CHRIS SHANK

Head Coach

Chris Shank was named the SNHU baseball program's head coach in August 2023, after previously spending eight seasons as an assistant coach with the Penmen from 2009-16.

Shank arrived back in Manchester following a pair of Division III head coaching stints, most recently at Eastern Nazarene College. Shank guided the Lions to a 62-45-1 (.579) record over four seasons, including the pandemic-shortened 2020 and 2021 campaigns. Shank, who won 20 games in each of his two full seasons, led ENC to a 26-14 mark and a spot in the New England College Conference (NECC) championship game in 2023. The 26 wins set a new single-season program record, while it was the first time ever the Lions had advanced to the conference title game. While at ENC, Shank nearly doubled the roster size he inherited in less than a year and recruited, and then developed, the program's first All-American.

Prior to his four years at ENC, Shank spent two seasons as the head coach at New England College, where he guided the Pilgrims to a record of 50-35 (.588), as well as their first two North Atlantic Conference (NAC) title game appearances. Shank inherited a seven-win team and immediately won 24 games in 2017, before piling on another 26 victories in 2018, while setting new school records in nearly every major statistical category. He also recruited and developed the roster of the 2019 squad that advanced to the NCAA Super Regional.

Shank spent 2009-16 as an assistant coach at SNHU, including the 2015 season in which he served as the interim co-head coach. The 2015 team finished 31-14 and earned an NCAA Regional berth. Including that season, Shank owned a record of 143-94-1 (.603) over seven seasons as a head coach, prior to coming back to Manchester.

During his eight seasons at SNHU, the Penmen put together a record of 257-142-2 (.643), advanced to five NCAA Regionals, captured a pair of NE10 Championships (2014, 2016) and earned a spot in the 2012 NCAA Division II College World Series.

Shank, who also served as pitching coach for the Worcester Tornadoes of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball (Can-Am League) in 2011, spent 2006-08 as an assistant coach at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, which went 50-41-1 (.549) during his time and captured its first ECAC Championship in '06.

Shank began his coaching career at his alma mater, spending 2003-05 as an assistant at Franklin Pierce University. The Ravens went 96-54 (.640) with him on the staff, in addition to earning a pair of NCAA Regional berths, a trip to the 2003 DII World Series and the 2005 NE10 title. Shank was 372-223-3 (.625) in 13 seasons as an assistant coach, bringing his 20-year record (2003-22) in collegiate baseball to 515-317-4 (.618).

Shank was drafted in the 23rd round of the 2002 MLB First-Year Player Draft by the Oakland Athletics and spent three years in the organization. Shank was a non-roster invite for Major League camp in Spring Training in both 2003 and 2004, and finished his Minor League career 12-12 with a 3.81 ERA. He pitched for the Worcester Tornadoes from 2005-07, going 9-6 with a 3.75 ERA.

Shank starred for Franklin Pierce from 2000-02, setting or equaling career program records for wins (20), strikeouts (235), complete games (17) and innings pitched (243.2).

Shank resides in Auburn with his wife, Mary, and their children, Grayson and Ainsley.

PAT AUSTIN

Associate Head Coach

Pat Austin joined the SNHU baseball program as an assistant coach prior to the 2013 season. During the 2015 season, he served as co-interim head coach for the Penmen, guiding SNHU to a 31-14 mark and the program's fourth straight NCAA regional appearance. Austin was elevated to associate head coach in September 2017.

Prior to his arrival at SNHU, Austin spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Saint Anselm College. In 2011 he worked with the Hawk defense as Saint Anselm finished seventh nationally in fielding percentage (.967). In 2012 he served as the team’s hitting coach as the Hawks broke a bevy of school offensive records en route to qualifying for the NCAA East Regional. He also oversaw Saint Anselm’s strength and conditioning program.

From 2007-11, Austin served as the head coach of the New Hampshire Hammerheads club program. He guided the program’s U13 team to division titles in 2007 and 2009, while his U14 team in 2010 advanced to the New England quarterfinals.

A native of Wallingford, Conn., Austin was a four-year varsity player at Keene State College. He served as team captain of the Owls as a junior and senior and Keene State qualified for the Little East Tournament in each of his four seasons. As a senior KSC participated in the ECAC Tournament. He also spent the summer of 2003 playing for the Brighton Buccaneers of the Rawlings National League, the premier baseball league in England.

A 2005 graduate of Keene State with a degree in Safety Studies, Austin is currently pursuing his master’s in Safety and Health Management from KSC. He resides in Rye with his wife, Nicole.

BEN JOHNSTON

Assistant Coach

Ben Johnston is entering his first season on the coaching staff at Southern New Hampshire in 2024-2025.

Prior to SNHU, he spent the 2024 spring as the hitting coach/recruiting coordinator at Erskine College in the Conference Carolinas. During his one season with Erskine, they would go on to beat both top 2 seeds in the conference tournament in their best tournament run since the 2012 season.

Ben was also an assistant on the coaching staff at Rollins College during the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 seasons before moving on to Erskine after the fall of 2024. While at Rollins, they made their first two College World Series appearances since 2004. This included a semifinals loss to Point Loma in 2022 and a loss in the National Championship game to Angelo State in 2023.

He began his coaching career at Johnson and Wales University where he worked his way to the recruiting coordinator position after one year in Providence. In 2021 JWU would go on to win their first GNAC conference title and make their first regional appearance in school history.

CHARLIE FLETCHER

Pitching Coach

BIO coming soon

JOSUE BASILIS

Assistant Coach

BIO coming soon