Dr. Tim Sceggel named Paul Phillips the 14th head coach in LeTourneau baseball history on June 1, 2022. The 2026 season will be Phillips' fourth at the helm of the program.
FAST FACTS
- Years at LeTourneau: 3 (2023-present)
- Overall record: 58-68 (.460)
- Conference record: 31-36 (.463)
- Conference Titles: 1 (ASC, 2025 co-regular season)
- Coach/Coaching Staff of the Year: 1 (ASC, 2025)
- 1st career coaching win: Feb. 11, 2023 at Millsaps (14-9)
PROGRAM ACCOLADES UNDER PHILLIPS
- 2 ABCA All-Americans (Dane Jones, 2024 and 2025)
- 2 D3baseball.com All-Americans (Dane Jones, 2024 and 2025)
- 4 ABCA All-Region selections (Dane Jones, 2023, 2024, 2025; Xander Nabors, 2024)
- 3 D3baseball.com All-Region selections (Dane Jones, 2023, 2024, 2025)
- 1 ASC Player of the Year (Dane Jones, 2025)
- 34 All-ASC selections
- 6 ASC All-Tournament selections
- 12 ASC weekly award winners
- 5 D3baseball.com Team of the Week honorees
- 2 NCBWA Division III National Hitter of the Week honors
- 1 NCBWA Division III National Pitcher of the Week honor
- 2 ABCA Team Academic Excellence awards
- 12 CSC Academic All-District honorees
- 86 ASC Academic All-Conference selections
- 1 ASC Scholar-Athlete Medal of Honor (Dane Jones, 2024)
SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
With a late-season surge, Phillips' 2025 team made history as the first team in program history to earn a share of the ASC regular season title. The YellowJackets finished 23-20 overall and 11-5 in ASC play. LeTourneau won seven of its first eight ASC games -- which included a no-hitter from senior Dalton Pickett -- and moved into first place at the midway point of the year. LeTourneau had a program-record 17 All-ASC selections, including Player of the Year in Dane Jones while Phillips' staff was recognized as the ASC Coaching Staff of the Year. Jones became a consensus All-American for a second straight year as he collected first team honors from the ABCA and second team from D3baseball.com as he broke his own program-record for homers with 21 and set a record with 60 RBIs.
The 2025 team set multiple program records, including: runs (328), home runs (53), RBIs (295), extra-base hits (138), walks (196), hit by pitch (84), and pitching strikeouts (309).
In year two of the Phillips tenure in 2024, offensive records continued to fall. Dane Jones earned two All-America honors as he set a program record with 20 home runs and broke the program's all-time career home run record (41). As a team, the YellowJackets tied the program's NCAA-era record with 44 homers. LeTourneau was second in the ASC in home runs and fourth in slugging percentage (.430). Phillips' team had an NCAA-era record 10 players earn All-ASC honors, including first team selection Dane Jones. Jones and Xander Nabors both earned ABCA All-Region accolades, while Jones picked up D3baseball.com All-Region honors before earning All-American from both organizations.
In Phillips' first year as head coach, LeTourneau won 20 games for the first time since 2019 as the YellowJackets went 20-23 with a 13-14 ASC record in 2023. LeTourneau secured a spot in the ASC Tournament. The YellowJackets produced seven All-ASC selections, including first team honoree Dane Jones who also earned All-Region honors from both the ABCA and D3baseball.com. The team had three ASC weekly award winners during the year, including Jones who earned ASC Hitter of the Week twice, and had five members earn CSC Academic All-District. Jones' 15 home runs and 47 RBIs were the most by a YellowJacket since 2003 and he ranked second in the ASC in homers, steals (23), and OPS (1.181).
Phillips' team featured a high-powered offense in 2023 that produced 38 home runs (the most in the BBCOR era since 2011) and set the program's NCAA-era record (since 1999) for stolen bases with 96. The team also recorded a .793 OPS and averaged 6.58 runs per game, both the most since 2010. LeTourneau tossed a combined no-hitter on Feb. 17 against Dillard, the program's first in the NCAA era.
QUOTABLE
"I am thankful and excited to coach at LeTourneau University, a prestigious academic institution centered on furthering the kingdom of Christ in all aspects of life," Phillips said at the time of his hiring. "I am honored to build on the foundation of Robin Harriss and look forward to working with Dr. Sceggel in a joint pursuit of excellence as we seek to cultivate disciples for our Risen King through the wonderful game of baseball."
"I humbly hope God will use me to shape and lead the young men in this program as I have been discipled and shaped by countless others, particularly my wife Emily, my father, my previous head coach Doug Simons, and Dr. Sceggel," Phillips said.
PRIOR TO LETOURNEAU
Phillips came to LeTourneau after serving as an assistant under head coach Doug Simons for six seasons at Covenant College.
At Covenant, Phillips returned to his alma mater after spending two years overseas assisting in the development of the game of baseball in southeast Asia. He coached with The Hit Factory in Singapore working with 14U, 12U, 10U and 8U club teams. Additionally, he coached with the East Coast Sox -- a premier travel baseball organization. Over those two years, Phillips had multiple power-4 and NCAA Division I players, including 2023 MLB draft fourth round pick Carson Rucker.
Prior to coaching, Phillips was a professional player and coach with the semi-pro team Füssen Royal Bavarians in Füssen, Germany. As a player and coach, Phillips was critical to the team's second place finish and a 22-6 overall record in 2015. He led the league in stolen bases, was second in doubles and third in on-base percentage during the season.
A graduate of Covenant, Phillips was a four-year member of the baseball team and helped lead the Scots to the USA South regular season championship and NCAA Tournament in 2014. Phillips played in 122 career games for Covenant and recorded a career average of .280, with 71 runs scored and 45 RBIs. He set the program record for hit-by-pitches in a career with 36 and the program's single-season mark with 19 in 2014. In his senior campaign, Phillips hit a career-best .302 with one home run, 22 RBIs, 15 stolen bases, with a .473 on-base percentage.
Additionally, Phillips was a two-time conference all-academic honoree and represented Covenant on the 2014 USA South All-Sportsmanship team. Off the diamond, he served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter.
Phillips graduated from Covenant with a degree in interdisciplinary studies composed of sports management, business, and psychology.
FAMILY
He and his wife, Emily, were married in 2014 and the couple has four children: Dallas, Ranger, Norah, and Bonnie.
YEAR-BY-YEAR
2025: 23-20, 11-5 ASC (ASC co-regular season champions)
2024: 15-25, 7-17 ASC
2023: 20-23, 13-14 ASC
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT PHILLIPS
"Coach Phillips brings passion and energy to the field daily. His passion fuels his love for the game, his love for his players, and his love for his Lord."
- Doug Simons, Covenant College Head Baseball Coach
"Paul Phillips is one of the most genuine and enthusiastic dudes I have ever had the pleasure of working alongside. His heart for holistic development of young men as spiritual leaders, cultural contributors, and societal influencers is unmatched. I am thrilled to see the meaningful and impactful things I know he will do as the Head Baseball Coach at LeTourneau. I am honored and incredibly grateful that I get to call him a close friend."
- Caleb Abney, former Lancaster Bible College Head Baseball Coach
"Paul Phillips is a great coach and passionate about building relationships and discipling players. He will get the best out of everyone he coaches and works with. LeTourneau has the right guy. He understands how to build a winning culture and will recruit and develop talent at every position. LeTourneau's baseball program will win on and off the field under Paul's leadership." -
John Mitchell, former player of Paul's at Covenant
