Jim Gantt

Jim Gantt completed his 14th season as head coach of the Catawba College baseball program in 2010.  Under Gantt, Catawba has posted a dozen straight 30+ win seasons and have made five appearances in NCAA II Regional play.  He has a career record of 479-263.

Gantt was honored as South Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year for the fourth time in 2008 as the Indians earned a SAC Championship.  The squad advanced to the NCAA II South Region Championship game and posted a 43-18 mark.  He was named the 2006 SAC Coach of the Year after the Tribe went 47-14. Catawba won both the SAC regular season and tournament titles and advanced to the NCAA II South Region Championship game.  The Indians were ranked as high as #2 in the nation.

Gantt also earned SAC Coach of the Year honors in 2004 after guiding the Indians to a then school record 42 wins, including its first-ever berth in the NCAA II Regionals.  In 2005, Catawba won the SAC title and went 35-19. The 1997 squad, his first as head coach, equaled a then second most win total with 32. Gantt also led the Indians to the 2002 SAC Tournament title and was named SAC Coach of the Year for the first time in 1999.

As an assistant for seven seasons, Gantt was a key part of Catawba’s five straight seasons with at least 27 wins from 1991-95). The Indians won back-to-back South Atlantic Conference championships in 1992-93 and was a perfect 21-0 in league games in 1992 (38-7 overall). He currently serves as the coach of Rowan County’s successful American Legion team, guiding the team to the World Series for the second time in 2009. Gantt was named the North Carolina Amateur Coach of the Year in 2002 after guiding Rowan to a 43-2 record and a state championship. As an assistant, he helped the legion team to the 1996 Southeast Regional Championship, advancing to the World Series in Roseburg, Oregon.

Gantt, who graduated from Catawba in May 1989, with a bachelor’s degree in sports management, had an outstanding four-year career as a player for the Indians. He compiled a .297 career batting average. A third baseman, Gantt enjoyed his best season in 1988, as the Indians went 27-8 and won the Carolinas Conference championship. He was named to the all-conference team after hitting .322, with a .482 on-base percentage.

Always a good contact hitter, Gantt struck out only 28 times in 330 career at-bats, while walking 47 times. He started 97 of 105 games, compiling 98 hits and 42 RBI. An all-conference player at Newton-Conover (N.C.) High School before graduating in 1984, Gantt was a .439 career hitter for the Red Devils.

Gantt resides in Salisbury with his wife, Adrian.  Adrian has served as the head field hockey coach at Catawba and an assistant with the softball program.

Michael Lowman

Michael Lowman finished his fifth year as an assistant for the Catawba baseball team in 2010.  He returning after a stint as an assistant at High Point.  Lowman previously served as an assistant with the Tribe from 2005-07.

 Lowman graduated from High Point in 2002 with a degree in sports management and received a Master of Science degree in sports studies from High Point in 2004.  He served as a graduate assistant for two seasons with the Panthers while pursuing his masters.

 A four-year starter at High Point, Lowman earned first team All-Big South honors at second base in 2001.  He was a two-time all-conference performer at East Rowan High School and helped Rowan County to the 1996 American Legion World Series.  In 1998, Lowman was named the Area III Player of the Year after hitting .392 with 12 home runs and 70 RBI.

 He resides in Salisbury with his wife, Kelly.