Bio

Stephen Abanathy was named the head coach of Williams Baptist baseball prior to the beginning of the 2017 season.

Abanathy led the Eagles to 23 wins and a program-record 14 conference wins in the 2025 season.  The Eagles named one to the AMC All-Conference Second Team, three to the AMC Gold Glove Team, and 30 to the AMC Academic All-Conference Team.

In 2024, WBU baseball won 30 games for the first time since 2001 and made a deep run in the American Midwest Conference Tournament.  During that tournament run, Abanathy became the winningest head coach in WBU baseball history with his 149th win against Hannibal-LaGrange.  Eight players were named to AMC All-Conference Teams, two to the AMC Gold Glove Team, two to the AMC All-Tournament Team, and 27 Eagles were named to the AMC Academic All-Conference Team.

In 2023, WBU won 24 games, and had the second most conference wins in school history.  Skylar Morrison was named AMC Co-Dual Position Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year.  Four Eagles were named to AMC All-Conference Teams, two to the AMC Gold Glove Team, one to the AMC All-Tournament Team, and 29 players to the AMC Academic All-Conference Team.

In 2022, Abanathy carried the Eagles to 26 wins.  Isaac Williams and Nicholas Jones were named to the AMC All-Conference First and Second Teams, respectively, and 27 Eagles were named to the AMC Academic All-Conference Team.

In 2021, Abanathy coached two AMC Second Team All-Conference players and 28 AMC Academic All-Conference team members.

In the shortened 2020 season, 16 Eagles were named to the AMC Academic All-Conference team.

In 2019, Abanathy coached Layne Ditto to an AMC Dual Position Player of the Year Award.  One player was named to the AMC All-Conference Second Team, and 10 were placed on the AMC Academic All-Conference Team.

In 2018, Abanathy coached two Eagles to the AMC All-Conference Second Team, and placed eight on the AMC Academic All-Conference list.

In his first season at the helm, WBU won 20 games and placed two on the AMC Second Team All-Conference List.  One Eagle was named to the AMC Gold Glove team, and seven were named to the AMC Academic All-Conference Team. 

Prior to taking the reins at Williams Baptist, Abanathy coached in the high school ranks at Bay and Ridgefield Christian.

As a player at Williams, Abanathy was named to the American Midwest Conference All-Conference First Team in 2005.

Abanathy graduated from WBU in 2005 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.  He also earned a Master’s Degree in Sports Management from Arkansas State University.

He currently resides in Jonesboro, Ark. with his wife Rachel.