Mayer Lutheran hires new Baseball Coach
Mayer Lutheran has hired Spencer Lilienthal of Plato, Minnesota as its high school varsity baseball coach to replace longtime coach Dave Lane, who retired as the Crusader’s head baseball coach in August of this year. Lilienthal grew up in Plato, Minnesota, and attended First Lutheran School in Glencoe, where he was introduced to Mayer Lutheran baseball through his play on the Mayer Knights baseball team. A three-sport athlete at Glencoe-Silver Lake High School (football, basketball and baseball), he played on the 2019 GSL section championship baseball team, as well as on the 2019 American Legion national championship team.
He attended Crown College and played baseball for two seasons before transferring to Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minnesota, where he was a two-time team captain and three-time All-UMAC honoree in baseball. Lilienthal graduated from Martin Luther College in the Spring of 2023 with a degree in Physical Education and Coaching. He is currently the 5-8 grade PE and Health teacher at First Lutheran in Glencoe. Lilienthal is also currently an instructor at Crow River Comprehensive Hitting in Lester Prairie, where he gives baseball lessons along with coordinating their fall baseball program and coaching their 18u fall baseball team.
“I am extremely excited and thankful to be the next high school varsity baseball coach at Mayer Lutheran,” says Lilienthal. “I look forward to working alongside these young men to help them become the next generation of Christian leaders, as I strive to lead by example and expect my team to hold each other accountable.” He says his coaching philosophy focuses on 1 Timothy 4:8, which says “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”
“Mayer Lutheran is excited to have Spencer lead our baseball program,” says Mayer Lutheran Activities Director Kris Gustin. “His desire to prepare the next generation of Christian leaders is evident, and his energy and love for the game will certainly serve our young men.” The campus of Mayer Lutheran, a regional school that has served families from the west metro area of the Twin Cities for sixty-three years, is located in historic Mayer at 306 7th Street NE – two miles south of Hwy 7 on MN Hwy 25, less than forty minutes from downtown Minneapolis. The school serves grades six through twelve. Mayer Lutheran’s mission is to prepare the next generation of Christian leaders and in doing so admits students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin in the administration of its policies, financial aid program or other school-administered programs.
