Baseball Instructors
Matt Bischoff
Pitcher Instructor
A former New Haven High School graduate, Bischoff was an All NHC, All Area pitcher for 3 separate years with 2 All State selections. Matt holds the all-time strikeout (453) and wins (35) record at New Haven, while assisting in winning 2 Sectional championships. From 2007-2010, Bischoff would attend Purdue U
Matt Bischoff
Pitcher Instructor
A former New Haven High School graduate, Bischoff was an All NHC, All Area pitcher for 3 separate years with 2 All State selections. Matt holds the all-time strikeout (453) and wins (35) record at New Haven, while assisting in winning 2 Sectional championships. From 2007-2010, Bischoff would attend Purdue University, setting the all-time strikeout record (291) and finishing 2nd all-time in innings pitched (323.1) and wins (23), graduating in 2011 with a Bachelor’s degree in Family and Consumer Technology.
The first and only player in Purdue history to be awarded All-Big Ten honors 4 times; he was drafted twice, by the New York Mets (2008) and Seattle Mariners (2010). Matt competed for 5 years (2 years with Seattle, 3 with Baltimore), reaching the Triple A level and also pitching in Liga Mexicana in Mexico during the winter of 2013. Outside his work in marketing, he now spends his free time instructing youth and High School baseball development, teaching the necessary skills gathered during his playing career.
Connor Wilkins
Hitting and Catcher Instructor
Coach Wilkins is the catching coach, the weight lifting coaching coach, and the four year placement coordinator at Ivy Tech. Coach Wilkins main focus is the development of the catchers in all aspects of the game. Connor is a former player of Coach Hershberger at Concordia Lutheran High School.
Connor Wilkins
Hitting and Catcher Instructor
Coach Wilkins is the catching coach, the weight lifting coaching coach, and the four year placement coordinator at Ivy Tech. Coach Wilkins main focus is the development of the catchers in all aspects of the game. Connor is a former player of Coach Hershberger at Concordia Lutheran High School. Connor was 1st team all conference and all district Catcher while at Concordia. Coach Wilkins was also one of the team captains his senior year. Coach Wilkins was recognized by PBR as one of the top 50 prospects in the state of Indiana.
Connor went on to play college ball at Jackson Community College in Jackson, Michigan. His sophomore year at Jackson, Connor was recognized as a MCCAA Academic All Conference Catcher. After Jackson, Connor received a scholarship to play ball at Indiana Tech where he suffered a career ending injury.
Connor became the Head JV Baseball Coach and Varsity Catching Coach at Northrop High School in 2014. While Coach Wilkins was at Northrop they won their conference 2 out of 4 years and a sectional championship.
Connor has worked with several catchers in the area that have went on to continue their career in college
Baseball Instructors
Jeff Griffith
Hitting Instructor
Jeff played his High School baseball at Northrop. During that time the team was the State Champions and State Runner ups. He was named to the North All Star team, Second Team All State shortstop and still holds the record for career High School Grand Slam Home Runs. He then went on to play for Anderson Univ
Jeff Griffith
Hitting Instructor
Jeff played his High School baseball at Northrop. During that time the team was the State Champions and State Runner ups. He was named to the North All Star team, Second Team All State shortstop and still holds the record for career High School Grand Slam Home Runs. He then went on to play for Anderson University where he was named All Conference three years in a row and the team made it to the NAIA College World Series.
He was drafted by the Pittsburg Pirates and played for 4 years in their system. He was named best defensive 3rdbaseman during the 1987 season. Jeff finished his career in 1990 with a torn ligament in his ankle.
Jeff went on from there to become a coach with Anderson University from 1991 to 1994, Huntington University from 1994 to 1995, Indiana Tech from 2000 to 2004 and now with Ivy Tech. His focus with each of these programs has been hitting and infield work.
