Paul Bucher begins his third season as an assistant coach at LeTourneau University.
In 2016, the LeTourneau University baseball team reached the ASC Baseball Tournament for a program record third-consecutive year. Six YellowJackets earned all-ASC honors, five of which were first-time selections. Among the six were three members of the second team including catcher Taylor Empkey, second baseman Kyle Jacobs and pitcher Boone Privette. Following the season, Empkey earned numerous honors including ASC All-Tournament Team as well as the prestigious R.G. LeTourneau Legacy Award and the ASC Baseball Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year. He became the third student-athlete in LeTourneau University to earn CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) Academic All-American honors. Ten members of the LETU baseball team were named to the ASC All-Academic Team.Â
In 2015, eight YellowJackets earned all-ASC recognition including a second team, four on the third team and four were picked honorable mention. Bucher serves as the first base coach for LETU and is the infield coach.
In addition to his coaching duties, Bucher works with fellow assistant coach Chris Tempke in the athletic field's maintenance operations that includes Conrad-Vernon Field, the LETU soccer fields, intramural fields and the softball field.
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Bucher, who hails from Oran, Missouri, played in three MSHSAA Baseball Final Fours and earned two second place finishes (2003, 2004) and a third place finish (2006). After graduating high school in 2006, he attended Shawnee Community College in Ullin, Ill. At Shawnee, Bucher posted a .992 fielding percentage at Shawnee and only committed 2 errors his entire sophomore season. Bucher graduated from Shawnee C.C. in 2008.
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Coach Bucher continued his academic and baseball career at Lambuth University in Jackson, Tenn. While at Lambuth, he continued his excellent defensive play and contributed to a 42-win season. His career fielding percentage is .989 and career batting average of .289. Bucher graduated from Lambuth in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts in History and a minor in Secondary Education. Bucher earned his master's degree in Organizational Leadership from Evangel University in December 2015.
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After graduation, Bucher moved back home to Southeast Missouri and taught high school for two years at Charleston High School in 2011-2012, and Oran High School in 2012-2013. He helped lead Oran to the MSHSAA Baseball Final Four (2013) and won a state championship (2013). In 2013, he served as a volunteer graduate assistant coach at Evangel University in 2013, where they were the Heart of American Conference Eastern Division champions.
