COACHING STAFF

Mike Swartzentruber

Position: Varsity Head Coach
Email: mswartze@lcscmail.com
Phone: 219-365-3800

Coach Swartzentruber is entering his 9th year leading the Lake Central baseball program and his 28th overall as a head varsity baseball coach. Coach Swartzentruber has amassed over 400 varsity wins. While at Lake Central his teams have gone 170-50 while winning Sectional Championships in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, and 20024 and DAC Championships in 2018, 2021, 2022, and 2023. In 2024, Lake Central won their second Class 4A State Baseball Championship with a 2-1 win over Mooresville in 12 innings (longest game in IHSAA Baseball State Championship history). Coach Swartz earned his BS degree in Business Education at Oakland City University where he played collegiately earning Newcomer of the Year in 1991 and Most Outstanding Pitcher in 1993. Coach also earned his MS in Education from Indiana Wesleyan University.

Coach and his wife of 24 years, Misty, have two children…son Griffen (2021 LC Grad) and daughter Ryan (2023 LC Grad). They reside in the Lakes of the Four Seasons.

COACHING CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2A State Champions – 2005 & 2006
2A State Finalists – 2000, 2005 & 2006
4A State Champions – 2024
Indiana All-Star Coach – 2005
Southwestern Indiana Coach of the Year – 2000, 2005, & 2006
NW Indiana Times Coach of the Year – 2024
2A Indiana State Coach of the Year – 2005 & 2006
District Coach of the Year – 2018 & 2023

LC Year by Year Results:

2024 – 25-9 (10-4 DAC) – CLASS 4A STATE CHAMPIONS
2023 – 27-5 (14-0 DAC) – SECTIONAL & REGIONAL CHAMPIONS (ELITE 8)
2022 – 25-6 (12-2 DAC) – SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS & REGIONAL FINALIST (ELITE 8)
2021 – 22-8 (12-2 DAC) – SECTIONAL FINALISTS
2020 – COVID – #2 RANKING PRESEASON BY THE IHSBCA
2019 – 24-7 (11-3 DAC) – SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS & REGIONAL FINALIST (ELITE 8)
2018 – 24-6 (11-3 DAC) – SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS (SWEET 16)
2017 – 23-9 (10-4 DAC) – SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS (SWEET 16)
TOTAL – 170-50 (80-18 DAC)

John Novosel

Position: Varsity Assistant Coach
Email: N/A
Phone: N/A

John is beginning his 8th season as Varsity Assistant with the Indians. Coach Novosel has many roles within the program but primarily works with our outfielders. He served 27 years as a police detective with the Hammond Police Department and also worked as an insurance investigator. John’s coaching experiences include coaching varsity baseball and travel baseball with the 5 Star Great Lakes Chiefs 17u team. He is married to Eve and they have two children, John (VP at 1st Merchants Bank) and Nicole (Principal at Elliot Elementary School). The Novosel family resides in St. John. John is a Vietnam Army veteran.

Jacob Warn

Position: JV & Freshmen Assistant
Email: N/A
Phone: N/A

Jacob begins his 1st season with the Lake Central baseball program in 2025 and will work primarily with our JV and Freshman teams. Jacob is currently in his junior year of college where he is studying Business. Jacob is a 2022 Lake Central graduate and former member of the LC baseball program where he was named as a DAC All-Conference outfielder in 2021 and was a prominent member of two DAC championship teams and one Sectional title. Jacob currently resides in Dyer.

Adam Fulk

Position: Varsity Assistant Coach
Email: afulk21@gmail.com
Phone: N/A

Adam is entering his 2nd in the LC baseball program. He will assist primarily with the varsity team. Previously, Adam served as an assistant at East Chicago Central HS. He is employed by the Hammond Fire Department: He’s been a professional fire fighter for 7 years. Adam is a 2016 graduate of Purdue University-West Lafayette and a current resident of Schererville. Adam played at Lake Central from 2009-2012 and was an All-DAC outfielder and All-Area Honorable Mention. He helped lead Lake Central to its first State Championship as a senior in 2012.

Mike Keelan

Position: Varsity Assistant Coach
Email:
Phone:

Mike begins his 2nd season with the Indians’ baseball program. He previously helped our football coaching staff and has held coaching positions at the high school level in football, baseball, softball and golf. Mike was an Illinois educator for 17 years: He taught PE and health for 7 years and was an assistant principal for 10 years. Mike earned his B.A. from Aurora University and his M.A. from Governors State University. He also attended South Suburban CC as well as Chicago State University. Mike resides in St. John with his wife Michelle and 7 children: Rose, Mary, Deidra, Leo, Frank, Anna, and Ruth. Mike played baseball, football, and golf collegiately and is currently employed as a personal trainer and fitness coach. He has held this role since 2001 and now owns and operates Abstract Bodyworks in Schererville. Mike coaches travel baseball and softball in the area.

Brian McNamara

Position: JV Blue Head Coach
Email: bmcnamar@lcscmail.com
Phone: 219-365-8551

Brian is beginning his 9th season as the Junior Varsity baseball coach. He brings vast coaching experience to the Indians. Brian had been the head freshman baseball coach for 3 seasons prior to moving to his current JV position. He has also coached middle school basketball for both boys and girls. He coached our girls’ freshman basketball team for 3 years and assisted our frosh football team for 2 years as well. Brian is entering his 12th year in the classroom with his current assignment being in the Social Studies department after years of working in our special education department. Brian graduated from Purdue University (MS in Special Education) and undergraduate degree from Purdue University Calumet (BS in Social Studies). Brian resides in St. John with his wife Alexandra and their daughter Madelyn.

Ron Mihalic

Position: JV White Head Coach
Email: N/A
Phone: N/A

Ron is entering his 3rd season as the head freshman coach. He previously coached youth sports and travel baseball within the Schererville Shock and Morris Baseball organizations. Ron is a 26 year NIPSCO employee where he works as a lineman. He is an IHSAA licensed official in both baseball and basketball. Ron currently lives in Schererville; he has two children, Hunter and Hanna, who are both graduates of Lake Central High School and Indiana University. Hunter played baseball for the Indians.