelor of Arts and Master's degree in Education. He also earned his A.A. degree from Iowa Central Community College (1983-84).

Cochran resides in Camanche with his wife and three children.

The Cochran File

• Assistant Baseball Coach - Lesterville (Mo.) High School (1987-91)
• Head Sophomore/Assistant Varsity Baseball Coach - Camanche High School (1993-98)
• Head Varsity Baseball Coach - Camanche High School (1999-Present)
• Assistant Baseball Coach - Ashford University (2005-Present)

Swanson will be entering his second year this season as head coach of the Saints men's and women's bowling programs in their inaugural years while resuming his duties as assistant baseball coach.

Originally a native of Aniwa, Wis., and a graduate of Antigo High School, Swanson started his collegiate playing career as a first baseman and right-handed pitcher for Madison Tech, where he went on to be part off a team that would make back-to-back NJCAA Div. II regional appearances (2001-03). The 2001-02 team finished its season with an appearance in the super regionals.

Swanson was named Madison Tech's Male Athlete of the Year at the conclusion of the 2002-03 campaign. Upon completion of his associate's degree from Madison Area Technical College, Swanson transferred to Lakeland College where he played under the guidance of current Ashford Head Coach John Govek.

Swanson then finished his collegiate career as a student-assistant coach under Govek. He started out his coaching experience with Ashford as a graduate assistant coach for the Saints.

Swanson assists the Saints by spending a majority of his time working on hitting and with the infielders. He obtained his Master's degree in Organizational Management while at Ashford.

Swanson currently resides in Clinton, Iowa.

The Swanson File

• Assistant Baseball Coach - Lakeland College (2005-06)
• Graduate Assistant Baseball Coach - Ashford University (2007-09)
• Assistant Baseball Coach - Ashford University (2009-Present)
• Head Men's and Women's Bowling Coach - Ashford University (2009-Present)

Falkner was hired to the Ashford University baseball staff as an assistant coach at the beginning of the 2011 season in late-February. He enters his second season with the program and brings extensive coaching and playing experience from a variety of levels in the Midwest Region for the Saints.

Falkner is a native of South Lyon, Mich., and an alumna from Concordia University-Ann Arbor (Mich.). He initially joined the coaching ranks following a successful three-year career at his alma mater where he was a two-time WHAC All-Conference third baseman.

Falkner also was named Concordia-Ann Arbor's Most Valuable Player in 2002 and 2003 while being named the University's Male Athlete of the Year, also in 2002.

Most recently, Falkner spent three years at the NAIA's Madonna University (Mich.) as an assistant coach, serving the program in areas of coaching, game management, recruiting and organizing budgets.

His first stop was at his alma mater at Concordia-Ann Arbor, where he performed many of the same duties. He has also been an assistant in the premier Northwoods Collegiate League and Great Lakes Collegiate League, both summer circuits.

Falkner graduated with his Bachelor of Arts degree in Secondary Education with a major in Social Studies and minor in History in 2004 from Concordia University-Ann Arbor. He is married to his wife, Katie, and currently resides in nearby Fulton.

The name of the game is pitching for the Ashford baseball program's most recent graduate assistant coach and Holcomb brings his knowledge and expertise to the table from a number of different levels as a result of his collegiate career.

Originally a native of Homer, Mich., the former University of Evansville (Ind.), Grand Valley State University and Huntington University, hurler was brought on before the start of the 2011-12 academic year to join the Saints' coaching staff.

Holcomb's career extended into the NCAA Div. I, Div. II and the NAIA levels of competition, and he will specialize with Ashford's stable of arms, in addition to other administrative duties.

On the NAIA level of competition, Holcomb was Huntington's recipient of the program's annual Champions of Character Award this past season. He has also served as a pitching instructor and a coach for 17U and 18U divisions for the Grand Rapids Diamonds, affiliated with the Diamond Sports Training Academy.

Holcomb resides in Clinton and is currently pursuing his Master's in Business Administration with an emphasis in marketing.

The Holcomb File

• 17U and 18U Coach - Grand Rapids Diamonds (2011)
  
• Pitching Instructor - Grand Rapids Diamonds (2011)
  
• Graduate Assistant Baseball Coach - Ashford University (2011-Present)