meet the coaches

Varsity Head Coach

baseball@isd12.org

Coach Lynch is entering his 2nd season as the Centennial High School baseball head coach.  As a 2007 graduate from CHS he has the passion to make Centennial baseball great.  Previously Coach Lynch has been the head coach at Irondale High School, and St. Thomas Academy High School. Coach Lynch has also been an assistant coach at Mounds View, North Branch, and Augusburg College.  Through those experiences he has gone to four state tournaments, and coached multiple players that have been drafted into the MLB. At home Coach Lynch has a wife Ana, four kids Elliot (9), Hudson (6), Kendall (5), and Berkley (1). The family will likely be seen at many games cheering on dad and the boys! 

Varsity Assistant Coach

JonDLieser@gmail.com

Coach Lieser has been a part of the CHS Baseball program since 2016, where he was the JV Head Coach for seven years. Prior to coaching baseball at Centennial, he played high school and college baseball, as well as 16 years of amateur baseball. Coach Lieser enjoys coaching at Centennial because the kids are very receptive to what you are trying to teach them about the game of baseball. When you correlate that with life lessons and the light comes on for them…that is when it becomes fun!! Coach Lieser lives in Lino Lakes with his wife Tracy and three boys, Aiden, Grant, and Brooks. His hobbies include projects around the house, golf, watching his kids grow up, and shooting the breeze. Several of Coach Lieser’s favorite baseball sayings are “Good teams hold them after we score”, “Pick it up now, we will look for it later”, “Get that guy a compass and a butterfly net”, and “Humbabe.”

Varsity Assistant Coach

Jack played baseball for Coach Lynch at Mounds View High School, an experience that helped shape his love and respect for the game of baseball. He began his coaching career with one season at Irondale before joining the Centennial Cougars where this will be his 4th season. Jack became a coach because of his love for the game of baseball and to give back the same way his coaches did for him.

Coach Maki is the new assistant baseball coach for the B squad baseball team. He is 25 years old and this will be his first year of coaching. He is from Wichita, KS and he moved to Minnesota in August 2022. He played 5 years of college baseball and graduated from Emporia State University in the spring 2022. 

Wyatt grew up in Indus, MN and graduated from International Falls High School. After high school he continued his academic and baseball career for four years at St John's University (MN), graduating in 2020. Thanks to the COVID season he earned the opportunity to get his Master's degree while playing an additional year of baseball at the University of Richmond (VA). After Richmond, he played four years of professional baseball with the Sioux Falls Canaries and also spent time in the San Diego Padres organization.  Wyatt is passionate about giving back to baseball and sharing the knowledge and lessons he’s gained throughout his career. He is excited about the opportunity to contribute to the continued success of the Centennial program and the development of its student-athletes.

Coach Youngquist is re-joining the staff for his 5th year of coaching at Centennial High School.  Matt has 15 years of coaching experience working for the Minnesota Blizzard, The Hit Doctor and Complete Game.  While mostly known for his work with the bat Matt just loves to play the game and doesn't know what else to do for fun.  Matt has coached high school and legion baseball at Champlin Park, South St. Paul, St. Thomas Academy and at Centennial.  Matt was a 4 year starter at Concordia College congruent to his 19 year amature baseball career with the Minneapolis Rocks, Minneapolis Cobras and the Centennial Cougars.  Outside of baseball Matt enjoys golf, camping and playing video games with the family.   

Coach Jason Lund enters his second season with the Cougars. The Roseau, MN native brings 21 years of military leadership and pitching experience with the All-Marine Corps Team and the Muscatine Red Sox.

He previously assisted at the University of St. Thomas, helping the program to a Division III World Series runner-up finish and MIAC title. Lund has served as varsity head coach at North High and American Legion head coach at Rogers, and currently coaches 16U and 18U at Complete Game. He is USA Baseball certified and a member of the ABCA and Minnesota Baseball Coaches Association.

9th Grade Head Coach