Hired in the summer of 2016, Phill Shallenberger enters his fourth season as head coach of the Cairn baseball program for the 2020 season. Shallenberger is the 23rd head coach in Cairn baseball history.
During his first season at the helm in 2017, Shallenberger helped lead the Highlanders to their best conference winning percentage in school history. Cairn baseball also lead the conference in batting average (.320) while finishing the year second in fielding percentage (.952) and stolen bases (89).
During the 2018 season, the Highlanders had their best overall record in school history (20-14), along with the first winning conference record (9-7). A huge part of their stellar season was an increased commitment to baserunning, as the Highlanders swiped 102 bases on the year to rank 8th in all of the NCAA DIII. In addition to their great team success, the Highlanders also had 7 players named to CSAC All-Conference.
The 2019 season continued to be a year for the records under Shallenberger’s guidance. The Highlanders set the school record for stolen bases with 140 swipes putting them at 2nd in NCAA D3. Not only could the highlanders run they also set records for homeruns (22) and conference wins (11-7). Along with the best conference record in school history, the highlanders clinched their first ever playoff bid since joining the CSAC. They went on to win the semi-final game to play for the CSAC championship in 2019.
Shallenberger joined the Highlanders as head coach following a one-year stint as a graduate manager at Division I Belmont. Prior to his time with the Bruins he was an assistant coach at Cairn working primarily with the Highlanders’ pitching staff.
A 2010 graduate of Geneva College, Shallenberger was a four-year baseball player for the Golden Tornado splitting time between shortstop and the mound. Shallenberger was Geneva's everyday shortstop while also serving as the team's closer where he was named the team MVP, PAC Coaches Honor, 2008 NCCAA All-Tournament Team and NCCAA All East Region Team. During his senior year, Shallenberger lead the team in ERA, Saves, Batting Average (.417), On Base Percentage (.526), Triples and Runs Scored. After finishing his time on the field, Shallenberger stayed on the bench for Geneva launching his coaching career as a Graduate Assistant Coach in 2011.
After completing his Master's Degree in Higher Education from Geneva in 2013, Shallenberger made the move to Langhorne and was an assistant coach under Jan Haas for two years working primarily with the pitching staff. After the 2015 season Shallenberger went to Belmont and served as a graduate manager for the 2016 season before being named the Highlander's head coach.
Beyond the diamond, Shallenberger views his new role as a tremendous opportunity to mentor and help develop young men toward meaningful lives after they graduate.
"I love mentoring young men and building relationships, I love seeing a freshman coming in as young, 18 year-olds and over the course of their time in the program grow and eventually leave as well-developed young-men.” Said Shallenberger, “That's the thing I'm most excited about, continuing to put competitive teams on the field while also seeing the maturation process that these young men go through over their four years and have them represent Christ as young men after they are done playing baseball at Cairn."
In addition to leading the baseball program, Shallenberger serves as the Coordinator for Athletic Recruitment at Cairn. He and his wife, Courtney reside in Penndel, PA.
