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David Kelton
David Kelton has been the head coach of the Panthers for eight seasons. Kelton was an assistant for the Panthers for four seasons prior to being named the head coach, working with the defense, base running and hitting. He has an overall record of 195-111. During his eight seasons, LC has had three All-Americans and 25 USA South All-Conference selections.
Over the past six seasons, including the pandemic shortened 2020 season, the Panthers are 13th in wins (168) and 15th in winning percentage (.724) out of 389 NCAA Division III teams. They have won four straight USA South Tournament titles, a USA South regular season championship and made four trips to the NCAA Division III Tournament.
In 2021, LC was 24-10. The Panthers won the USA South Touranment championship for a record fourth straight year, beating nationally-ranked N.C. Wesleyan in the deciding game. They received the tournament's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth season in a row. LC had three players earn All-Conference honors and another seven named to the USA South West Division All-Conference team. Six Panthers were selected to All-Region teams. The team lead the conference in nine statistical categories, including scoring (9.3 runs per game), batting average (.327), on-base percentage (.430), slugging percentage (.490) and ERA (3.87).
The 2019 Panther team went 32-12. It marked the first time in program history of having 30 or more wins for four straight seasons. LC became the first USA South school to win three straight conference tournament titles. The Panthers had six players earn All-Conference honors, including senior Austin Fain, who was the USA South Pitcher of the Year. LC earned a third straight trip to an NCAA Regional Championship.
The Panthers went 30-18 for the 2018 season, the third straight season of 30 or more wins. LC won its second straight USA South Tournament championship and with it a berth in the NCAA South Regional for the second year in a row. The Panthers had the USA South Rookie Player of the Year in freshman first basemen Jack Layrisson, along with senior outfielder James Poropatic and freshman relief pitcher Gibson Bittner on the All-Conference team. Poropatic and Bittner were also selected to the ABCA/Rawlings South All-Region team.
Kelton guided the Panthers to a 40-6 record in 2017, setting school records for most wins and fewest losses. The Panthers won the USA South regular season and tournament championships and advanced to the NCAA South Regional. The team led the USA South in a number of statistical categories, including a .330 batting average and 2.68 ERA. The Panthers' 2.68 ERA was second in NCAA Division III. The Panthers were ranked No. 1 during the season in the D3baseball.com and ABCA/Rawlings national polls, the first time in the program's history being ranked in the top slot. The Panthers finished the season No. 3 in the ABCA/Rawlings Top 25 poll.
For the 2017 season, Casey Bell was selected as the USA South Player of the Year, while Ryan Broaderick was the USA South Pitcher of the Year and ABCA/Rawlings South All-Region Pitcher of the Year. Freshman Richie Post was the USA South Rookie Pitcher of the Year. Kelton earned USA South Coach of the Year honors. Broaderick and Blake Butcher were named to the ABCA/Rawlings All-America team, while Bell was a D3baseball.com All-American selection. The Panthers had eight players named to USA South All-Conference teams: Bell, Broaderick, Butcher, Poropatic, Jonathan Fleckenstein, Blane Swift, Tavin Thompson and Andrew Weekley. Bell, Butcher, Broaderick, Fleckenstein, Swift, Thompson and Weekley were ABCA/Rawlings South All-Region and D3baseball.com All-South Region selections.
The Panthers were 30-13 in 2016, including a 13-5 mark in the USA South Conference. The 30 wins rank sixth in the program's history and the most since the 2005 season. The Panthers led the USA South in batting with a .312 team average and were second in pitching with a 3.04 ERA.
Butcher was named the 2016 USA South Player of the Year. Butcher was one of nine Panthers to be selected to the All-Conference team. Under Kelton, the Panthers have had 12 USA South All-Conference selections and 50 earn USA South Academic All-Conference honors. Butcher and Broaderick were named to the ABCA/Rawlings South All-Region team. In addition, Butcher, Thompson and Cain Sauls were selected to the D3baseball.com All-South Region team.
A native of West Point, Georgia, Kelton was an All-State Shortstop for Troup County High School. As captain, he was selected as a Coaches Poll All-American. He set five school hitting records, two of which still remain today.
Kelton was drafted in 1998 out of high school in the second round by the Chicago Cubs. He reached the major leagues with the Cubs in 2003 and 2004. Kelton got his first major league call up when outfielder Sammy Sosa was suspended for the corked bat incident. He received many accolades during his professional career being selected to minor league All-Star teams in eight of his nine seasons.
In 2002, Kelton was the minor league player of the year and selected as Topps Player of the Month. He played in the Futures All-Star game at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago in 2003. In 2006 as a free agent, Kelton signed with the Atlanta Braves, playing at the AAA level. During his career as a pro, he had 910 hits, including 116 home runs, 517 RBIs and 89 stolen bases.
Kelton spent the 2007 season as the head coach for the Springwood School in Lanett, Alabama. He took the Wildcats to the first round of the AISA playoffs, losing to eventual state champion Lowndes Academy. Kelton is married to the former Meredith Hawkins. They reside in LaGrange with their daughter, Mary Elliott, and sons, Grady and Hill.
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