Lewis & Clark College

Long-time local coach Rob Vance was added to the L&C coaching staff, just in time for the start of the 2023 season.

While Vance may be new to the Pioneers, he is certainly not new to the collegiate game, as he spent 20 years leading the baseball program at Concordia, before the school closed in 2020.Overall, Vance, who became the all-time leader in wins within the Concordia baseball program during the 2012 season, led the program to eight of its twelve 20+ win seasons in program history, and its only three 30-win seasons.

He has helped guide the Pioneers to a pair of strong seasons in his first two years with the program. Vance primarily works with the team's infielders and hitters. In 2023, he helped guide the program to it's first-ever Northwest Conference Tournament appearance, first-ever NWC Tournament Title and first trip to the NCAA DIII Tournament. The Pioneers finished the season tied for the program record in overall (31) and conference wins (15). Lewis & Clark finished 17-20-1 during the 2024 season but saw their underclassmen, including 13 freshman, make huge strides as the season went along. 

From 2013-15, Vance guided Concordia to its most successful three-year stretch ever with an average of more than 30 wins during those three years. Those seasons included three straight NAIA West championship appearances and an NAIA West Tournament title in 2013, where the team advanced to the NAIA National Championships Opening Round.

Vance also led the team to CCC titles in 2003 and 2004. His 2004 team won the NAIA Region I and NAIA West Coast Super Regional titles before advancing to the NAIA World Series, where the team placed 8th nationally.

Prior to this season, Vance was the head coach at Union High School in Vancouver, Washington.  Before his stint at Concordia, Vance taught physical education and health at Estacada High School for nine years. While at Estacada, Vance was the head baseball coach for six years and the head football coach for four years.

A graduate of Pacific University, Vance is currently a PE/Health teacher at H.B. Lee Middle School in NE Portland.  He and his wife, Diane, reside in Vancouver.