Oberlin College Athletics

In July 2015, Eric Lahetta was promoted to Associate Athletic Director for Internal Operations after serving the previous five years as the assistant athletic director of intercollegiate sports.  With 20 years of experience in intercollegiate athletics as an administrator and coach, Lahetta continues to serve as the director of NCAA compliance and is vital to the inter-workings of the day-to-day operations of the athletic department.
 
Some of Eric’s responsibilities are managing the department’s budgets & finances as well as serving as the liaison to the college’s human resources office, scheduling team transportation, working with residential life for preseason and break housing & dining.  In addition, he has facility responsibilities in submitting work orders and supervising Carr Pool, as well as, direct sport supervision for field hockey and softball.
 
As the assistant director of athletics, Lahetta gained valuable experience in compliance, team transportation, facility scheduling, advertising, marketing, promotions and sponsorships, as well as game/event management, summer sport camps, as well as working as the director of football operations. 
 
Lahetta has additional experience in secondary roles that he held while coaching serving as the sports information director, director of club sports & intramurals and assistant director of recreation.  He has also taught physical education classes and has been a sponsor for private readings and individual fitness courses.
 
Lahetta holds memberships in National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics, the National Association of Division III Athletics Administrators, and the Collegiate Event and Facilities Management Association. 

Previously, Lahetta served as the head baseball coach of the Oberlin College baseball program for thirteen seasons. During his tenure, he spearheaded the Yeomen’s revitalization and climb within the North Coast Athletic Conference, including the 2010 season, in which the Yeomen’s run for the playoffs ended on the final day of the season.

Lahetta (1998-2010) finished his coaching career with 143 career victories, second only to the legendary Heisman Club hall of fame coach Guy Throner (1925-1954). By the end of his tenure, Lahetta’s teams held four of the top winningiest seasons in Oberlin baseball history.

Lahetta coached 40 different players who earned NCAC all-conference accolades, two ABCA/Rawlings all-region honorees, and two professional players during his tenure. One of Lahetta’s most successful recruits was Seth Binder ’07. Binder was drafted and played two seasons for the Petach Tikva Pioneer of the Israel Professional Baseball League. Some of the other success stories are coaching Phil Brua and Max Phinney to DIII All-Buckeye State honors and Brua and Ben Puterbaugh to third team all-region accolades. Brua went on to sign as a free agent with the Toronto Blue Jays and pitched for two full season finishing up at the Single-A level.

Other notable players under Lahetta were pitcher Jack Dunn (2007-10), who set the school wins record with 16 victories, while Brua (2008-11) recorded the most saves in school history with 11. Puterbaugh (2008-11) recorded the most career hits in Yeomen history with 181 and also set the single-season mark with 61 hits during his junior campaign, both records were recently broken by Andrew Hutson ’15.  Brua, Dunn, and Puterbaugh hold the distinction of being the first three to have their numbers retired by the baseball program.

To his credit, Lahetta recruited exceptional student-athletes and gave the baseball program new life after struggling for a number of years previous to his tenure. He also was instrumental in mentoring current head coach, Adrian Abrahamowicz. Abrahamowicz served as Lahetta’s top assistant for six years and has pushed the baseball program to the next level as they won the 2015 North Coast Athletic Conference championship and the first ever appearance in the NCAA regional playoffs, where the team won three games during regional play.
 
Lahetta has continued to work part-time with coach Abrahamowicz serving as the Yeomen pitching coach, bullpen coach, and director of baseball operations.

Prior to being named head coach in 1998, Lahetta served as the Yeomen pitching coach for three seasons. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Bowling Green State University. For the Falcons, Lahetta served as the first base coach and worked with the outfielders. In addition, Lahetta was a member of the front office for the Cleveland Indians Double-A affiliate, the Canton-Akron Indians, currently the Akron RubberDucks.

A 1992 graduate of Bowling Green State University, Lahetta holds a bachelor of science in sports administration & management and a master of education in athletic and recreation administration & management. He was a member of the Falcon baseball team for two seasons playing under current head coach, Danny Schmitz. Prior to attending Bowling Green, Lahetta attended Ohio Wesleyan University, where he was a member of the baseball and football teams.

Lahetta is a 1986 graduate of Marion L. Steele in Amherst, Ohio, where he was a letterwinner in football and baseball. Lahetta resides in Amherst with his wife, Becky (Kanuch) ’02 (former Oberlin soccer, basketball, and softball letterwinner), and five children, Mackenzie, Cody, Chase, Bryson, and Ayden.