Ottawa Athletics
OTTAWA – Ottawa University Director of Athletics, Arabie Conner, is pleased to announce the hiring of Jonathan Freemyer as the head coach of the OU baseball program. He is the 25th coach in program history.
“With the recent success of our baseball program, and with much credit to a lot of hard work by our staff and players, this search drew a lot of quality interest and applicants,” said Conner. “Coach Freemyer quickly rose to the top of our list, proving his readiness to take the lead with a clear vision for ensuring this program continues to climb.”
Before coming to OU, Freemyer spent five years (2018-2022) as the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at Kansas Wesleyan University (KWU). In 2022, he helped lead the Coyotes to the program’s first KCAC Tournament Championship since 2011, their first NAIA Opening Round Appearance since 2011, and helped the program set school records for home runs and strike outs. In 2021, Freemyer helped lead KWU to a school record 23 conference victories.
“I would like to thank Arabie Conner, Dr. Wenyika and the leadership at Ottawa for putting their trust in me for this amazing opportunity to be the head baseball coach at Ottawa University,” said Freemyer. “The vision for Braves baseball aligns with my values and beliefs and that excites me to grow this already successful program. The passion for Braves athletics was apparent in every conversation I had through the interview process. I have been waiting for the right opportunity to align for my family and I to become a head coach and this is the place we are ready to call home. I look forward to getting to work and developing the baseball student athletes to make Braves nation proud.”
Prior to his time at KWU, Freemyer was an assistant coach at NCAA Division II Northwestern Oklahoma State University (NWOSU) in Alva, Okla. from 2014 to 2017 under head coach Sam Carel. In 2016-2017, he was named the program’s recruiting coordinator.
Before entering coaching, Freemyer spent a year in professional baseball in the Tampa Bay Rays organization with The Florida Complex League Rays. Prior to 2021, the team was known as the Gulf Coast League Rays. He signed as an undrafted free agent, playing both infield and outfield. Freemyer had to retire due to a battle with Rhabdomyolysis but witnessed first-hand how one of the top professional teams operated and developed their players.
Freemyer graduated from NWOSU with a bachelor of science in criminal justice with a minor in communications in 2014 and a masters of arts in American studies in 2017. He was a three-year letterman on the diamond and a four-year letterwinner on the basketball court for the Rangers.
He was the first athlete in the GAC to earn first team honors in two sports. Freemyer finished his basketball career in the top five in NWOSU history in points, rebounds, and steals. As a senior on the diamond, Freemyer was named GAC Player of the Year, set the GAC home run record, and was the first NCAA Division II All-American in NWOSU history with his Third Team NABC selection.
“Coach Freemyer’s work ethic and energy are visible and contagious to all who know him,” said Conner. “Perhaps most impressive is how easily he connects with student athletes and with all he interacts with, which is so critical to coaching today’s game while making it a fun, competitive environment.”
Freemyer began his duties on June 29.