September 14, 2005

The Northland College men's baseball program received some good news Wednesday when LumberJacks Head Coach Joel Barta was named theHead Coach of the Wisconsin Woodchucks for the 2006 season.

Coach Barta served as an assistant coach for the Chucks during the past two seasons under then-Head Coach, Darin Everson. This past season, coach Barta served as the Pitching Coach and 3^rd base coach for the Chucks. His pitching staff finished the 2005 campaign with a 3.21 ERA, which was third best in the league. While running the team in Coach Everson’s absence during the past two seasons, Barta compiled an 18-7 record.

A North Dakota native, Barta came to Wisconsin in March of 2000 to start a new baseball program at Northland College. In just his 4^th season, Barta lead the Lumberjacks to their first ever birth in the NAIA National Playoffs during 2004.

Prior to coming to Wisconsin, Barta was the top assistant at Mayville State University in North Dakota, a perennial NAIA power. In his last full season with the Mayville State Comets, the team went 42-4. In his 4 seasons with the Comets they won the Conference Championship each season. The final recruiting class Barta helped bring to Mayville went on to finish 4^th in the NAIA World Series in 2002.

Prior to coaching at MSU, Barta was an assistant at Hastings College where he helped lead the Broncos to the regular season Conference title in 1996.

Success in summer baseball is no stranger to Barta, either. After finishing his college career, Barta led the Mayville (ND) Legion team to their 1^st state tournament in 20 years during the 1992 season. Barta spent the following two summers in Saskatchewan as Manager of the Swift Current Indians, currently of the Western Major Baseball League (Collegiate Wood Bat). Barta took his teams to the Championship series in both seasons, dropping the title series in 1995 before winning the championship in 1996.

Baseball has always been a major part of Barta’s life. He comes from a family where his father and 3 brothers were all college baseball players, with his dad & youngest brother both playing in college World Series. His youngest brother also played professionally for the Grand Forks Varmints.

Joel carried a hefty .413 batting average throughout his playing days in college. He has been a part of 16 Championship teams as either a player or coach in high school and college, and has coached more than 40 players that have signed professional contracts.

Barta grew up in Michigan, ND and is married to the former Miss Dana Cochrane. They have two daughters Jaime (7) & Emma (4). Barta and his family reside in Ashland, WI where he is the Director of Physical Education & Head Baseball Coach at Northland College (NCAA III).