Head Coach Christopher AntonidesAfter finishing up his eighth season as head coach, Christopher Antonides continued to lead the Panthers to another successful season in 2024 as they finished 27-23, tying for 5th in the G-MAC conference. Under his guidance, 33 players have been selected for Weekly Conference Awards and the program has had 5 seasons with winning records, for a total record of 200 - 163 during his 8 seasons in Panther Valley. The 2023 season concluded with a deep post-season run, falling in the G-MAC Championship game. The Panthers ended the season with a 27-27 record, highlighted by being recognized as a team “under consideration” for the NCAA Midwest Rankings in the last week of April. 5 players were selected for G-MAC Weekly Player Awards and Jack Mathey earned G-MAC player of the year honors while five other Panthers earned All-Conference Team recognition following the season. Jack Mathey and Myles Martinez collected additional hardware as both Midwest Region and All-America nods following the 2023 campaign. In 2021, the Panthers bounced back from a sluggish 2020 shortened season. The program reached a record of 28-11 with 5 players selected for G-MAC Weekly Player Awards. Following the season 2 Panthers were selected to the All Region team and 8 selected as All-Conference nominations, including the G-MAC Freshman of the Year award for David Silva. In 2019, after finishing up his third season as head coach, Antonides led the Panthers to another successful season as they finished 32-23 and a second place finish in the conference while compiling the most wins in conference history at 22. Antonides put together back to back 30 win seasons. In 2019, 5 players were selected for in-season G-MAC Weekly awards and 7 players were elected to the All-Conference team and 3 of those were selected to the All-Region squad. In 2018, he guided Ohio Dominican’s baseball team to its most success in its Division II era. The Panthers finished with a 36-17 record, reaching the NCAA Midwest Regional Championship Round, won the G-MAC North Division crown, and were ranked as high as No. 15 in the nation. Antonides was named the G-MAC Coach of the Year as ODU finished with the best overall mark in the league. The Panthers also had five First Team All-Great Midwest performers, with a total of 10 players earning all-league distinctions. To cap off a historic season, Senior Justin Childers and Junior Brad Wilson were both selected in the 2018 Major League Draft. Childers was selected in the 33rd Round by the Detroit Tigers and Wilson got the call in the 13th Round by the Toronto Blue Jays.
Both Justin Childers and Colin Kaucher earned All-American awards in 2018, with Childers picking up his fourth career Midwest Region Player of the Year honor. Antonides took over the program after serving as an assistant coach for three years. He helped lead the Panthers to a 30-18 record in 2015, including a 20-12 GLIAC mark, and ODU also appeared in the NCBWA regional rankings during the 2014 campaign. Five players have earned a total of six First Team All-GLIAC awards during his time at ODU, including four in 2015, and Antonides also helped develop Ryan Colegate into being drafted by the Cleveland Indians in 2015. Prior to coming to ODU, Antonides spent seven years as an assistant with Findlay under Troy Berry. He served as the pitching coach, third base coach and recruiting coordinator. Antonides was a four-year starter on the mound for the Oilers from 2003-06 and led them to the GLIAC Tournament Finals in 2005. He is near the top of many career categories including starts, innings pitched and strikeouts. Following his collegiate days, Antonides had a stint in the New York State League as well as with the River City Rascals of the Frontier League. He then returned to Findlay as a graduate assistant for the Oilers where he helped lead them to the GLIAC Tournament Finals in 2008. Antonides began his coaching career in 2004 as an Assistant Coach for Troy American Legion Post #43 Baseball under Head Coach Irvin “Frosty” Brown. He helped guide them to several State Legion, Connie Mack and NABF World Series appearances. Antonides earned a Bachelor's degree in Physical Education in 2006 and a Master's in Education Administration from The University of Findlay in 2008. He currently resides in Columbus with his wife Patricia, son’s Aidan and Connor and daughter Colleen.
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After finishing up his eighth season as head coach, Christopher Antonides continued to lead the Panthers to another successful season in 2024 as they finished 27-23, tying for 5th in the G-MAC conference.