Jonathan Estes enters his second season as skipper of the Freed-Hardeman University baseball program. The Lions look for their fourth consecutive 30-win season after winning 33 games last year. The2010 Lions replaced four 1st Team All-Conference selections with 10 freshmen that started at some point in the season. The return of last year's youth combined with a solid recruiting class has many around Carnes Field excited for 2011.
Prior to coming to FHU, Estes spent three seasons as the head coach at Harris-Stowe State University (Mo.). At Harris-Stowe, Estes helped rebuild a team that had been to post-season play just twice in 12 years. In his first two years at the helm, Estes led the Hornets to back to back post season berths including a second place finish in 2007, their highest since 1994. That 2007 squad swept conference doubleheaders from four or five teams helping Estes earn American Midwest Conference Coach of the Year. In 2008, the Hornets rallied to win seven of their final eight conference games to earn a return trip to postseason play.
Estes' first four recruiting classes have yielded 20 All-Conference selections, five Gold Glove winners, three conference Freshmen-of-the-Year, one conference Player-of-the-Year, and a national Pitcher-of-the-Week. This year's class includes several freshmen and transfers that figure to get into the mix early for the Lions.
Estes' teams have also excelled in the classroom. His programs have produced 10 All-American Scholar Athletes and earned NAIA Scholar Team Awards in 2008 and 2009. During his four years, his squads have placed 60 total players on the academic all-conference teams.
Prior to joining the coaching ranks, Estes spent parts of three seasons in professional baseball with the St. Louis Cardinals organization. The Cardinals drafted Estes after his senior year at FHU in the 2002 Major League Baseball amateur draft. Estes was 7-3 with a 3.54 ERA during his career pitching as both a starter and reliever.
Estes spent three years at FHU as a pitcher from 2000-2002 after transferring from NCAA division 1 St. Louis University. Estes earned All-Conference honors each season as a Lion and NAIA All-American Scholar Athlete as a junior and senior. Upon graduation, Estes was in the top five in 15 of 17 single season and career pitching records at FHU, holding eight. Estes still holds pitching records for single season innings pitched, single season and career complete games, and career ERA.
Estes holds a degree in Marketing from FHU graduating Magna Cum Laude and a Masters in Teaching degree from Lindenwood University. Estes is married to the former Ashley Bennett and they have two sons Dean (4) and Lane (2).
J.D. Flowers is entering his third season as an assistant coach of the Lion baseball team after serving three years as the graduate assistant coach and playing for the Lions for four years.
In 2006, Flowers coached first base and assisted with the work of the infielders. On top of his coaching duties, he also assisted with the upkeep of the baseball field as well as the soccer and softball fields.
In 2007, Flowers took over full-time duty with the infielders. During the 2007 campaign, the Lions' infield fielding percentage improved by seven points, with the returning infielders raising their fielding percentage by an average of 33 points.
In 2008, Flowers helped the Lions lead the conference in chances per game (34.92), putouts per game (23.31), and assists per game (9.77).
In 2009, Flowers helped the Lions defense post a .954 fielding percentage, the highest since 2003. Along with his varsity duties, he also took over as the first head coach of the junior varsity program.
In 2010, Flowers saw his responsibilities step up tremendously. Along with coaching the infield, he also took over as the hitting and base-running coach. Under Flowers' direction, the Lions hit .318 as a team, with a .480 slugging percentage, .405 on-base percentage, .885 OPS, while stealing 74 bases. Along with his on-field duties, he also took over as the head groundskeeper for the baseball, soccer, and softball fields at FHU.
Flowers joined the coaching staff after playing for the Lions from 2002-2005. For his career he hit .365 with 44 doubles, 94 RBIs, 10 homeruns, and 59 stolen bases while playing at six different positions. He ranks in the top 10 in 6 categories of career records including batting average, runs scored, doubles, triples, stolen bases, and games played. He also holds the single season record for at-bats (203) and is second on the all-time single season hits list (82). As a sophomore in 2003, Flowers earned team MVP honors while hitting .388, with 10 doubles, three homeruns, a slugging percentage of .592, and a .471 on-base percentage. During his senior season in 2005, he earned 2nd team All-TranSouth honors when he hit .404 with 18 doubles, three homeruns, 44 RBI, 27 stolen bases, and an on-base percentage of .483.
While playing for the Lions, Flowers helped a team climb to a fourth place finish in the TranSouth Conference his senior year after years of struggling. Along with that fourth place finish in 2005, the Lions finished above .500 (8-7) in the conference for the first time since 1999, and earned its first postseason win since the same year.
Flowers earned his degree in Physical Education as well as an add-on endorsement in Special Education from FHU in 2005. He earned a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from FHU in 2008.
Coach Brown joins the Lions for the 2010-2011 campaign working as the pitching coach. Brown is charged with a staff that returns the top four pitchers from a year ago in innings pitched. FHU returns 40 of the 55 starts made on the hill last season and have added an assortment of arms to bolster a staff that features 10 left-handed and 11 right-handed pitchers. In addition to his work with the Lion hurlers, Brown is also involved in recruiting and field work.
Brown comes to FHU after serving as assistant coach at Centennial High School in Franklin, TN for the 2010 season. While at Centennial, Brown coached current Lion Josh Henkle as well as current Vanderbilt standout Tony Kemp. During this past summer, Brown coached the Nashville Panthers in the Tennessee Summer Collegiate League. Brown, with the help of four current Lion players, helped lead the Panthers to the league title in its inaugural season. Brown has also served as camp instructor for the Vanderbilt University Prospect Camps. During the summer of 2011, Brown will serve as pitching coach for the Brainerd Lakes Lunkers in the prestigous Northwood's Collegiate League.
Brown is orginally from Southern California where he started his collegiate career at Orange Coast College. Brown was a part of the 2005 Final Four Team before transferring to Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville. During his career at TNU, Brown would set the single season saves record in 2007 then break his own record in 2008. He also owns the career saves record at TNU. For his accomplishments on the field, Brown earned 1st Team All-Conference in 2007 and 2008 and 1st Team All-Region in 2007 and 2008. After his career at TNU, Brown signed a free agent contract with the Rockford Riverhawks professional baseball club.
Coach Brown is the son of Larry and Reca Brown. He will begin work on his Masters in Business Administration this spring.
Coach Gallagher returns for his second season on the staff for the Lions. His responsibilities have increased for the 2011 season after serving as outfield instructor in 2010. Coach Gallagher's main responsibilities include catchers as well as academic coordinator. Gallagher graduated from Freed-Hardeman with a degree in Psychology and is currently working on his MBA.
Coach Burns joins the coaching staff after spending the past four seasons as a player. Burns responsibilities include working with the outfielders, assisting with the hitters and base running as well as field duties. Burns is finishing his degree in History with a minor in Business.
