GREENSBORO, N.C. -- University of Central Missouri Mules Baseball Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator Alex Backhaus has been named the 2024 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Marines NCAA Division II National Assistant Coach of the Year, it was announced Wednesday, Oct. 9, by the ABCA.

Backhaus, who is in his eighth season as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Mules, helped lead the Mules to the MIAA Regular Season and NCAA Division II Central Regional Championships in 2024 as UCM compiled an overall record of 52-10 and a MIAA mark of 29-4. Central Missouri advanced to the College World Series for the 20th time in program history.

UCM hit a single-season record 126 homers and 38 triples and stole a season-record 197 bases. The 38 triples, 126 home runs and 197 stolen bases are also MIAA records. In addition, Central Missouri compiled program and MIAA single season records for RBIs (605), runs (662) and total bases (1,344).

Outfielder Brennen van Breusegen was named the MIAA Player of the Year and was a consensus First Team All-American while fellow outfielder Carter Young and pitcher Conner Wolf also earned All-America accolades from various Division II baseball organizations. In addition, Wolf was the MIAA and D2CCA Central Region Pitcher of the Year.

Van Breusegen, Young and designated hitter Vance Tobol all earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-American honors for their successes both on the field and in the classroom.

In Backhaus's eight seasons with UCM, Central Missouri has won six MIAA Championships and three NCAA-II Central Region Titles, and advanced to the College World Series three times, including a runner-up finish in 2021.

Backhaus graduated from William Jewell in 2012 with a degree in Physical Education and earned his master's in education intervention from Ottawa in 2014.

Alex and his wife, Jaimie, were married in 2015 and have a son, Ty, and daughter, Mae, as well as two dogs, Lebowski and Elphie. Backhaus's dog, Lebowski, serves as the official Crane Stadium Perimeter Protector.

The ABCA began honoring a National Assistant Coach of the Year in 1999. In 2018, the award was expanded to recognize a National Assistant Coach of the Year in each of the 11 divisions: NCAA Div. I, NCAA Div. II, NCAA Div. III, NAIA, NJCAA Div. I, NJCAA Div. II, NJCAA Div. III, Pacific Association Division & High School Divisions I, II and III.

Coaching expertise, recruiting, loyalty to the program and respect for the players and the game are some of the many criteria examined when reviewing the candidates for ABCA National Assistant Coach of the Year.