SCSU Head coach pat dolan
Winning is the name of the game - on the baseball field, in the classroom, and in the community.
The Foundation of SCSU Baseball
**Commitment to excellence
** Playing the game of baseball the way it ought to be played
** Living the game of life the way it ought to be lived
** Self-motivation and self-discipline
** Hard work, communication, and enthusiasm
** Academic priorities
** Community relations
These important characteristics are the foundation for the St. Cloud State University baseball program under head baseball coach Pat Dolan.
Coach Dolan officially began his tenure with SCSU on June 15th, 2007, and he most recently completed his first season with the Huskies in 2008. A tested coaching veteran with a record of success, Dolan led the Huskies to a 27-23-1 overall record in 2008 - the most wins posted by the Huskies since 1999. He also led the club to a third place finish in the always rugged NCC, and a 13-12 league record.
The 2008 season saw the Huskies play several games at the Minneapolis Metrodome along with a week-long spring break trip for a series of games in the Phoenix area. Back home, the Huskies moved their home games to Joe Faber Field at the Municipal Athletic Complex in St. Cloud - widely Dolan's Huskies are poised to make an immediate impact in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference - the league that SCSU will move to in 2008-09.
In Dolan’s 17 years as a head baseball coach his teams have captured an amazing 10 conference regular season championships. During this span he has compiled a 610-347-1 overall record with 328 wins in 12 years at the college level and 282 wins at the American Legion level.
“There is a great Husky baseball tradition that goes way beyond my years. My predecessors - Skip (Denny), Jim Stanek, and John Kasper - helped establish an outstanding college program, and I can only hope to fill these great baseball people’s shoes and take our Husky Baseball Family to the next level,” said Dolan.
As a college coach, Dolan has had 14 of his players sign professional baseball contracts, has had well over 54 All-Conference selections, and has coached 10 All-Americans. During his 12 years as a head coach at the college level his teams have enjoyed the same success in the classroom, and this past season SCSU's Sam Radbil was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District College Division squad for the Huskies.
“As proud as I am of the accomplishments our student athletes have had on the field, I’m even more proud of all the successes they have gained in earning their college degrees and becoming successful in the real world.”
Success at Dakota State
Dolan helped turn around two struggling college baseball programs prior to his arrival at SCSU, and he helped develop them into championship baseball programs ranked nationally in the NCAA Division II and NAIA polls.
In 2007 (his last season at Dakota State University), Dakota State University finished with a 39-12 record setting the school record for wins for the third consecutive season. DSU was also ranked in the NAIA top 10 for the first time ever at #7. This was the fifth consecutive season the Trojans were recognized nationally.
Dakota State’s first year under Dolan's command in 2001, was their most successful season since 1985 when the Trojan's won their last conference championship. The 2002 squad tripled the amount of wins (15-22) the previous three years combined (5-99 and were regionally ranked for the first time in 18 years.
The 2003 Trojans made the "turnaround.” The Trojans shattered nearly every individual and team record in the 2003 season. They won their first ever NAIA Regional Tournament and advanced to their first-ever Super-Regional Tournament, while setting the school record with 33 victories. They finished being ranked nationally for the first time in school history.
The Trojans took a small step backwards in the win column in 2004, while playing their most difficult schedule ever. The Trojan’s finished 27-22 and finished as runner ups in the DAC Tournament.
The 2005 team recaptured the NAIA Region III Championship for the second time in school history and also set the school record with an overall record of 34-16.
In 2006, the Trojans finished with an identical record setting year by going 34-16. They also were ranked as high as #16 in the NAIA National Polls.
“There is a great correlation between success between the white lines and work ethic and the type of person you are,” Dolan says. “I would like to believe the success I have had is related to my positive philosophies and the energy I put forth. A commitment to excellence starts with the head coach, which should channel to the ball players and others with in the program.”
Central Minnesota Roots
Dolan was a three-sport standout, six time All-Conference selection, 10-time letter winner at Cold Spring-Rocori in Central Minnesota. He was selected as the “Central Minnesota Baseball Player of the Year,” and participated in both the Minnesota High School Lion’s All-Star games for baseball and basketball.
“Other than my father, I learned more about life and coaching from Bob Brink, Jim Thelen and Tom Bergner than anyone else. I was truly blessed to have the coaching legends I had back 20 years ago. They set the foundation for most all of my coaching philosophies today.
After earning All-American honors and setting school records of a .483 batting average, 92 RBIs, 60 BB, and 47 SB at Iowa Western CC, Dolan transferred to Florida Atlantic University to play for Kevin Cooney.
“I also owe a lot to both Coach Nowachyk and Coach Cooney. They were two different types of coaches, but they both got the most out of their players and they both were unbelievably successful. To this day I still pick their baseball brains.”
Dolan began his coaching career at his alma matter in Cold Spring as the head coach of American Legion Post 428 and assistant coach with Cold Spring-Rocori. He compiled a 204-81 overall record and guided his teams to seven league championships.
Dolan Begins College Coaching Career
At the age of 25, he became one of the youngest coaches in college baseball at Itasca CC in Grand Rapids, MN. Dolan began his collegiate coaching career with 21 consecutive victories. He compiled a winning percentage of .781. Twelve players off his first recruiting class went on to play college baseball at four-year institutions. ICC earned national recognition by being ranked as high as #10 in the NJCAA poll and captured two consecutive Northern Minnesota League Championships.
