SAN ANTONIO (Sept. 23, 2022) – Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) has announced the appointment of Ryan Chapa as the full-time assistant coach for baseball. Chapa played for the Saints from 2018-2021 and joined the coaching staff as a part-time assistant coach for the 2022 season.

Head Coach Matt Piker commented, "In our program, we talk daily about the importance of being good men and good Saints. Coach Chapa is an excellent example of a good man and a good Saint. He spent the entirety of his playing career in the royal and white. This university and this program mean a lot to him. While I did not have the pleasure of seeing him play, I have spent a lot of time with him since he's been on the coaching side. Coach Chapa attacks each day with passion and a heart for our student-athletes. I am thrilled that he has accepted the position of assistant coach.

"I look forward to him being my right-hand man for many years."

Chapa joined the team in 2018 after graduating from Tuloso-Midway High School in Corpus Christi, Texas. He was integral to OLLU's 2021 Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) championship team. The Saints marked a 34-19 overall record and 20-4 in the conference. They captured the conference title and punched their ticket to the NAIA National Championship Tournament. His teams made the postseason every year except in 2020, when the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During his time as a Saint, Chapa earned RRAC Champions of Character recognition in 2019, NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors in 2021 and RRAC Scholar-Athlete awards in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. He is fourth all-time in assists with 221, fourth in triples in a season with three and third in a season in sacrifice hits with seven. In 2020, Chapa recorded a record five hits in a single game.

"I am honored and excited to be named the baseball assistant coach here at Our Lady of the Lake University," Chapa said. "Over the past five years, I have made many great memories and developed many lifelong relationships as a student-athlete and a coach. 

"I would like to thank Coach Matt Piker for this opportunity and his trust in me both as a coach and leader of these men. 

"The Saints baseball program has accomplished many achievements in the classroom and on the field over the years. I hope to continue to build upon the great foundation that those before me have helped build for the development of our student-athletes." 

Chapa received his Bachelor of Arts in History with a CE 7-12 in December 2020. He is pursuing a Master of Arts in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University Irvine with a projected completion date of May 2023. 

The Saints will play a handful of games during the fall and get set for their official season beginning Jan. 27, 2023. Home games take place at Missions Baseball Academy in San Antonio, and most will be live-streamed on the OLLU Saints Network.