On June 27, 2007, the La Salle University Athletic Department announced the appointment of Mike Lake as the ninth Baseball Head Coach at the school. A 1982 graduate of La Salle, Lake had spent the last four seasons as the top assistant for the Explorers. In his first season at the helm, the team went 16-36, but that included a 12-11 mark after April 5 and a ninth-place finish in the Atlantic 10 Conference with an 11-16 record (after a 2-10 start). The 11 wins were the second-most ever in A-10 play and the most by a head coach in his first season at the school in conference play. La Salle also won four A-10 series, the second-most ever in a season. Other numbers from the 2008 squad, include 266 runs scored, the most since the 2000 season, an 11-13 mark at home, the most wins since the 1999 season, and a school-record 47 double plays turned. In the four previous years before taking the head coaching position, he played a crucial part in the recruiting efforts for the Explorers, which included bringing both Rich Prall and Gerard Breslin - two players drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2007 - to 20th and Olney - and John Rickards, the 2008 A-10 First Team Second Baseman - La Salle's first infielder to earn the honor. His newest crop includes freshman Cody Weiss, who was selected in the 26th round of the 2008 Major League draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers with the 787th pick, but chose to become an Explorer. Before La Salle, Lake was with Archbishop Ryan High School, putting in over 15 years of service. Most recently he was the head coach for the boys' varsity team (1991-2001), after starting there as the head coach of the junior varsity team. He then became the assistant coach of the varsity squad, before finally earning the head coaching spot in 1991. While the head coach at Archbishop Ryan, Lake was named the Catholic League Northern Division Coach of the Year by the Philadelphia Umpires Association in 1996 and 1999. Lake was also a three-time City of Philadelphia Coach of the Year award winner - issued by the Philadelphia Newspapers Association - in 1994, 1996, and 1999. He led his team to the Catholic League Northern Division Regular Season Championship in 1991, 1996, and 1999. Under his guidance, Archbishop Ryan won the Catholic League Championship in 1998. Also prior, Lake was highly involved with the semi-professional Penn-Del League. He played and coached for the RJM team and the Jenkintown Quakers, and also coached the Rachuba Squad. While with RJM, Lake helped them to League Championships five consecutive seasons from 1991-1995. Lake graduated from La Salle with a degree in business management. He currently resides in Colmar, PA with his wife Arleen and their three children, Ashley, Kristyn, and Michael. |
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