2010 Baseball

Jonathan Estes takes the reins for his first season with the Lions after a three-year stint as head coach at Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis, MO. Estes takes over a team that looks a lot different from one season ago. The Lions lost 27 players from a year ago including four 1^st Team All-Conference selections. Estes got right to work signing 12 new players in just over a month. Several of Estes' signees look to play significant roles right away for the Lions.

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 of 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.

The Hornets improved in several areas under Estes' guidance. The offense saw increases in batting average and runs per game each year. Team ERA and fielding percentage bettered previous marks as well.

Estes' first three recruiting classes have yielded 16 All-Conference selections, four 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 right into the mix early for the Lions.

Estes' teams at Harris-Stowe also excelled in the classroom.  His program produced five NAIA Scholar-Athletes in 2009 and earned the NAIA Scholar Team Award in 2008 and 2009.  During his three years, his squads placed 52 total players on the academic all-conference teams.

In addition to his experience at Harris-Stowe, Estes also spent two summers as the head coach of the O'Fallon, Mo., Legion team and one summer as the head coach of the Union City Greyhounds of the KIT Collegiate League, a summer league that includes players from NCAA Divisions I, II, and III as well as NAIA and JUCO athletes.

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 7-4 with a 3.54 ERA during his career making five starts and 47 relief appearances at three different levels.

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 career and single season 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 of Teaching degree from Lindenwood University. Estes is married to the former Ashley Bennett and they have two sons Dean (3), and Lane (1). They reside in Beech Bluff.