Maj. Mike Kazlausky Named Air Force Baseball Head Coach

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FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE

USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – Maj. Mike Kazlausky has been named interim head baseball coach at the Air Force Academy for the 2011 season, according to an announcement today from Director of Athletics Dr. Hans Mueh. Kazlausky, who is currently an Air Officer Commanding (AOC) for cadet squadron 12 at the Academy, will assume his duties at the end of the current baseball season.

Kazlausky will replace Mike Hutcheon, who after seven years at the helm offered his resignation upon completion of the 2010 season. Kazlausky, otherwise known as "Coach Kaz" is a 1991 Academy graduate and has logged six years as an assistant coach at the Academy.

As one of the most inspirational and emotional players to ever wear the Air Force baseball uniform, Kazlausky came to USAFA baseball as a walk-on and started all four years. At the time of his graduation, he held eight career records and still ranks among the top six in nine of the 13 offensive categories. A two-time all-Western Athletic Conference (WAC) selection, Kazlausky led the Falcons in batting in 1989 and 1991.

After a standout baseball career with the Falcons, "Kaz" spent three seasons from 1993 to 1995 as an assistant coach to former Falcon Head Coach Paul Mainieri, now the head skipper at LSU. During this time, the Falcons posted three consecutive winning seasons. The 1994 team led the nation in batting average, slugging percentage and triples. The 1995 team won 29 games, the second most in school history. After leaving the Academy in the summer of 1995, Kaz spent four years at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., as a pilot in the C-17 aircraft.

He later returned to the Academy in the fall of 2000 till 2004 as a TG4 and T-41/C-150 evaluator pilot in the 94th Flying Training Squadron. In addition to his flight duties, he also served as the volunteer baseball coach for the Falcons as well as the Preparatory School head baseball coach. During his tenure, the 2002 Falcon team set the school record for most Div. I victories and two Falcon players were drafted into the minor leagues. Kazlausky then returned back to Charleston Air Force Base in 2004. He spent the next two and a half years as a C-17 pilot actively serving in the War on Terror, before returning to the Academy from 2006-2008 for this third tour as an assistant baseball coach.

In 2007, Kazlausky was inducted to the Lake County Hall of Fame in Lake County, Ill., for outstanding achievement. In 2008, he was inducted into the 14th Airlift Squadron Hall of Fame in Charleston, S.C..

Kaz and his wife, Kris, live in Monument with their daughter, Sammy (10) and son, Mick (7).

Comment from Director of Athletics Dr. Hans Mueh.

"I’m very pleased to have Kaz take over as our baseball coach. He has demonstrated a great knowledge of the game as both a player and assistant coach and I’m confident he’ll continue to do so as our head coach. He has shown great leadership ability, not only in athletics, but also in his current role as an AOC and I think our athletes and fans will immediately take to that. I’m excited about that and the enthusiasm that he’ll bring to Air Force baseball."

Comment from Maj. Mike Kazlausky

"I’d like to thank Dr. Mueh for this opportunity to lead the Air Force baseball program. I am very honored and privileged to work with the great cadets at the Academy. I hope to be able to impress upon them that I am highly motivated, passionate, dedicated and have a desire to be successful not only on the field but more importantly to develop leaders of character for tomorrow’s Air Force. My job as coach is to be a great role model and mentor and inspire these young men to achieve their full potential in all facets of the Academy. I would also like to thank Gen. Cox for giving me the opportunity to be the Air Force Officer Commanding (AOC) of cadet squadron 12."