The Iowa Lakes Community College Athletics Department announces Chris Witzke as the new Head Baseball Coach. Witzke has been promoted this off-season after successfully serving as the Assistant Baseball Coach.

"Very excited to promote Chris to our head coaching position at Iowa Lakes. Coach Witzke did a good job recruiting an extensive roster from Iowa and surrounding states for the 2023-24 baseball season. As an Iowa native who played at both the community college and four-year college level, coached during the summer in the wooden bat league, and as the Iowa Lakes Assistant Coach last year, Wizke is a unique candidate who will do a great job in the head baseball coach position,” said Troy Larson, Iowa Lakes’ Executive Dean of Students and Athletic Director.

As the Assistant Coach, Witzke helped seven Lakers move onto the four-year level, including two players moving on to Division I and five players moving within the Division II and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) ranks.

Witzke brings a solid skillset for the head coach position, including overseeing player development for the Iowa Lakes baseball program, working with the pitchers, and running the Lakers offense for the 2023 season. During the season, Iowa Lakes celebrated its first Gold Glove winner Jose Colon and finished fourth in the country for 28 double plays turned.

“Coach Witzke has a great baseball mind, cares deeply about student-athletes and will coach our guys up. I’m looking forward to seeing the direction of Iowa Lakes Baseball Program under his guidance," shared Larson.

Witzke, an Iowa native from Humboldt, graduated from Humboldt High School in 2016, where he was part of multiple conference championships and a state tournament qualifier. Witzke attended Harding University, setting a school record for hits in consecutive games with 28 and earning his bachelor's degree in marketing.

"It's a great honor to be named Head Coach at Iowa Lakes. I can't thank our Athletic Director Troy Larson, President Scott Stokes, and the rest of our administration for this opportunity enough. After getting started here as the assistant last year, I can't wait to get our student-athletes back on campus and get to work. My focus here as head coach is to build a winning program with players that represent the college in the best way possible, not just on the field but in all aspects of what it means to be a Laker," said Witzke.