Grand Canyon Dismisses Stapleton as Baseball Head Coach

Grand Canyon University announced this evening that Dave Stapleton has been dismissed as head coach of the baseball team, as announced by athletic director Keith Baker.

"Decisions like these are obviously difficult to make,” said Baker. “Dave has done an immense amount for not only the baseball program, but for the athletic department in general. I’m very sorry to see Dave go, but we will move on and continue our efforts to produce quality teams."

Stapleton was the third head coach in Grand Canyon baseball history, spending 17-plus seasons with the school. He had a career record of 256-290 in 10-plus seasons as the head coach. The team was 6-12 to begin the 2011 season.

Stapleton pitched for Grand Canyon from 1982-83, posting a 16-5 career record and a 3.28 ERA, helping lead the Antelopes to the 1982 NAIA Championship. He was third player in school history to make it to the Major Leagues, pitching in 10 games for the Milwaukee Brewers from 1987-88.

Ryan Bethel has been named the club’s interim head coach. Bethel is in his sixth year as a member of the GCU coaching staff. He played for Grand Canyon from 2002-05 and was named to the 2005 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Division II West Region team. Bethel was a 32^nd-round section of the Tampa Bay Rays in 2005.

Grand Canyon University Athletics

Grand Canyon Dismisses Stapleton as Baseball Head Coach

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