After spending two years as the associate head baseball coach at St. Andrew’s College, Dolan took over the head coaching honors at Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, NC. The year prior to Dolan’s arrival, Belmont Abbey had a record of 12-36 and the school's last winning record came over 30 years ago. A total transformation took place. The 2001 season brought a regular season CVAC Championship, CVAC Tournament runner-up, 39-18 record, #26 NCAA Division II National ranking, and a “CVAC Coach of the Year” award for Dolan. Nearly every individual and team record was shattered. During his three-year stint 16 of his 17 seniors graduated.
“Expectations are high at SCSU, which they should be. Our goals are to graduate our student-athletes, provide them with a great college experience, and win baseball games. Winning the NSIC Championship and gaining a berth in the NCAA tournament are our baseball goals. With the commitment, work ethic, and togetherness of every member of the Husky Baseball Family these high standards are attainable.”
“I’m a firm believer in that individually and as a team, you have to practice like you play. There are a lot of woulda, coulda, shoulda type players out there that ‘talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk.’ Players that play for me are guys that want to work on their weaknesses and improve their strengths, and are self disciplined on and off the field.”
“I want to teach the game so every player has a complete understanding of the game. Coaching to me is teaching, and not just the fundamentals of baseball but also the fundamentals of life.”
The Pat Dolan File
Assistant Coach, Cold Spring-Rocori High School, 1990-1993
Head Coach, Cold Spring American Legion Post 428, 1990-1997
Assistant Coach, Itasca Community College, 1994
Head Coach, Itasca Community College, 1995-96
Associate Head Coach, St. Andrew’s College, 1997-98
Head Coach, Belmont Abbey College, 1999-2001
Head Coach, Dakota State University, 2001-2007
Head Coach, St. Cloud State University, 2007-present
Dolan at SCSU |
Overall |
Conference |
| 2008 | 27-23-1 | 13-12/3rd NCC |
Contact Coach Pat Dolan
Phone Number: 320-308-3541
E-Mail: pldolan@stcloudstate.edu
St. Cloud State University Athletic Media Relations
News Release - Dolan Hired as Head Coach at St. Cloud State
May 30, 2007
Huskies Name New Baseball Coach
St. Cloud, Minn. - St. Cloud State University’s Director of Athletics Dr. Morris Kurtz has announced the appointment of Patrick Dolan as head baseball coach on May 30, 2007.
A native of Cold Spring, Minn., and 1992 graduate of St. Cloud State University, Dolan becomes the 14th head coach since the inception of the program in 1924. He replaces Denny Lorsung, who served as the head coach at SCSU from 1979-2007.
“The baseball search has been exciting because of the quality of our three finalists,” said Dr. Morris Kurtz. “During my 23 years at SCSU, I have never experienced this strong a pool of candidates. I do, however, have faith that Pat Dolan is the right person to build on the foundation established by Denny Lorsung. Pat will recruit student-athletes that excel in the classroom and on the playing field and he will return our baseball program to a level of prominence.”
Dolan comes to SCSU from Dakota State University, where he has coached since 2001. He led his team to five years of national rankings, including a No. 7 NAIA ranking in 2007. The DSU Trojans charted NAIA Regional Championships in 2003 and 2005, and made Super-Regional appearances during those seasons. Dolan has not only pushed his players on the field, but off the field as well. Over 40 student-athletes have graduated during Dolan’s tenure at DSU, and over 50 of Dolan’s student-athletes have accumulated a grade point average of 3.0 or higher dating back to 2001.
“This is truly a great honor to be able to come back home and be the new leader of the SCSU Husky baseball program.” Dolan said. “I can’t thank Dr. (Morris) Kurtz and Tracy Dill enough for believing in me and giving me this great opportunity. We are going to bring back the great Husky baseball tradition that Coach (Bob) Kasper, Coach (Jim) Stanek and Skip (Denny) Lorsung have built since 1950.
“We are going to get even more of the alumni back involved. We are going to have Central Minnesota involved again, and we are going to keep the top local talent playing right here at the great Dick Putz Field.”
Prior to his tenure at Dakota State University, Dolan was the head coach at Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, N.C., from 1999-2001. There, Dolan gained CVAC Coach of the Year honors in 2001 and helped shatter multiple school records, including a 39-win season in 2001 and the school’s first CVAC Championship.
Dolan’s head coaching experience began in 1989 with the Cold Spring American Legion. In eight seasons, he amassed a record of 240-93 and collected eight league championships in the process. He coached at Itasca Community College from 1993-1996, going 50-16 overall and recorded two league championships. Following his years at ICC, Dolan was the associate head coach at St. Andrews Presbyterian College in Laurinburg, N.C., from 1996-1998.
Dolan played his collegiate years at Iowa Western Community College, where he was an All-American and All-Region player. He also played collegiate baseball at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Fla. During his prep years at nearby ROCORI High School, Dolan was a six-time All-Conference recipient and gained the Central Minnesota Baseball “Player of the Year” award in 1986.
Dolan is scheduled to begin his head baseball coaching duties at SCSU on June 13, 2007.
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