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Head Baseball Coach

Mike Jacobs

In twenty seasons serving as the head coach at the University of Mobile, Mike Jacobs has led the Rams to 667 wins and just 404 losses. In the past twelve years, 25 Rams have signed professional contracts, including current Major League baseball players J.C. Romero and Saul Rivera. The leadership that produced over 20 professional players also led the Rams to the 2001 NAIA World Series in Lewiston, ID and a 43-win season in 2008.

Jacobs helped begin the University of Mobile baseball program in 1990, after coming to Mobile from UMS-Wright Preparatory School, where he spent two years as an assistant coach and the last four as the head coach. As the head coach of the Bulldogs, Jacobs led them to a second-place finish in the State 3A classification in 1987 and a state title in 1988. In 1981, Jacobs coached the Evangel Christian School squad to a second-place finish in the Alabama Christian Athletic Conference. He began his coaching career at Central Baptist School, where his team won a district title in the Alabama Private School Association. As a college player, Jacobs had an outstanding career at the University of South Alabama under Eddie Stankey. He was a four-year letterman at USA and was the Jaguars' leading hitter in 1976.

Jacobs and his wife, Joy, are members of People of Mars Hill, where he serves as an elder. Mrs. Jacobs is a registered nurse, a graduate of the University of Mobile, and works for Surgicare of Mobile. Jacobs has been a featured speaker at several Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ functions.

The Jacobs have two sons, Josh and Jeff. Josh, a pharmacist, and his wife, Kara, a classroom educator, reside in Birmingham with daughter Emma Kate. Both are UM alumni. Jeff and his wife, Amy, reside in Mobile where he works for Day Trading Institute. Amy is a physician’s assistant. They are also UM alumni.

 

Assistant Baseball Coach

Jon Seymour

Jon Seymour begins his sixth season with the University of Mobile baseball staff after helping lead the Rams to 77 wins over the past two seasons.

In addition to his main priority of working with the University of Mobile baseball pitching staff, Seymour is in charge of recruiting and maintenance of the baseball field.

Before coming to Mobile, Seymour worked as an assistant pitching coach for Shenandoah University in Winchester, Va., for three seasons.

Prior to his stint at Shenandoah University, Seymour was an assistant pitching coach with a summer league team, the Santa Clara Dodgers, that advanced to the Palomino World Series two years in a row. At the same time, Seymour spent three seasons from 1996-99 working with NCAA Division I perennial power Stanford University as an assistant groundskeeper while also helping out with the Stanford baseball practices and summer camps.

Seymour received his AA Degree from Mission College in Santa Clara, Calif., after playing two years on the Mission College baseball team in 1995 and 1996. He was an All-Conference pitcher in 1996 in the California Junior College Coast Conference after going 10-0 with a 1.68 ERA. Seymour is working on his B.A. degree in Exercise Science.

Seymour was born on Feb. 14, 1975 and is a native of Santa Clara, Calif. He is a 1993 graduate of Santa Clara High School where he played baseball.

Assistant Baseball Coach

Johnny Michael Watkins

Mike Watkins, a steady fixture in the UM athletic department for several years, will begin his sixth season as a volunteer assistant coach.

Watkins has served as the Director of Intramurals as well as Assistant Athletic Director at UM for seven years and the university’s strength coach for the past nine seasons. Watkins also spent two seasons in 1996-98 as the head coach of the women’s golf team.

Before coming to UM, Watkins served as head baseball coach at Bishop State Community College from 1993-95. Watkins got his start in baseball as the head coach at Alba High School from 1985-88.

Double majoring at the University of West Alabama, Watkins completed both his B.S. in history and B.S. in physical education in 1984 and received his master’s degree in human performance from the University of Mobile in 1991. Watkins also received his Strength and Conditioning Specialist certification from the National Strength Coaches Association in 1993.