Rick Sabath
Head Coach

Rick Sabath is in his first year as head coach of the Fort Hays State University baseball program.

Sabath comes to the program from the University of Kansas where he served as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. He helped guide the Jayhawks to their first ever Big XII tournament title in 2006. It was the first conference title of any sort for the Jayhawks since 1949. The Jayhawks were selected as participants in the NCAA Regional in Corvallis, Ore., hosted by eventual national champion Oregon State University. Their 43 victories in 2006 were second most in school history.

Prior to his stint at the University of Kansas, Sabath was head coach at Garden City Community College from 2002-2005. In his three seasons, he compiled an overall record of 107-67. In 2003, he helped guide the Broncbusters to their first division title since the 1989 season and an appearance in the Region VI Final. The Broncbusters also won the division title in 2005 and were one win shy of advancing to the JUCO World Series finishing at 41-17.

Sabath was head coach of the Cloud County Community College baseball program from 2000-2002. He guided the Thunderbirds to their best ever conference finish in 2002. He was named the Jayhawk West Division Coach of the Year in 2001.

From 1996-2000, Sabath was an assistant coach at Hutchinson Community College. The Blue Dragons set a new win record each of the four seasons he was with the program. He helped guide HCC to four consecutive conference titles which include a post-season title in 1997 and regular season titles in 1998, 1999 and 2000. HCC had a combined record of 162-75 in those four seasons.

Sabath began his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Kansas. During his first stint with the Jayhawks, Sabath coached the catchers and served as the first base coach in 1995 under Dave Bingham and 1996 under Bobby Randall. Before his coaching days, Sabath played baseball at Fort Hays State University during the 1992 and 1993 seasons. He played at Barton County Community College during the 1990 and 1991 seasons.

Sabath is a native of Lenexa, Kan. He graduated with his bachelor's degree in physical education from Fort Hays State University in 1994. He earned his master's degree from the University of Kansas in 1996. Sabath and his wife Carol have two sons, Brett and Drew.

Jason Plourde
Assistant Coach

Jason Plourde is in his first season as assistant coach of the Fort Hays State University baseball program.

A native of Sunland, California, Plourde was the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Glendale Community College in California a season ago. Prior to that, he was the pitching coach at Los Angeles Valley College from 2000-2004. Some of his other coaching duties include being the associate head coach and pitching coach for the Fayetteville Swampdogs of the Coastal Plain League during the summers of 2005 and 2006 and the pitching coach of the Madison Mallards of the Northwoods League during the summers of 2003 and 2004, where the Mallards won the Northwoods League Championship in 2004.

Before becoming a coach, Plourde played baseball from 1998-1999 at Los Angeles Valley College. He was an Academic All Western State Conference player from 1998-1999 as well.

Plourde graduated with a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology-Secondary Physical Education from Cal State Northridge in 2002 and a master's degree in Physical Education from Azusa Pacific University in 2004.