New baseball coach named at University

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Mike Pankow has been hired for UMPI baseball coaching position, according to UMPI interim athletic director Paul Stone.
A native of Hortonville, Wisc., Pankow comes to Presque Isle following a two-year stint as assistant baseball and basketball coach at NCAA Div. III Northland College. Last season, his team finished 16-14 and qualified for the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC)  tournament.    Pankow brings a wealth of coaching experience to an Owl program that has taken great strides in the past several years. While at Northland, five players were All-UMAC first-team selections, six more were named honorable mention All-UMAC and 19 earned all-academic recognition.
“It is a great honor to be chosen to be the next head coach for the Owls’ baseball program,” said Pankow.  “I am excited to be a part of the friendly Presque Isle community and family atmosphere of the staff.”
“Mike is a great person and he is very adept at building positive relationships with players as well as prospective student-athletes. He is dedicated to the profession and although he is knowledgeable, he is still always willing to learn more,” said Bill Wilson, Northland College athletic director and head women’s basketball coach. “UMPI got a good one in Mike.”
“His knowledge of the game and his ability to communicate and relate to our players was a valuable key to our success,” said former Northland and current Carroll University head baseball coach Stein Rear.
“I am very excited for Mike and am very confident that he we do a tremendous job at UMPI,” he added.