Head Coach
Central Missouri State University '03
4th Season as Head Coach • 145-37
21st season at JCCC

Eric Horner enters his fourth season as head coach of the Johnson County Community College baseball team, and his 21st with the program. He is just the fourth head coach in the 50-year history of the program. 

Through three seasons at the helm, Horner has compiled a 145-37 record for a .797 winning percentage. His 145 wins are the most by any coach in Kansas Jayhawk Conference history through their first three seasons. All three years his teams opened the season ranked among the top-20 in the country, and this year they closed out the final rankings as the No. 2 team in the country.

Horner also has produced 32 Kansas Jayhawk Conference performers, nine All-Region VI selections, one NJCAA and ABCA/Rawlings All-American, two Region 6 Rawlings Gold Glove Award® winners including Jeremy Rader, the 2023 ABCA/Rawlings NJCAA D-I Gold Glove Award® winner at third base. He also produced one College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District® selection and 28 players who have earned NJCAA All-Academic recognition. He also has helped place 52 players in four-year programs, including 30 at the NCAA D-I level.

This past season, the Cavaliers reached the NJCAA D-I World Series for the third time in program history and the first since 2014. JCCC went 56-10, including a 30-3 mark in the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference East Division to capture the program’s 11th title. Their 56 wins set a new team mark and tie the second most in Kansas Jayhawk Conference history. Following the season. Horner was named the Kansas Jayhawk Conference East Division and ABCA/ATEC NJCAA D-I Central District Coach of the Year.

Fourteen Cavaliers were named All-KJCCC East Division, including conference Pitcher of the Year Luc Fladda and Co-Freshman of the Year Dagen Brewer. Fladda was also named National Junior College Athletic Association and American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings second-team All-American.

Johnson County finished second in the country with a .364 team batting average, fourth with a .466 on-base percentage, and sixth with 597 runs scored. As a team, the Cavaliers drew nearly as many walks (336) as they had strikeouts (346). On the mound, JCCC's 3.80 ERA ranked eighth nationally, piling up 601 strikeouts to finish fourth in the country. The Cavaliers team fielding percentage of .976 was the second-best mark in NJCAA Division 1.

In 2022, JCCC opened the season ranked No. 17 in the NJCAA, No. 11 in JUCO Baseball Blog and received votes in both the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and Prep Baseball Report preseason polls. The Cavaliers finished the season 46-17 overall, and 23-9 in conference play, good for third place. He would also help coach nine all-conference selections, with four also earning All-Region VI honors. Johnson County was one of the top hitting teams in the NJCAA. They ranked 7th with a team batting average of .356. They also ranked in the top-10 nationally in hits (684-6th), doubles (146-7th), RBI (526-9th), runs (579-9th), total bases (1118-8th) and extra base hits (250-7th).

In his first season the Cavaliers raced out of the gate winning its first 25 games and were ranked as high as No. 5 in early April. The Cavaliers would go on to finish the season 43-10 and ranked 16th in the final NJCAA D-I Poll.  His 43 wins are the most by JCCC coach in their first season in team history. Horner also led his team to a 25-7 mark and runner-up finish in the East Jayhawk Conference race. In 2021, the Cavaliers were one of the top hitting teams in the NJCAA. They led the country in slugging percentage (.690), and ranked second in batting average (.399), second in triples (35), fourth in hits (687), fourth in extra base hits (271), fourth in total bases (1189), fifth in runs (622), fifth in RBI (570), sixth in home runs (98) and seventh in doubles (138).

Also in his first season at the helm, Horner coached nine all-conference performers, with three landing on the first-team, and two All-Region VI performers. Off the diamond he had eight  student-athletes earn NJCAA All-Academic honors. 

Prior taking over as head coach, Horner served 17 seasons as an assistant coach with the Cavaliers, 13 as the top assistant to coach Shelley, and was instrumental in the success of the program that racked up incredible numbers. In 17 years, Horner helped guide Johnson County to five 30-win seasons, eight 40-win seasons and one 50-win campaign. In 2020 the Cavaliers were on pace to add to that list before the COVID-19 pandemic cut the season short with a 20-3 mark.

The program also produced three Kansas Jayhawk Conference East Division titles, six runner-up finishes, two Region VI titles and two NJCAA World Series appearances.

In his 17 years as a recruiting coordinator, Horner recruited and coached 123 all-conference selections, including a record 14 in 2017, 27 All-Region VI selections, 10 NJCAA All-Americans, one Region VI Player of the Year, three conference Players of the Year, one conference Pitcher of the Year, two JUCO All-Stars, two Rawlings Big Stick Award winners, two Rawlings Gold Glove winners and 2020 three Baseball Blog All-Americans, including the National Player of the Year Brady Slavens. Additionally, seventy-six players went on to the NCAA Division I level, 87 to the NCAA Division II level, 20 have gone to NAIA programs, and another 20 have gone on to professional baseball.

