Coaches

Andy McKay, the head coach at the storied Sacramento City College program, returns for season number four in 2011. 

Since the beginning of McKay’s tenure in 2008 the Loggers have won more regular season games than any other team in the Northwoods League during that three-year span, amassing a 119-87 (.587) record.  The 2009 season, in which the Loggers won a franchise-best 41 games and advanced to the NWL Championship Series, was nestled in between a pair of 39-win seasons.  McKay’s 119 victories also ranks him eighth on the all-time NWL managerial wins list heading into the 2011 season.

The Loggers have also produced the top prospect in the NWL twice under McKay’s tutelage (Cory Vaughn-2008, Robert Brantly-2009) and have seen 13 players either drafted or sign a free agent professional contract during that span.  Most notably Chris Sale from Florida Gulf Coast University, who was a Logger in 2008 before becoming a first-round pick of the Chicago White Sox this past June and then joining the South Siders this past August.

McKay continues to lead one of the top community college programs in America as he enters his twelfth season at the helm of Sacramento City College. He has amassed over 350 victories during his tenure, including eight conference championships, 15 post-season regionals and five State Final Four qualifiers.

During this eleven-year reign Sac City has also won more post-season games than any other program in the state of California and over 140 student-athletes have either transferred to four-year schools or signed professional contracts. Coach McKay was honored as the 1999 Community College Coach of the Year and the Panther Baseball program was tabbed as the 1990's Team of the Decade by Baseball America.

Collegiate summer baseball is something McKay has enjoyed for quite some time, having served as the head coach for the Anchorage Glacier Pilots of the Alaskan League in 2005 and as the pitching coach for the Chatham A's of the Cape Cod League in 1996.  The 1996 Chatham club captured the Cape Cod League Championship and boasted some top talent in the country.

Coach McKay also served as an assistant coach for five years (1994-98) at Sacramento City College before taking over the top position and was also a player/coach on the 1993 Division II National Championship squad at the University of Tampa.

As a player McKay played at Sacramento City College for two seasons. During those two seasons the Panthers claimed two league championships, two state runner-up finishes and compiled a record of 101 wins and 8 losses. McKay was also a co-captain on the 1992 Panther squad, along with former assistant coach, Rob Cooper, who is now the head coach at Wright State University.

McKay also continues to work as a Sports Psychology instructor at Sac City and around the country, often consulting and speaking to collegiate baseball programs.  His work on and off the field has also garnered attention by national publications.  McKay has previously published a column entitled 'Mental Game of Baseball' for Collegiate Baseball Magazine and in 1996 he assisted Jerry Weinstein in assembling the pitching and catching manual for Team USA.

McKay will continue his teachings this off-season in January in Nashville, Tenn. as he has been invited to be one of the featured speakers at the annual American Baseball Coaches Association convention.

McKay also served as an associate scout for the Chicago White Sox from 1994-1997.

Coach McKay and his wife Anne (Marquiss) currently reside in Sacramento, Calif. with their son Hank (11) and their daughter Gabrielle (8).

"Coach" Potulny is once again excited to return for his fourth season on the Loggers coaching staff in 2011.  Potulny will man the third base coaching box once again, work with the Logger infielders and throw his famous batting practice sessions.  The long-time head coach at Jesuit High School in California, Potulny leads a storied program that is coming fresh off of back-to-back titles in the state of California.

Potulny will be re-joining forces with field manager Andy McKay for the third consecutive summer.  The two worked together in the summer of 2005 as the leaders of the Anchorage Glacier Pilots in the Alaskan League and with the Loggers last season. Currently in the midst of his 19th year at the helm of the Jesuit High (California) program, Potulny has helped numerous players advance to collegiate and professional baseball including 2008 Logger Corey Vaughn (San Diego State and, most recently, 16th round draft pick and current Oregon State catcher Andrw Susac.  Potulnys' teams have qualified for the post-season in 15 of the last 17 seasons including seven league titles, four sectional titles and a pair of state titles in California.

Ethan Katz, a Los Angeles native, is in his first season with the Lumbermen and will serve as the team's pitching coach.  Coach Katz enjoyed a very successful pitching career himself as he was drafted by the Seattle Mariners out of high school as a draft and follow and earned honors for his pitching at the junior college level and a scholarship to Sacramento State where he played for John Smith and his Pitching Coach was Jim Barr.  He graduated from Sac State in 2006 with a degree in Criminal Justice and was recently named to their “All Decade” Team.  But along the way he was drafted by the Colorado Rockies and toiled in their minor league system for 4 years. He played one season for the Victoria Seals under Darrell Evans.  Following the season with the Seals he began coaching at Harvard-Westlake School in Studio City, California where he is the Varsity Pitching Coach and program Pitching Coordinator. 

Austin Knight returns to La Crosse as an assistant coach this season, his first as a coach, after having served as the Loggers starting shortstop in 2009.  Knight was a key cog in the Loggers drive to the NWL Championship Series in 2009, the franchises only trip to the finals to date.

Knight is also the Volunteer Assistant Coach for the Dallas Baptist Patriots Baseball Team after playing for the Patriots for four years, including the Patriot’s Regional season in 2008. Knight’s primary duties include working with the Patriot hitters and outfielders.

Knight was a four-year starter for the Patriot Baseball Team. In his first year, he received Freshman All-American honors for his efforts on the field. Playing every game at shortstop the next year, he saw his team compete at Texas A&M in the school’s first ever NCAA Regional Tournament appearance. In his Junior season, Knight slid over to second base where he played solid defense compiling only five errors and hitting .321.

In his final stint with the Patriots, Knight ended his career making only four errors defensively and hitting seven homeruns and 17 doubles. Seven times Knight has ranked in the top ten in DBU’s Division I single season records. He also holds DBU’s career record for base on balls with 169 over his four year career.

Knight completed his Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies in May 2010 from Dallas Baptist University, and attends the Village Church in Dallas.