Sam Berg
Head Baseball Coach
Southwest Baptist University
Work 1600 University Avenue, Jane and Ken Meyer Wellness Center
Bolivar, MO 65613
Work (417) 328-1794 | sberg@sbuniv.edu
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Sam Berg was named head baseball coach at SBU in May, 1999, after four seasons as head baseball coach, athletic director, and physical education teacher at Sparta (Mo.) High School. He took over the Sparta High School baseball program in the 1995-96 academic year and posted a 5-22 record in his first season. The following year, his team improved to 13-22 and he was named SWCL Coach of the Year. The turnaround continued in 1997-98 when Sparta was 19-19 with an appearance in the district semi-finals. Then, in 1998-99, his team was 19-15 and ranked 5th among Missouri's 1-A schools for the first month of the season. They went on to place second in the SWCL tournament and again played in the district semi-finals.

Berg played collegiate baseball at Tabor College (Kan.) from 1980-82 where he was all-conference as a junior and academic all-conference as a senior. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration and economics from Tabor College in 1982.

In 1985, Berg received his secondary teaching certification in business and physical education from Emporia State University (Kan.). From 1984-86, he served as an assistant men's basketball coach at ESU.

From Emporia, he headed to Marymount College (Kan.), where he stayed from 1986 through 1988 as the head baseball coach and assistant men's basketball coach. He inherited a baseball program that had not had a winning season in over 10 years. In 1988, he led Marymount into the NAIA District 10 post-season tournament for the first time in school history with a record of 19-18 and improved its record from 2-24 in 1987.

His next stop was at Missouri Valley College (Mo.) from 1989 to 1993 where he served as assistant baseball coach. Missouri Valley was 128-80 during Berg's four seasons and won the 1991 NAIA District 16 championship.

In 1994, Berg moved onto Central Missouri State University where he served as an assistant coach. In that year, CMSU was 51-11 and won the NCAA Division II national championship. He completed his Master's degree in physical education and excercise and sport science from CMSU in 1999.

In 1999, he accepted the head coaching post at SBU. In his first year at SBU, the Bearcats were 23-27 overall and 14-16 in the MIAA. The 14 MIAA wins set a school record for most conference wins in a season, which also gave SBU a 6th place finish in the MIAA. SBU set new single season records with 367 runs scored, 482 hits, and 331 runs batted in.

A highlight from the 2006 season was having his first player sign a major league contract. Left handed pitcher Dustin Childress signed a contract with the New York Mets and then competed in their rookie league last season for the Kingsport Mets. Childress had an outstanding career at SBU as he broke numerous records and was a two-time all-MIAA selection. In the 2004 season, he went 9-3 with 91 strikeouts on his way to being named to the all-MIAA First-Team and NCAA Division II all-Central Region Second-Team.

Berg and his wife Lisa live in Bolivar with their four children, Brittney, Cody, Braden, and Cooper.

Coaching Honors
Team Honors
SBU
  • Set record for most wins in MIAA in one season (1999)
  • Produced 33 players on MIAA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll
  • Had 15 players named all-MIAA
  • Produced one all-Region player
  • Had one player sign professional baseball contract
Central Missouri State
  • Part of 1994 NCAA Division II National Championship as an assistant coach
Tabor College
  • Part of 1991 NAIA District 16 Championship
Sparta H.S.
  • SWLC Coach of the Year
  • Had team ranked as high as #5 in Missouri State Rankings