| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Head coach |
| Team | Ashland University |
| Conference | G-MAC |
| Record | 951–503–4 (.654) |
| Playing career | |
| 1979–1982 | Marietta College |
| Position(s) | 2B |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1982–1984 | Iowa State (assistant) |
| 1984–1985 | Marietta College (assistant) |
| 1985–1987 | Kentucky (assistant) |
| 1988–1991 | Berry College |
| 1992–1997 | St. Leo University |
| 1998–present | Ashland University |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 1,314–721–7 (.645) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| |
| Awards | |
| |
John Schaly is an American college baseball coach who is currently the head coach of the NCAA Division II Ashland University Eagles. He has held the position since the fall of 1997. At the time of publication (1/22/2025) he has the most wins among actively coaching Division II baseball coaches. [1] In 2015 he joined his father in the elite "1,000 Career Coaching Wins" club, making them the first father/son 4-year college coaching duo to do so. [2]
He has been inducted into several Halls of Fame: American Baseball Coaches Association (2018). [3] [4] , Marietta College Sports (1995), [5] Ashland County Sports (2016), [6] and the Mid-Ohio Valley Sports (2021). [7]
Having served as president of the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), Schaly remains active with the group serving on its Board of Directors. In the fall of 2024 the International Sports Group Baseball Softball (ISG) tapped Schaly's coaching skills to provide clinic sessions to coaches at all levels of the Polish Baseball/Softball Organization in Kutno, Poland. Schaly is also a founding member of "Coaches Fore Coaches", an organization dedicated to supporting young and upcoming baseball coaches.
A second baseman, Schaly played collegiate baseball under his father Don Schaly at Marietta College. He was a member of the Marietta squad that won the 1981 Division III College World Series where he was named the Most Valuable Player. Schaly was a two-time All-American and was inducted into the Marietta College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995. [3]
Following graduation, Schaly was an assistant baseball coach from 1982 to 1984 at Iowa State University under Larry Corrigan where he roomed with Hall of Fame coach Leroy "Cap" Timm. He was also a member of his father's staff at Marietta for the 1984–1985 season before serving as an assistant at the University of Kentucky from 1985 to 1987 under Hall of Fame coach Keith Madison.
In 1988, Schaly earned his first head coaching job at Berry College, reinstating a program that had been dormant since 1976. In four years, he held a record of 155–91–3. Three times, he led Berry to the NAIA playoffs, including one district title. [8]
In 1992, Schaly was named head coach at St. Leo University. He won 40 or more games twice and even had the Monarchs ranked first in the country during his six-year stint. In 1996, the team advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs, the first time in a 18-year gap that earned Schaly Sunshine State Conference coach of the year. Schaly held a 208–127 record at St. Leo. [9]
Schaly was named head coach at Ashland University in 1998. During his career, he has been recognized as the NCAA Division II region Coach of the Year five times. He's also coached more than 50 players who have continued to play professional baseball.
In 1998, the Eagles were 27–23. The next year (1999), they went 45–16 and advanced to the NCAA World Series. In 2002, the team also advanced to the NCAA Championship and became the first Ashland University team to win a game at the World Series.
In 2009, the Eagles were 42–15–1 and won the GLIAC regular season title with a 26–5–1 record. The Eagles were ranked third in the country, the highest ranking in the program's history. Schaly was recognized as the conference coach of the year.
In 2011, Schaly recorded his 900th career victory. [10]
In 2013, the Eagles won their first GLIAC tournament championship.
In 2015, the Eagles won the GLIAC regular season title and the conference's first-ever South Division championship. Earlier in the season, Schaly would win his 1,000 career game, making himself and his father Don the first father-son tandem at four-year institutions to reach the mark. [11] The Eagles would win their second consecutive GLIAC South Division title in 2016, as well as a share of the GLIAC regular-season championship.
In 2019, Ashland went 48–15 which won them the GLIAC regular season and tournament championships, as well as the Midwest Regional tournament title. The 48 wins tied the program record.
The Eagles have played in the NCAA postseason 18 times under Schaly. They have won five regional championships and reached the NCAA Division II College World Series five times.
