UMC Baseball Announces Steen as Assistant Coach

CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston baseball program announced the addition of Taylor Steen as assistant coach.

“We are pleased to have Taylor on our staff,” Gust said. “He is a passionate, hard-working and dedicated young coach. He has playing experience at the NCAA Division I and Division 2 levels, so that should help him make his coaching transition easier. His coaching experience at a top-level Division 2 program has given him some of tools to be successful as a coach at Minnesota Crookston. Taylor has a strong desire to learn and get better at coaching. That passion is only going to serve him well as he continues to develop and mature as a coach.”

“I would like to thank Coach Gust for giving me the opportunity to coach at the University of Minnesota Crookston,” Steen said. “I’ve followed the program since Coach Gust has taken over and can’t wait to help build upon the success he has already brought to the program. I’m excited to help the student-athletes become a better version of themselves both on and off the field.”

Steen comes to Minnesota Crookston from Emporia State University, where he spent last season as an assistant baseball coach. While at Emporia State, Steen coached the catchers and assisted with the hitters. He helped lead the Hornets to the MIAA regular-season championship and an NCAA Central Regional appearance. Steen helped catcher Mason Brown to the All-MIAA Gold Glove team and an All-MIAA Second Team selection. Brown led the team with a .365 batting average on the 2017 season. Steen helped the Hornets to a .322 batting average on the season. Steen helped Emporia State at the plate as they were second in the MIAA for doubles, triples, home runs, walks and on-base percentage last season. In addition, they led the league in slugging percentage.

 In addition to coaching at the collegiate level at Emporia State, Steen also assisted the Swift Current 57’s of the Western Major Baseball League (WMBL) during the summer of 2017. He helped the 57’s in player recruitment and hitting.

Prior to getting into coaching, Steen played baseball for Emporia State and Indiana State University. In his one season with the Hornets, he served as a team captain and helped Emporia State to an NCAA regional appearance. In his first three seasons of collegiate baseball, he played at Division I Indiana State University, where he helped the Sycamores to an NCAA regional appearance in 2016.

The Grand Forks, N.D. native earned his Bachelor of Science in Recreation and Sports Management from Emporia State University in May of 2017.

In addition to Steen, the Golden Eagles have welcomed back former player Colton Haight. Haight will also serve as an assistant coach for Minnesota Crookston. Haight returns to the Golden Eagles after spending last year as an assistant coach and head junior varsity coach at Anoka High School.

As a player, Haight was part of one of the biggest turnarounds in all of NCAA baseball during his four years at U of M Crookston. In his first two years the Golden Eagles would win just two games before the arrival of Coach Gust. In his two seasons playing under Coach Gust, Minnesota Crookston won 39 games, including a school-record 25 wins in 2016 on their way to their first NSIC Tournament appearance since 2001.

Haight was one of the leaders of the winningest team in school history, serving as team captain.

Haight is ranked second in games played and games started in school history. He is also second all-time in walks and total bases in a career and first all-time in hit by pitches. Haight was mainly a catcher for the Golden Eagles, but also played in the outfield.

Haight, a native of Rogers, Minn., earned his Bachelor of Science in Sport and Recreation Management with a minor in Marketing in 2016. He is currently pursuing his Master’s degree in Kinesiology from University of North Dakota.

“It’s great to have Colt back on campus,” Gust said. “He had an outstanding career here but he has the potential to be an even better coach. Colt will do whatever it takes to improve this program. He has all the character traits to help make our players better overall student-athletes.”

The Golden Eagles will also have help from former players David Olson and Brandon Kresl. Olson will serve as a student assistant coach, while Kresl will be a volunteer assistant coach. Alex Sumner, a former player for Gust at Dakota Wesleyan University, will return for his fourth season as a volunteer assistant coach.

“I’ve had some really good coaches work for me since I came to Crookston, but this staff as a whole may be the best,” Gust said. “I am confident they can help take this program to another level.”

For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics website at www.goldeneaglesports.com.

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