Since being named the top assistant in 2008, the program has also been one of the best, if not the best, among JCCC’s sports teams in the class room. In each of the last five years, 81 percent of the roster produced a grade point average of 3.0 or better. Nationally, 49 student-athletes have been recognized for academic achievement by the NJCAA, including a record 10 in 2018. In 2019, pitcher Dylan Bierman became the first JCCC male athlete to earn Academic All-America® College Division At-Large as named by the College Sports Commuincators  (formerly CoSIDA).

As pitching coach, Horner has helped turn the Cavaliers into one of the top pitching programs in the country and helped rewrite the record books.  Under his watch the Cavalier pitching staff has produced the top 10 team earned run averages in JCCC history under Shelley.  His 2005 pitching staff finished with a 3.38 ERA (9th), followed by the 2007 staff which finished with a 2.51 ERA (2nd); 2008 staff finished with a 2.70 ERA (3rd);  2009 staff finished with a 2.34 ERA (1st); 2010 staff finished with a 3.37 ERA (8th) 2011 staff finished with at 3.22 (7th) his 2012 staff finished with a 2.78 ERA (4th); 2013 was 2.79 (5th); the 2014 staff had an ERA of 3.58 (10th) and the 2019 staff produced an ERA of 2.99 (6th). Horner guided the Cavaliers to three consecutive seasons with a team ERA under 3.00 from 2007 to 2009, and were also sub 3.00 in 2012, 2013 and 2019. Additionally, 14 of his 17 staffs have been under 4.00, almost unheard of at the collegiate level.   Horner’s pitching staffs have led the KJCCC nine times, place second twice and have consistently been ranked among the top staffs in the nation year-in and year-out.

The 2007 staff was one of the best in all of junior college baseball. They produced a 2.51 team ERA that was the best in the conference, and among the top in the NJCAA. The 2007 staff also set record numbers for fewest walks (138), ERA (2.51), and opponent batting average (.249).  In addition, Horner mentored Justin Miller, who was selected in the sixth round (207th overall pick) by the Los Angeles Dodges in the June 2007 Major League Baseball draft. 

The 2008 staff was again one of the best in all of junior college baseball. They produced a 2.70 team ERA that was the best in the conference for the second straight year.  The 2008 staff set record numbers for innings pitched (426), strikeouts (334), and complete games (17).  In addition, Horner mentored Brandon Droge, Travis Blankenship, and Dustin Holthaus who rank as some of the best pitchers in JCCC history.  Droge was voted 1st team all-conference, 1st team All-Region, and selected as an All-American.  He was ranked in the top 10 nationally in ERA with a 1.28.  He is the first pitcher to earn All-Region since 1996, and first to earn All-American since Bob Downs in 1974.  Blankenship was voted 2nd team all-conference and led the team with an 11-3 record.   His 11 wins tie the season record at JCCC, and his 18 total career victories are a new school record. Blankenship, who has signed with the University of Kansas, also ranks first all-time in career innings pitched (155), career games started (28) and ranks first in career strikeouts with 135.  Holthaus finished with 13 career wins, which ties him for ninth all-time and his is tied for 12th with 17 career starts. 

The 2009 staff was his best yet, producing a team ERA of 2.34. His staff led the conference for a third straight year and was again one of the best in country.  The 2009 staff also set record numbers for opponent batting average (.246), fewest walks (123), ERA (2.34), saves (12) and fewest hits allowed (389).  In addition, Horner mentored four pitchers who received all-conference awards in 2009, the most in school history. 

The 2010 season marked the fourth straight season the Cavaliers hurlers led the conference and were among the best in the country finishing with a 3.37 team ERA.  This staff set record numbers for opponent batting average (.245) most innings pitched (413) and shattered most strikeouts (375).  In addition, Horner also had four pitchers garner all-conference awards in 2010, which tie the most in school history.  Ryan Garman (Grand Valley State), Gil Rehwinkel (Lipscomb University), Zach Smith (St. Louis University) and Zach Gove (Emporia State) were his all-conference pitchers. 

2011 saw the pitching staff finish second in the conference with a 3.22 team ERA. Horner also mentored Jeff Soptic and Vince Spilker, who were the only Kansas community college pitchers selected in the 2011 Major League Draft. Soptic wend became the highest draft pick in JCCC history after he was taken in the third round with 110th pick by the Chicago White Sox. Soptic, who was one of the only a few pitchers in the country to reach 100 mph, signed a professional contract in July with the Sox. Spilker was taken by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 20th round (614th overall). He also was selected as an all-conference performer. Horner also mentored all-conference pitcher Wes Torrez and all-conference and all-region right-hander Cody Schumacher. Overall, his 2011 staff set new team records for opponent batting average (.239) and strikeouts (395). 

2012 may have been some of Horner’s finest work. The Cavaliers entered the 2012 season having lost its entire starting staff to the Major League Draft and NCAA D-I programs, yet the Cavaliers were still able to produce a 2.78 team ERA and set a new school record for strikeouts with 396. This was Horner’s fourth staff to finish under a 3.00 ERA, and the team captured the East Jayhawk title for the second time in three years. One of the aces was drafted in the 16th round of the Major League Draft and was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies. 

