Alan Betourne (’05) joined the Scots as the head coach before the 2016 season and led the Scots to back-to-back Midwest Conference titles and Coach of the Year honors in 2018 and 2019.
The Scots rewrote the record books in Betourne’s third season when the 2018 squad posted a school-record 29 wins and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2002, when Betourne was a freshman backup first baseman for the Scots. The 2018 season saw slugging senior outfielder Grant Myers named the Scots' first All-American (ABCA/Rawlings, D3baseball.com) and he was one of two seniors to sign pro contracts. History repeated itself of sorts in 2019 when relief pitcher Alex Sheetz was named an All-American by D3baseball.com after posting a 3-1 record with a 0.84 ERA and striking out 25 batters in 21.1 innings as the team’s closer.
More than a dozen team and individual records, including hits in a season and career (Ryan Sparks, 62, 184) and saves in a season (Jake Starkey, 9, 2018), have fallen by the wayside under Betourne’s rein. The Scots also earned an all-region selection in Betourne's inaugural season, three in 2018 and two more in 2019. Only the worldwide pandemic could halt the streak in 2020. The team has also placed 11 student-athletes on the all-conference squad in each of Betourne's first four seasons, including three in 2018 when Myers was named the MWC South Division Position Player of the Year and in 2019 when Tyler McDonald earned the South Division Pitcher of the Year.
Success is nothing new for Betourne, a left-handed hitting first baseman and three-time all-Midwest Conference selection in his playing days with the Fighting Scots, Betourne hit .344 during his 96-game, four-year career, leading the team in hitting in 2004 and 2005 with .373 and .388 averages, respectively. Betourne was on the roster when Monmouth won their 15th Midwest Conference title in 2002. He then spent two years playing professional baseball in McKinney, Texas, helping the Blue Thunder to a league championship in 2007, the same year he was selected to play in the Continental League All-Star game.
A member of the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), Betourne entered the college coaching ranks following his professional career as the top assistant at NCAA Division II Alderson-Broaddus College. In his first year with the Battlers, the team led their conference with the fewest errors (48) and were second in fielding percentage (.960). Two of Betourne’s recruits at A-B went on to sign professional contracts.
After a stint coaching high school ball in which his team set the school record for wins while posting an unbelievable .368 team batting average, Betourne reentered the college ranks at Bethany College working extensively with hitters and infielders.
In the summer months Betourne spent time coaching in the Rocky Mountain Collegiate Baseball League, developing NCAA Division I and II and NAIA players.
The Washington, Ill., native graduated from Monmouth with a degree in physical education and earned his Masters in The Art of Teaching from Bethany College. He and his wife, Lisa, reside in Monmouth with their daughter Ava Grace.
Education:
Bachelor of Arts: Physical Education, Monmouth College, 2005
Masters: Art of Teaching, Bethany College, 2015
Coaching Career:
Monmouth College (2016-present, 138-128-1)
2023: 16-23 (All Conference: Daniel Lummus)
2022: 14-25 (All Conference: AJ Hatlestad)
2021: 17-11 (All Conference: Jordan Ball, Sean Davis, Addison Fletcher. Pitcher of the Year: Addison Fletcher)
2020: 6-4*
2019: 22-15 (All-Conference: Mike Dato, Tyler McDonald, Alex Sheetz; Pitcher of the Year: Tyler McDonald; Coach of the Year: Alan Betourne)
2018: 29-14-1 (All-Conference: Tyler McDonald, Grant Myers, Harry Sanchez, Jake Starkey; Player of the Year: Grant Myers; Coach of the Year: Alan Betourne)
2017: 16-19 (All-Conference: Austin Hardy, Ryan Sparks)
2016: 18-17 (All-Conference: Austin Hardy, Connor McDonald)
National Player/Coach Recognition:
2018 ABCA/Diamond Sports Central Region Coach of the Year
All-Americans
2019: Alex Sheetz, RP (D3baseball.com Honorable Mention)
2018: Grant Myers, OF (ABCA/Rawlings First Team, D3baseball.com Honorable Mention)
All-Region
2023: Daniel Lummus, C (D3baseball.com All-Region Third Team)
2019: Tyler McDonald, SP (D3baseball.com All-Central Region Third Team), Alex Sheetz, RP (D3baseball.com All-Central Region Second Team)
2018: Mike Dato, DH (ABCA/Rawlings All-Central Region, First Team), Grant Myers, OF (ABCA/Rawlings All-Central Region First Team, Central Region Position Player of the Year; D3baseball.com All-Central Region First Team), Jake Starkey, Utility (D3baseball.com All-Central Region Third Team
2016: Austin Hardy, Utility (D3baseball.com All-Central Region, Third Team)
