Bio

In 1964, Coach Deese took over a Chapman baseball program which had made just one playoff appearance prior and turned it into a national power - a reputation that has stayed with the program for 50 years. During his first seven seasons, the Panthers reached the NCAA Regionals every year, and advanced two national championships tournaments. In 1968, Chapman won the NCAA College Division (inaugural) baseball championship and Deese earned NCAA College Division Coach of the Year.

In '66 they were also the top ranked College Division school in the country and were invited to the University Division (Division I) championship tournament. That same year Deese won his first of two Pacific Coast Coach of the Year honors.

Deese won over 60 percent of his games with 248 career head coaching victories from 1964-70 and 1982-83, including a College Division record (at the time) 44 wins in 1970. He coached the first seven All-America selections in school history and had 12 players drafted by Major League organizations.

Passed away: January 2019