Biography: Joe Schaefer enters his seventh season as the head baseball coach at Northwest Nazarene in the 2024-25 academic year.

Schaefer has a career record of 500-335-2 (.599) through 17 seasons as a collegiate head coach, and a 159-108-1 (.595) mark in his six seasons at NNU.

After missing out on NCAA Regionals in 2023, Schaefer led the Nighthawks back for the third time in four years in 2024. The Nighthawks finished the year 36-15-1 overall and 23-9 in GNAC play to win the GNAC Regular Season Championship. NNU then went on to grab the GNAC Tournament title and the 3-seed in West Regional in Monterey. The Nighthawks were ranked as high as 10th in the nation during the year. Schaefer earned West Region Coach of the Year honors from the NCBWA, with four players also earning All-Region nods. He was also the GNAC Coach of the Year and NNU had the GNAC Co-Pitcher of the Year in Kyle Ethridge and Freshman of the Year in Carter Walsh, among nine All-Conference honors.

In 2023, Schaefer led the Nighthawks to a second-place finish in the GNAC with a 17-15 conference record and 24-29 overall mark. Relief pitcher Ty Pohlmann earned First Team All-Region honors along with being named the GNAC Co-Pitcher of the Year. He was joined by utilityman Mason Leavitt on the First Team, with three Nighthawks on the Second Team and six more as Honorable Mention for a total of 11 all-conference honors.

In 2022, the Nighthawks finished with a 31-23 overall record and 21-11 mark in GNAC play. NNU won a share of the GNAC Regular Season Championship for the second year in a row and went into the conference tournament as the top overall seed. The Nighthawks earned their second-straight berth to the NCAA West Regional, defeating Cal Poly Pomona in the regional opener before falling to eventual region champion Point Loma. Max Holtzclaw, Haden Keller, and Grant Kerry all earned All-Region selections, while ten Nighthawks earned All-GNAC honors. Blake McFadden, Holtzclaw, Keller, and Duke Pahukoa all received First Team recognition, Parker Price, Kerry, and Tyler Best were named to the Second Team, while Brock Moffitt, Kyle Payne, and Alex Salsman earned Honorable Mention accolades.

In 2021, the Nighthawks had the best season in program history to date, and arguably for any team in NNU’s Division II history. NNU went 35-10, claiming the GNAC regular season title, GNAC tournament championship, NCAA West Region title, and finishing in the top six at the Division II College World Series. Grant Kerry was named an NCBWA All-American, consensus First Team All-Region selection, and the GNAC Newcomer of the Year. Max Holtzclaw, Shawn Grandmont, and Kyle Ethridge were consensus First Team All-Region and All-GNAC picks, while Ben Johnson, Colton Moore, Ryan Dearing, Blake McFadden, John Gonzalez, and Haden Keller were also named All-GNAC. Coach Schaefer was named the consensus West Region Coach of the Year and the GNAC Coach of the Year.

Schaefer has taken the Nighthawks to the GNAC Tournament in every season that the event has been held during his tenure. NNU went 24-24 overall and 20-17 in GNAC play to finish third in the conference in his first year in 2019, while his second season in 2020 was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic after just 16 games. Seven Nighthawks were named All-Conference following the 2019 season.

The 2003 Point Loma Nazarene University graduate spent the previous 10 years as the head coach at his alma mater, compiling a 341-227-1 record and taking the Sea Lions to the NCAA Division II national tournament in 2016 and 2018. He also took the program to the NAIA World Series in 2009 and 2010 and had 16 former players sign professional contracts.

Schaefer was an assistant coach at Point Loma for five years before becoming the head coach. He played shortstop and pitched in college at PLNU and has spent his coaching days working with infielders and hitters.

He started his college career at Santa Ana College in California, transferred to Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Calif. and then finished at Point Loma in San Diego, graduating with a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Philosophy and Theology. He has a Master’s degree in Human Performance and Sport from New Mexico Highlands University (2006).

Schaefer is married to his wife Cheryl and they have three sons, Brayden, Riley, and Cannon.

Favorite Thing About Working at NNU: The people who make up NNU make it a joy to come to work every day.