Coach Fournier Resigns After 26 Years
Rob Fournier, Head Baseball Coach at Wabash Valley College for the past 26 seasons, has stepped down. He has accepted an Assistant Coach position with Western Kentucky University. “This has been one of the most difficult decisions I have ever made,” said Fournier. “I feel it’s imperative to thank the City of Mt. Carmel and the campus community for their support of the Athletic Department. Also, a special thanks to Mike Carpenter for his tremendous support of myself and the entire Athletic Department. I also want to thank WVC Coaches Asa Deffendall, Mark Colvin, Luke Scheidecker, and Patrick Harris for their support over the years.” Fournier added, “I also want to thank WVC President Dr. Matt Fowler for giving me the opportunity to grow both professionally and personally during my time at WVC. I have really enjoyed working at Wabash Valley College and appreciate the support given to me during my tenure.” WVC Athletic Director Mike Carpenter said of Coach Fournier, “We couldn’t be more appreciative of the job he has done at WVC. He has a relentless approach to recruiting and has coached with incredible energy. His teams have been extremely disciplined, and Rob built one of the premier programs in the nation during his time here. We wish Rob and his wife Jen all the best.” Fournier leaves WVC as the all-time winningest baseball coach, earning a staggering 1106 victories and 14 GRAC Championships. The Warriors recently finished their 26th consecutive winning season under Fournier’s guidance. In that time they won 50 or more games in eight seasons. Over the past 3 seasons Coach Fournier’s teams had the best record in the country, going a combined 129-16 (88%). The 2022 season was a memorable year for Coach Fournier as his Warrior Baseball Team went an astonishing 59-9, won the GRAC Championship, and the Region 24 Title. Furthermore, Fournier led the Warriors to the NJCAA World Series where they finished 4th in the nation. To top it off, he was inducted into the 2022 NJCAA Hall of Fame Class. Coach Fournier’s teams have experienced much success on the field and in the classroom. During his first year he helped turn around a 1996 team that was 12-34 to a 37-16 team in 1997. Since then, the standard of winning has remained intact. In the past 24 seasons the Warriors have been ranked consistently in the top-25 in the country, and his teams have won 30 or more games every year. Fournier’s teams have had 15 seasons with 40+ wins and have captured 14 regular season Great Rivers Athletic Conference titles. Fournier led the 2017 Warrior team to a third-place finish at the
4 / View from the Valley
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