College of DuPage Director of Athletics and Recreation Ryan Kaiser has named Karsten Leigvold as the Chaparrals' head baseball coach, it was announced Wednesday.
 
Leigvold led fellow NJCAA Division III-member North Arkansas College, located in Harrison, Ark., in his one year at the helm to a 35-18 season with the Pioneers reaching the South Central Tourney semifinals.
 
He served five seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting director at Northark before the 2024 season and served as the institution's athletic academic adviser and campus housing director since 2019.
 
"Karsten's success at North Arkansas while facing many challenges did not go unnoticed,'' Kaiser said. "His teams competed against the Dallas-area schools that we faced during our NJCAA World Series run and he understands the framework needed to compete against those schools and other non-scholarship programs.''
 
This past season, the Pioneers ranked eighth in home runs (37), ninth in slugging percentage (.507) and 11^th in batting average (.340) before their season ended against eventual national runner-up Dallas College-Eastfield. They consistently appeared in the NJCAA top 15, reaching as high as 11^th during the regular season.
 
"I'm beyond excited at the opportunity to coach at College of DuPage,'' said Leigvold, who played baseball and earned his bachelor's degree at Evangel (Mo.). "The resources and facilities that exist at COD allow junior college baseball players to excel on the field and in the classroom. Combine that with the success COD experienced this past season leads me to believe that we can continue contending and playing for regional and national honors.''
 
COD (33-18 overall) completed 2024 with a historic run to the NJCAA D3 World Series, finishing fourth in just its third-ever appearance. The Chaparrals won the Region 4 title for the first time in 22 seasons, took a 15-game winning streak into the World Series and capped the year winning 26 of their final 31 games.
 
Kaiser said the interest in the position was numerous and Leigvold stood out for several reasons.
 
"It was clear that Karsten was a difference maker, and along with his baseball acumen, his student-affairs background led to a greater understanding of student-athletes and their needs,'' he said.
 
The Chaparrals boasted six freshmen starters and their top four pitchers, who threw more than 40 innings each, were first-year players.
 
"It isn't lost on me that COD featured several first-year guys on its team,'' Leigvold said. "I'm looking forward to visiting and meeting with the returners and helping them achieve their goals of becoming better players. Can't wait.''
 
Leigvold and his wife Emily are the parents of an infant daughter.