Southwestern Community College Athletic Director Todd Lorensen announced today Kenny Namanny, a Schleswig native, who has been assistant baseball coach and recruiting coordinator for the Spartans since 2014, will be stepping in as interim head baseball coach effective immediately.

Namanny, who was a Spartan baseball standout from 2009 to 2011, fills the head coaching position vacated with the upcoming departure of Head Coach Pedro Hernandez, who has led Southwestern's baseball program since 2014. Hernandez announced recently he and his family are moving back to their hometown in Puerto Rico.

Because Namanny has played an active role in the recruitment of the baseball program's student-athletes, Lorensen expects the transition to be smooth.

"We are very fortunate to have a more than capable assistant in Coach Namanny here to step in and assure the coaching staff does not miss a beat with the start of classes just a month away," Lorensen stated. "Kenny and Pedro have always worked closely together and Pedro is leaving the program in great hands. I'm confident Coach Namanny is ready to be the head coach at Southwestern Community College."

Namanny said while it's difficult to watch Hernandez leave, he is prepared for his new role at the college.

"I am extremely excited to be the head coach for Southwestern baseball," said Namanny. "I was fortunate to be a student-athlete here and then return as an assistant and work for three seasons under Coach Hernandez."

Namanny was very complimentary of all Hernandez has done with the Spartan program.

"Coach Hernandez has done a great job laying a foundation for the program on and off the field," Namanny explained. "It will now be our job to sustain that and continue to build on his success. I can't wait to get started."

In addition to coaching, Namanny is a residence hall coordinator for the college's student housing department. For the past two seasons, he has been the head coach for Southwest Valley High School's baseball program as well.

Namanny, a Denison-Schleswig High School graduate, earned his Associate of Arts degree from Southwestern in 2011, his bachelor's degree from Morningside in 2014, and his master's degree in intercollegiate athletic administration from Western Kentucky University in 2017.