Bio

Chris Lewis, a native of Sherwood, Oregon, serves as the Head Baseball Coach and Assistant Athletic Director for External Operations at Union Commonwealth University. A 1995 graduate of Sherwood High School, Lewis was a standout three-sport athlete, earning All-Conference and All-State honors in football, basketball, and baseball. He was also selected for Who’s Who Among American High School Students.

Lewis continued his athletic career at Eastern Oregon University in La Grande, Oregon, where he played both football and baseball. He was a Little All-Northwest Football Team selection before graduating in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and Health. He later earned a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Campbellsville University in 2011.

Lewis’s extensive coaching resume spans more than two decades and includes experience at the high school, collegiate, American Legion, and elite club levels:

• Sherwood High School (OR) – Assistant Coach (1997–1999, 2007–2009)

  • Back-to-back Northwest Oregon Conference champions

• Southwestern Oregon CC – Assistant Coach (2000–2001)

  • First conference winning season in school history

  • Finished 3rd in the conference with 6 All-NWAACC Southern Division selections

• Bay Area American Legion – Head Coach (2001)

  • Program-record 37 wins, state playoff appearance

  • Coached future NCAA DII All-American Boo Christenson

• Lewis & Clark College – Assistant Coach (2002–2005)

  • One of the largest recruiting classes in program history

  • 6 All-Conference selections

• Baseball Northwest – Head Coach/Instructor (2002–2005)

  • Coached 15 future collegiate players

• Salinas Valley Packers – Assistant Coach (2004)

  • Coached Beau Mills (future NAIA Player of the Year and 13th overall MLB Draft pick)

• North Valley High School (OR) – Assistant Coach (2006)

• Portland Titans (Pacific International League) – Head Coach (2006)

  • Program’s best finish

  • Coached future NAIA All-American Ryson Mauricio

• Bethany University – Head Coach (2006–2007)

  • 30-win season (school record), led Region II in stolen bases

  • Produced the school’s first All-American, J.P. LaPointe

• Northwest Star Academy – Assistant Coach (2007–2008)

  • Valley Conference, Oregon state, Pacific Northwest Regional, and World Series champions

  • Named Oregon Sports Team of the Year

  • Coached multiple future MLB draft picks:

    • Matt Lokken (Marlins, 34th Rd, 2008),

    • Ty Morrison (Rays, 4th Rd, 2008),

    • Joey Mahalic (Indians, 32nd Rd, 2007),

    • Alex Kuedell (Rays, 27th Rd, 2012),

    • Ryan Gordon (Athletics, 31st Rd, 2012),

    • Nick Struck (Cubs, 39th Rd, 2009)

• Portland Baseball Club – Head Coach/18U Director (2009–2012)

  • Oregon state and Valley Conference champions, 35-win season

  • Coached:

    • Kevin Taylor (Dodgers, 36th Rd, 2011)

    • Tanner Kichler (Cubs, 45th Rd, 2011)

• Campbellsville University – Assistant Coach (2009–2014)

  • 4 seasons with 30+ wins, 2 with 40+

  • 3x National Championship Opening Round qualifier

  • 2 Mid-South Conference titles

  • Nationally ranked 4 out of 5 seasons (high of No. 8)

  • Dozens of student-athletes earned academic and athletic accolades including:

    • 43 Mid-South All-Conference selections

    • 58 Dean’s List, 6 President’s List, 29 Academic All-Conference

    • NAIA Scholar Team (2014)

    • 5 NCCAA All-Region Selections

    • 2013 NCCAA Mid-East Regional Champions, 3rd at World Series

• Northwestern College – Assistant Coach (2015–2016)

  • 6 Great Plains All-Conference selections, 3 NAIA Scholar-Athletes

• Dawson Community College – Head Coach (2016–2018)

  • First national ranking in school history (#24 and #20 NJCAA DII)

  • Recruited largest class in school history

  • 1000+ hours of team community service

  • Coached Reynaldo Pichardo (33rd Rd, Texas Rangers, 2018)

• Upper Iowa University – Assistant Coach (2018–2020)

  • ABCA Academic Excellence Award (2019–2020)

  • Improved offensive output across 12 categories

  • Directed facility renovations and locker room upgrades

  • 46 players on Athletic Director’s Honor Roll

• Berea College – Head Coach (2020–2021)

  • Recruited largest roster in program history

  • Led development of upgraded facilities

• Union Commonwealth University – Head Coach (2021–Present)

  • Led the largest turnaround in program history

  • First 30-win season since 2015, first conference title since 2006

  • Ranked top 25 nationally in batting average and fewest offensive strikeouts (2023)

  • 2023 AAC Conference Player of the Year and AAC Freshman of the Year

  • Angel Mendoza named NAIA Second Team All-American (2023)

  • 9 NAIA Scholar-Athletes (2025), 18 NAIA Scholar-Athletes (2024 – 3rd most nationally)

  • National Scholar Team (2022, 2024), #3 GPA in NAIA (3.46, 2022)

  • 139 Dean’s List and 132 A.D.’s Honor Roll selections (2021–2023)

  • Directed renovations of the locker room, dugouts, and coaches’ offices

Lewis holds certifications from the American Sport & Education Program, Driveline Baseball (Foundations of Hitting and Pitch Design), and NAIA’s Champions of Character “Character Driven Coaching.” He also serves as a Fellowship of Christian Athletes Advisor at Union Commonwealth.

Chris and his wife, Stephanie, have two daughters, McKinley and Whitley. The Lewis family attends East Barbourville Baptist Church and enjoys spending quality time together. 

Updated: 4-25-25