NORTH MANCHESTER, Ind. (WANE) – When Rick Espeset took the job as an assistant coach for the Manchester University baseball team he had no idea he’d still be a Spartan almost three decades later.

After two years as an assistant, Espeset was promoted to head coach – a position he’s held for 27 years while accumulating over 600 wins with the Spartans.

On Tuesday, Espeset brings his team to Fort Wayne to play Saint Francis in the first game of the 2023 Parkview Sports Medicine Baseball Classic at Parkview Field at 3:30 p.m.

A staple on the Spartans sports scene, Espeset has also been the Manchester University athletic director since 2006. With a wife and three children, Espeset says he’s been in the right place at the right time and his even-keeled approach helps manage what can be a hectic time in the spring.