Raabe named new Bethel head coach
The Bethel University Royals are proud to introduce Brian Raabe
as the new head coach of the university's baseball program. Raabe
brings a wealth of knowledge and passion for the game to the Bethel
program.
A New Ulm, Minn., native, Raabe was a stand-out middle infielder
for University of Minnesota. At the U of M, Raabe was a four-year
letter winner and member of the 1988 Big Ten Championship team.
Raabe's skill earned him many honors including All-American honors,
All-Big Ten Honors, and the Rod Carew scholarship award.
In 1990 the Minnesota Twins drafted Raabe in the 41st round of the
amateur draft. During his three years as a professional, Raabe
spent time in the Twins, Rockies, and Mariners organizations. Raabe
was also selected for many honors as a professional; in 1996 he
earned the Triple-A batting title, he was a Topps All-Star in
1996-1997, and he also earned three different minor league All-Star
honors.
Brian has spent the last 11 seasons as the head coach of the
Forest Lake Rangers. During his time at the reigns, the Forest Lake
squad became one of the state's top perennial contenders in Class
AAA, finishing the 2010 season with a 20-8 record. Raabe has also
served as the head baseball training instructor for the Centennial
Lakes Little League and the Minnesota Twins Camps.
"Having coached at other levels of the game, I am thrilled to be
at Bethel and Division III college baseball,” says Raabe.
“Not only do I get to coach high-end athletes a game I love,
but I get to coach and develop them in a faith-based environment
with high educational standards."
Bethel Athletic Director Bob Bjorklund has this to say
about Raabe: “I am thrilled to have Brian as part of our
athletics staff. He is a gifted leader who has demonstrated a
commitment to excellence and a passion for building a vibrant
culture within the team. He will combine tremendous ability with
high energy to offer a first-class experience for our student
athletes. I am excited about the future of Bethel baseball under
his direction.”
In 2010 the Royals finished 20-19 overall. After starting the
spring on a roll, Bethel just missed earning a bid into the
conference tournament by two, finishing seventh in the MIAC. The
2011 squad will return a strong core of very talented athletes that
have the potential to take Bethel baseball to the next level.
