DALLAS, Texas – Dallas Baptist University announced the hiring of Dan Heefner as the Head Coach of the Patriot Baseball Team effective July 3, 2007.  Heefner, who enters his fourth season as a coach for the Patriot Baseball Team, replaced Eric Newman, who took a pitching coach position with Nebraska University .  Heefner served as an Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator for the Patriots over the past three seasons.

DBU Director of Athletics, Ryan Erwin, stated, “Dan is a perfect fit for DBU.  His vision for Christ-centered championship caliber baseball is exactly what Patriot Baseball stands for.  DBU feels that Dan will continue to carry the program forward as the Patriots continue to gain national prominence and attract quality Christian young men, who desire to be a part of a special program at DBU.  Dan is very talented and knows the game of baseball and with his knowledge and love for the game we look forward to seeing his vision for the program expand over the next few years.”

As the DBU hitting coach, Heefner developed the Patriots into a powerful offensive team.  Over the past three seasons DBU has inserted itself into the college baseball spotlight by being nationally ranked in several offensive categories each year. 

During 2007 the Patriots continued their high powered offense by being ranked nationally in homeruns (9th), scoring (13th), doubles (23rd), slugging percentage (24th), and triples (27th). In 2006, the Patriots were fourth in homeruns (1.54/game), fifth in slugging percentage (.518), sixth in triples (.50/game), 10th in runs scored (8.4/game), and 15th in doubles (2.25/game).  The 2005 season was no different when the Patriots finished third in doubles (2.69/game), seventh in batting average (.329), ninth in slugging percentage (.510), tenth in triples (.45/game), and 17th in runs scored (7.9/game). 

Heefner, who is entering his first year as a Head Coach, has significant abilities and experiences to move the Patriots into playoff contention.  Before beginning his stint with the Patriots, Heefner spent time at Creighton University and Northern Iowa .

Heefner stated “I am extremely grateful for the opportunity that Dr. Cook, Dr. Blackburn and Ryan Erwin have given me to be the Head Coach at Dallas Baptist University . DBU is a very unique and special place- we have everything we need to compete at the highest level of Division I baseball and are not only allowed but encouraged to invest in our players spiritually as well. DBU's commitment to excellence and success in a Christ-Centered environment is very rare."

While at Creighton, he was the hitting and catching coach. Under his guidance in 2004, the Bluejay hitters saw an improvement in nearly every statistical category from the 2003 season including a 24 point increase in batting average. Defensively, the Bluejay catchers contributed to Creighton's nation leading .982 fielding percentage, the second best in NCAA history.

While working with the hitters at Northern Iowa , his 2003 team led the Missouri Valley Conference in 10 offensive categories in conference play, while his 2002 squad also had the highest batting average of any team in conference play.

In Heefner's six years of coaching he has seen 14 of his hitters go on to play professional baseball.  The 2007 season saw four players sign professional contracts including, Seniors Garrett Baker, Randall Taylor, and Matt Tucker, and Junior Austin Krum.

Heefner plans on using his high powered offense and hard nose defense to advance the Patriots into a national power and a shot to secure their first ever NCAA Division I Tournament bid. 

Heefner stated, “I feel my transition from being an assistant coach to the head coach will be easy because we have a great group of players coming back. They have talent, character and an outstanding work ethic. I believe we have everything in place to continue and even build on the strong tradition of DBU baseball."

Heefner was named an All-American in his junior and senior season years at Olivet Nazarene University , an NAIA school in Kankakee, Ill. He led the nation in both home runs (22) and RBI (102) in 2000. Prior to transferring to ONU, Heefner played two years at the University of Northern Iowa.

He received his bachelor's degree from Olivet Nazarene University and his master's degree from the University of Northern Iowa . Heefner and his wife Liz reside in Cedar Hill, Texas , with their sons Luke (4), David (2), and Zachariah (1). The Heefners attend Mansfield Bible Church.