2013 pitching staff produced an overall ERA of 2.79, and produced the third highest season strikeout total in team history with 380.  Honor also played a key role in the development of right-hander Matt Blackham. He finished among the top season strikeout pitchers in team history, and was selected as a second-team all-conference performer. A year later he was 29th round draft pick of the New York Mets and later signed a professional contract. 

Horner’s 2014 staff will be remembered as one of the most dominant staffs in the program’s history. They shattered the team strikeout record with 479 while producing a record 50 wins. One of the aces, Aaron Schnurbusch, posted a 12-2 record and tied for second nationally in total wins while on his way to earning All-America honors. He also is one of only two pitchers in team history to record over 100 strikeouts in a season. The other is Connor Miller, who mowed down a record 108 in 93 innings of work. He also won nine games, which ranked tied for 22nd in the NJCAA.  Both pitchers will showcase their arms at the NJCAA D-I level in 2015, Schnurbusch at the University of Pittsburgh, and Miller at Creighton University.

The 2015 staff produced three pitchers with eight more wins, including a perfect 9-0 mark by left-hander Derek Hurt. Four members of his staff earned all-conference honors, and one, closer Wally Nellor was an All-Region VI pick. 

In 2016, the Cavaliers pitching staff ranked 15th in the NJCAA and led the Kansas Jayhawk Conference with a team ERA of 3.71. The staff also led the KJCCC and set a new team record with 573 strikeouts.  Additionally, Horner had six pitchers earn all-conference honors. 

In 2017, Johnson County’s pitching staff compiled an ERA of 3.76, which led the Jayhawk Conference and ranked 29th in the NJCAA. Five pitchers also were selected all-conference. Among them was Brenden Stanek, who was named the Conference Pitcher of the Year and NJCAA first-team All-American. Stanek was a perfect 8-0, and led the conference and ranked 7th nationally with a 1.48 ERA. Additionally, a JCCC pitcher was selected as the Conference’s Pitcher of the Week eight of the 13 weeks of the season. 

In 2018, the pitching staff as a whole struggled as whole, but the three core starters were among the leaders of the Jayhawk Conference.  Zach Ebert was named to the East Jayhawk Conference second-team, and honorable mention honors went to Brad Kincaid and Josh Short. Kincaid and Ebert both topped 100 strikeouts for the season with 107 and 105 respectively.

In 2019 the Cavaliers were again the dominant staffs in the conference and NJCAA. They led the conference and were sixth nationally with a team ERA of 2.99, and ranked third in the conference and 12th nationally with 528 strikeouts. Additionally, Ebert led the NJCAA with 12 victories, and he closed out his career with a school record 212 strikeouts, becoming just the fifth pitcher in conference history to record 200-plus career strikeouts. He finished the season 12-1 with 107 strikeouts, which tie for the third-best season in team history. The best season was produced by right-hander Trey Ziegenbein in 2019 with 109. He finished 10-3 with an ERA o 2.64. Both were selected all-region and all-conference. He also had two other pitchers, Paul Rector and Sloan Thomsen chosen for all-conference honors.

In the COVID-19 pandemic shortened season of 2020, Johnson County pitchers were again leaders in both the conference and NJCAA. The team produced an ERA of 3.63, which was third in the conference, and 260 strikeouts, which led the conference. Individually, sophomore Drew Garrett led the conference and ranked 12th in the NJCAA with 53 strikeouts, and was the week 2 KJCCC Pitcher of the Week. After the season was stopped, Garrett was rated the No. 18 player in Prep Baseball Reports’s Top-100 prospects ranking for the 2020 Major League Draft. Freshman Jay Long, who allowed just three earned runs and struck out 34 in 20.2 innings, was selected as a honorable mention All-American by JUCO Baseball Blog.

In addition to his duties with the team, Horner directed the highly successful JCCC summer baseball camps, showcases, indoor leagues and private lessons during each year.    Horner also serves an adjunct assistant professor in the business department, is the general manager for Seaboard in the Ban Johnson League. 

A native of St. Louis, Mo., Horner was a member of a Division II NCAA powerhouse at UCM.  The Mules recorded four consecutive top-five finishes at the NCAA D II World Series, including a National Championship in 2003.  The team also placed second, third, and fifth during his playing career.  Horner played a prominent role in each of his four seasons for UCM, compiling an 11-2 record along with 15 saves.  He set the conference and school records for single-season saves, career saves, single-season appearances, and career appearances.  His senior season, Horner had 31 appearances and posted a 2.50 earned run average with 51 strikeouts, 8 saves, 13 walks, and held opponents to a .216 batting average.  His efforts earned him first-team All-MIAA accolades. 

Following a successful collegiate career, Horner signed a free agent minor league contract to play with the Springfield/Ozark Mountain Ducks of the Central Baseball League. In his first professional season, Horner compiled a team-best 2.25 ERA and became the number two starter in the rotation.  After the sale of the team, Horner signed in the off-season with the Kansas City T-Bones of the Northern League. 

Horner graduated from Central Missouri with a degree in finance, and earned his master’s in business administration from St. Mary’s University. 

Horner and his wife, Katie, reside in Olathe Kan.  The couple has a 17-year old daughter, Halee Ann, and a 14-year old son, Hunter Steven.