Tom Spencer returns to Baldwin-Wallace College as the Head Softball Coach and a professor in the Division of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Dance and Sports Management.
Spencer previously coached three seasons in Berea (2000-2002), won 20 games each year, including a school-record 28 in 2001, and won 70 games overall (70-52 record). At all three schools that Spencer has coached, B-W, NCAA Division I Butler (Ind.) University and most recently at Notre Dame College (Ohio), he has built winning programs. It seems that everything that Spencer touches turns to gold or in this case -- championships.
In his last stint at B-W, Spencer was the head coach in softball and women’s golf prior to softball and an assistant women’s basketball coach under veteran Head Coach Cheri Harrer.
In basketball, Spencer served as Harrer’s main assistant and helped B-W to five consecutive appearances in the NCAA Division III National Tournament, including two straight “Elite Eight” finishes. As women’s golf coach, Spencer began the program, led it to a No.3 regional ranking in its first season and then to consecutive appearances at the NCAA Division III National Tournament before moving over to softball. In addition to winning 70 games and compiling a .594 winning percentage on the diamond, Spencer’s teams set 19 school records and he was tabbed as the 2001 OAC Coach of the Year.
In 2002, Spencer left to coach for three seasons at Butler (2002-2004) and helped to rebuild the Butler program into a winner before leaving the program on solid footing. Spencer’s intent was to come home to the Greater Cleveland area with his family.
Spencer has a bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green State University in 1984 and a teaching certificate from Cleveland State University in 1988. Prior to his first stint at B-W, he served as a teacher and softball and basketball coach at Fairview Park High School.
To contact Coach Spencer, please call him in his office at 440-826-3398 or e-mail him at tspencer@bw.edu.
Assistant Coach Vicki Brault
Vicki Brault was in her 11th season as an assistant coach in softball at the College in 2006-2007. Coach Brault is best known as one of the best volleyball coaches in NCAA Division III for the past 15 years. In softball, Coach Brault helped Joe Yocabet and Bob Cochrane with daily practices, travel and game management and at times has guided the Yellow Jacket junior varsity team.
In volleyball, Coach Brault has helped the Yellow Jacket program continue a tradition of excellence as one of the best programs in the OAC, NCAA Division III Great Lakes Region and nationally.
In both 2000-2001 and 2004-2005, Coach Brault was named the OAC Coach of the Year. In 15 years overall, including the past 11 at B-W, Coach Brault has compiled an impressive career mark of 323-196 and is ranked 37th on the all-time winning percentage list among Division III coaches. Her 2006-2007 team had a 26-7 overall record and was the OAC regular season co-champs.
Prior to arriving in Berea, Coach Brault was a successful head coach at the Division III level at Claremont (Calif.) McKenna-Mudd-Scripps College for four years. Brault guided her teams to a 70-50 record, two Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles and two appearances in the national tournament. Coach Brault graduated from Western Michigan University and received her master's degree from Azusa Pacific University. In addition to coaching volleyball at Claremont McKenna-Mudd-Scripps, she was a physical education instructor and the head softball coach.
To contact Head Coach Vicki Brault, please call her at 440-826-3254 in her office, 440-826-2184 in the B-W Athletic Department or e-mail her at vbrault@bw.edu.
Assistant Coach Joe Yocabet
Joe Yocabet annually had the Baldwin-Wallace College softball team competing for an Ohio Athletic Conference championship. The 2006-2007 season was Yocabet's 12th and last season as the head coach and 21st overall with the Yellow Jacket program. Coach Yocabet announced his retirement as head coach effective immediately, but will remain on the staff as an assistant coach.
Yocabet was in his second stint as softball coach and had a 226-212 career record, including a 117-94 mark against OAC teams. His 226 victories are the most-ever by a B-W fast-pitch coach.
From 1993-99, Yocabet led the Yellow Jackets to a 134-121 record, including three 20-win seasons. Then after spending three years as an assistant to Tom Spencer (2000-2002), he returned to the helm and led his team to a 25-16 overall record and into the OAC Championship game in 2002-2003.
Prior to becoming head coach, Yocabet served as an assistant coach in charge of pitchers and catchers from 1986 through 1993. He was an assistant when B-W had its best-ever fast-pitch season in 1992 with a 28-11 record and an NCAA Division III National Tournament berth.
Yocabet first began coaching softball at Lakewood High School in 1981 and stayed there as an assistant until coming to B-W in 1986. A member of the Greater Cleveland Softball Hall of Fame, Yocabet was a very successful player as a pitcher. In the military service, Yocabet played for a United States Air Force team that won the All-Military title in 1956 and 1957. Also as an amateur player, Yocabet was a member of the Cleveland based American Softball Association (ASA) national champion Pyramid Cafe team in 1975. Yocabet last played competitively in 1982.
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