Below is a table of Schaly's yearly records as an NCAA head baseball coach.
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berry College (NAIA)(1988–1991) | |||||||||
| 1988 | Berry College | 35–24–1 | |||||||
| 1989 | Berry College | 36–23 | |||||||
| 1990 | Berry College | 46–27–1 | |||||||
| 1991 | Berry College | 38–17–1 | |||||||
| Berry College: | 155–91–3 | ||||||||
| St. Leo University (SSC (Division II))(1992–1997) | |||||||||
| 1992 | St. Leo University | 27–28 | 9–15 | 6th | |||||
| 1993 | St. Leo University | 25–30 | 6–18 | 7th | |||||
| 1994 | St. Leo University | 34–22 | 7–14 | 6th | |||||
| 1995 | St. Leo University | 41–15 | 11–10 | 5th | |||||
| 1996 | St. Leo University | 42–15 | 13–8 | 2nd | |||||
| 1997 | St. Leo University | 39–17 | 10–11 | 5th | |||||
| St. Leo University: | 208–127 | 56–76 | |||||||
| Ashland University (GLIAC (Division II))(1998–2023) | |||||||||
| 1998 | Ashland University | 27–23–2 | 18–8–1 | 2nd | |||||
| 1999 | Ashland University | 45–16 | 25–9 | 1st | NCAA Division II Tournament | ||||
| 2000 | Ashland University | 41–18 | 24–7 | 3rd | GLIAC Conference Champions | ||||
| 2001 | Ashland University | 38–18 | 19–10 | 3rd | |||||
| 2002 | Ashland University | 48–13 | 24–7 | 1st | NCAA Division II Tournament | ||||
| 2003 | Ashland University | 37–20–1 | 22–8–1 | 2nd | GLIAC Conference Champions | ||||
| 2004 | Ashland University | 47–15 | 23–5 | 1st | |||||
| 2005 | Ashland University | 32–16 | 13–7 | 3rd | |||||
| 2006 | Ashland University | 47–17 | 22–5 | T-2nd | NCAA Division II Tournament | ||||
| 2007 | Ashland University | 38–19 | 23–9 | 2nd | |||||
| 2008 | Ashland University | 40–18 | 17–7 | 4th | NCAA Division II Tournament | ||||
| 2009 | Ashland University | 42–15–1 | 26–5–1 | 3rd | |||||
| 2010 | Ashland University | 35–22 | 21–12 | 3rd | |||||
| 2011 | Ashland University | 30–21 | 19–15 | 3rd | |||||
| 2012 | Ashland University | 27–25 | 19–17 | 6th | |||||
| 2013 | Ashland University | 37–19 | 20–12 | 3rd | GLIAC Conference Champions | ||||
| 2014 | Ashland University | 24–21 | 14–14 | 5th | |||||
| 2015 | Ashland University | 38–19 | 22–10 | 1st | GLIAC Conference Champions | ||||
| 2016 | Ashland University | 33–22 | 22–8 | T-1st | GLIAC Conference Champions | ||||
| 2017 | Ashland University | 20–29 | 12–20 | 9th | |||||
| 2018 | Ashland University | 33–22 | 16–12 | 3rd | |||||
| 2019 | Ashland University | 48–15 | 17–7 | 1st | GLIAC Conference Champions, NCAA Division II Tournament | ||||
| 2020 | Ashland University | 10–4 | 0–0 | ||||||
| 2021 | Ashland University | 24–19 | 17–11 | 4th | |||||
| Ashland University (G-MAC (Division II))(2022–present) | |||||||||
| 2022 | Ashland University | 35–21 | 22–10 | 2nd | |||||
| 2023 | Ashland University | 33–21 | 22–10 | 2nd (North) | |||||
| 2024 | Ashland University | 42–15 | 24–8 | 1st | G-MAC Regular Season Championship | ||||
| Ashland University: | 951–503–4 | 506–253–3 | |||||||
| Total: | 1,314–721–7 | ||||||||
National champion Postseason invitational champion | |||||||||