MOORHEAD, Minn. -- Concordia Athletic Director announced that Keith Bateman has been named the new Associate Athletic Director for the department.
Bateman, who has been involved in MIAC athletics for over 30 years, replaces Ben Schneweis, who left in April to take a job at North Dakota State University.
“Keith is an outstanding addition to our leadership team, and I couldn’t be more excited to welcome him to Concordia as our next Associate Athletic Director,” Bergeson said. “Keith brings a strong combination of relationship-building, incredible work ethic, and a genuine commitment to the student-athlete experience. His passion for collegiate athletics and alignment with our mission make him an exceptional fit for our department, campus community, and the greater Fargo-Moorhead community.”
Bateman comes to Concordia after serving as the baseball head coach at Augsburg University for the past 23 seasons. He is the all-time winningest coach in Augsburg baseball history. Batman amassed 349 wins since he started in 2004 and was named the MIAC Co-Coach of the Year in 2005. He guided the Auggies to multiple conference tournament and championship games.
“I’m excited to take the next step in my career and work alongside Rachel (Athletic Director Rachel Bergeson) while supporting the outstanding coaches and staff at Concordia,” Bateman commented. “Building relationships and helping create a great experience for student-athletes has always been important to me, and I’m looking forward to contributing in a new role.”
In addition to his duties as head coach for the baseball program, Bateman also served on the Staff Senate and multiple other committees including the Pastoral Intern Committee where he was the chair of the committee for one year. He was also the Augsburg Men’s Athletic Equipment Supervisor.
Prior to his success at Augsburg, Bateman was the assistant coach at the University of St. Thomas in 2003 and at Bethel University from 1999-02.
Bateman graduated from Bethel University in 1998 with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education. He played baseball for the Royals for four seasons and earned All-Midwest Region honors in his senior year. He was a three-time All-MIAC selection and was team captain in his junior and senior seasons.
“Over the years, every interaction I’ve had with Concordia coaches, student-athletes, staff, and alumni has been incredibly positive,” Bateman added. “You can feel the strength of the culture and the care people have for one another, so the opportunity to become part of it was very exciting to me.”
Bateman and his wife Laura have two adult children, Brett and Kaylee. An outfielder, Brett played collegiately at the University of Minnesota and is currently playing for the Iowa Cubs, the AAA squad of the Chicago Cubs. Kaylee was a collegiate gymnast at Winona State University.
Bergeson noted that Bateman will begin his duties as Associate Athletic Director in the middle of June.