Central Methodist University Associate Head Baseball Coach Rob Ehlers was tabbed as the 2021 NAIA Ball Assistant Coach of the Year, as announced by the NAIA Ball podcast Monday morning.

Ehlers, who completed his eighth season with the program, has been an integral part of the turnaround made by the Eagles in the past eight years, including four 40-plus win seasons. The year, Ehlers helped guide Central to its best season in program history in 2021. CMU finished the year as both the regular season and conference champions, the champions of the O'Fallon Bracket in the NAIA Opening Round, and the Avista NAIA Baseball World Series Runner-Up.

“Rob is a grinder. And he still believes long hours and hard work lead to signing stud players,” said Head Coach Nate Breland. “He is the glue that holds the puzzle together! Nobody in the country is more worthy of this recognition than him, and what makes him so good is he is never content!”

Central set numerous program records in 2021 including wins (49), winning percentage (.859), team batting average (.341), home runs (87), team earned run average (3.33), and strikeouts (473). The Eagles also garnered 10 all-conference award winners, the Heart Coach of the Year, Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year, and three NAIA All-Americans.

CMU concluded the year at No. 2 in the final NAIA Baseball Coaches' Top 25 Poll, the highest ranking of any CMU Baseball Team in program history.