Grant Hershberger
Hitting Instructor
Grant played at Northrop High School where he received All SAC Honors, lettered twice and was a part of the 2019 SAC Champions. He played his summer ball in 2019 & 2020 for the Kalamazoo Maroons. (Derek Jeter’s former Travel Team)
Grant now attends Ivy Tech Community College where he plays 1st base a
Grant Hershberger
Hitting Instructor
Grant played at Northrop High School where he received All SAC Honors, lettered twice and was a part of the 2019 SAC Champions. He played his summer ball in 2019 & 2020 for the Kalamazoo Maroons. (Derek Jeter’s former Travel Team)
Grant now attends Ivy Tech Community College where he plays 1st base and has aspirations of winning a National Championship in the two years there and then transferring to a 4 year University
Keith Tatum
Hitting & Catcher Instructor
Keith Tatum is currently an assistant baseball coach at Indiana Tech. He is serving as both the catching and hitting coordinator in his first year with the program. Although this is Keith’s first year at Indiana Tech as a coach, he did play for them in both his junior and senior season after transf
Keith Tatum
Hitting & Catcher Instructor
Keith Tatum is currently an assistant baseball coach at Indiana Tech. He is serving as both the catching and hitting coordinator in his first year with the program. Although this is Keith’s first year at Indiana Tech as a coach, he did play for them in both his junior and senior season after transferring from Taft Community College in California. Tatum is excited for the opportunity to coach and instruct the Fort Wayne youth. He is looking to help both baseball and softball players in catching and hitting.
During his college career, Keith posted a 376/453/594 stat line (average/OBP/Slugging), hitting a total of 11 homeruns and 52 doubles. Keith was awarded the 1st –Team All-WHAC Catcher during his senior season and was also named as a Co-SIDA All-American Catcher his senior year for his outstanding performance both on and off the field. At Taft Community College, Keith was named to the 1st – Team All – Conference as a designated hitter in California during his sophomore season, posting the highest overall GPA at the catching position in the state of California (at the community college level).
Since finishing his collegiate career, Keith immediately took to coaching. Tatum landed a spot at Savannah State University in Savannah, Georgia where he was a volunteer assistant coach. Tatum primarily worked with catchers, but did aid with hitting as well. After 1 year at Savannah State, Tatum was offered a job as head assistant at Savannah Christian Preparatory School where he helped coach several athletes onto the collegiate level during a shortened 2020 season.
Softball Instructors
Kayla Fendel
Softball Instructor
Kayla played her Softball High School career at New Haven High School where she was a 3 time 1st Team All NHC Pitcher and was also selected to the Indiana North All Star game. She then turned to coaching where she was the Snider Softball Coach for 3 years, 16U coach for the AWP Cougars and then started
Kayla Fendel
Softball Instructor
Kayla played her Softball High School career at New Haven High School where she was a 3 time 1st Team All NHC Pitcher and was also selected to the Indiana North All Star game. She then turned to coaching where she was the Snider Softball Coach for 3 years, 16U coach for the AWP Cougars and then started the Summit City Select Softball program with Geoff Fry. Their teams over the years have several accolades which includes the 2016 NSA 18U Team of the year. They have also coached 19 girls that went on to play college softball.
Geoff Fry
Softball Instructor
Coach Fry played Baseball at Lakeland High School and was 1st team NECC. He then went on to play at Indiana Tech from 2001 - 2004. After a great career in playing the game, he moved on start his coaching career in 2005. He was the assistant Softball coach at Indiana Tech in 2012 and then became the Snide
Geoff Fry
Softball Instructor
Coach Fry played Baseball at Lakeland High School and was 1st team NECC. He then went on to play at Indiana Tech from 2001 - 2004. After a great career in playing the game, he moved on start his coaching career in 2005. He was the assistant Softball coach at Indiana Tech in 2012 and then became the Snider High School Softball Coach in 2013 & 2014. In 2015 he and Kalya Fendel started coaching the Summit City Select. Their teams over the years have several accolades which includes the 2016 NSA 18U Team of the year. They have also coached 19 girls that went on to play college softball.
Mariah Perez
Softball Pitcher & Hitting Instructor
Mariah played Softball at Concordia Lutheran High School and Owens Community College. She was chosen 1st team All SAC as a pitcher for 3 years and selected to play in the Indiana North-South All Star games two times. Concordia won Sectional and Conference in 2017 School. She now c
Mariah Perez
Softball Pitcher & Hitting Instructor
Mariah played Softball at Concordia Lutheran High School and Owens Community College. She was chosen 1st team All SAC as a pitcher for 3 years and selected to play in the Indiana North-South All Star games two times. Concordia won Sectional and Conference in 2017 School. She now coaches for Summit City Select which is one the top Girls Fast Pitch programs in the area.