Everett, WA – After three complete seasons as the head coach of Everett Community College Baseball, JoJo Howie is leaving the program for an opportunity to coach at Central Arizona College. During his head coaching tenure JoJo led the Trojans to a final six finish in the 2018 NWAC playoffs, a trip to the NWAC Championship game in 2019, claimed two north region championships, and amassed an overall record of 99-44.
Howie began his Everett CC career in 2012 playing two seasons for legendary coach Levi Lacey. His Trojans won a combined 71 games in those two years winning back to back North Region Title's, and finishing 3rd in 2012 before ultimately winning the programs first NWAC Title since 1966 in his sophomore season. JoJo pitched in game 3 of the championship tournament where he went 7.2 innings, striking out 4 and giving up 0 runs en-route to a 2-0 win vs Yakima Valley. He went on to finish out his college career in the Division I Athletic 10 Conference for Virginia Common Wealth University where he had 30 career starts as a pitcher, threw 6 complete games, with 154 strike outs and a 14-9 record.
JoJo returned to Everett as an assistant for Coach Lacey in 2016 in which the Trojans won 37 games, claimed the North Region Title, and also advanced to the NWAC Championship game. The next season, Levi Lacey accepted the four corners area scout position with the Texas Rangers and JoJo was promoted to head coach by Athletic Director Garet Studer.
In his first season at the helm, Howie led the Trojans to a Final 6 appearance in the NWAC Tournament, and followed that year up with a North Region Title, 39 overall wins (tied for the most in program history), and a trip to the NWAC Championship game, falling just short of hoisting the trophy in a tight 2-0 ballgame. The Trojan's were recognized by Perfect Game USA as a Top 25 Junior College program in the country at the conclusion of that season.
In the four complete seasons (2020 cancelled due to COVID) that JoJo has been in a coaching role with the program, there have been over 40 players to sign national letters of intent (many of those Division I), 25 players selected to the All North Region team, 9 All NWAC players, 3 Gold Glovers, 3 ABCA All Americans, and 1 North Region Most Valuable Player. In 2019 JoJo Howie was named the North Region Coach of the Year.
"Coach Howie is the ultimate competitor, said Garet Studer, and his guys would run through a wall for him. He got the best out of each student athlete and worked tirelessly to get each one of them an opportunity to play and get a scholarship at the next level. While it is no question a loss for the program, I am confident in the foundation that was first built by Levi and then strengthened further by JoJo."
"Everett CC baseball was more than a team, said JoJo Howie when asked to reflect on his time at EvCC. Through all my years as a player, assistant coach, and head coach I've been blessed to have so many coaches and players that impacted me in so many great ways. The opportunity to coach and learn at Central Arizona is awesome, but leaving the Trojan Nation was the hardest decision I have ever made. I will always be a Trojan for life even as I move on in my career. Thank you so much to the athletic department, coaches, and players for all the extra work you put in to make Everett CC Baseball so special."
The Trojans have signed 11 incoming freshman including local Jackson High standouts Zach Ediger, Ryan Contreras, and Glacier Peak's Tyson Willis. The strong recruiting class will be added to a solid core of returners like Michael Ball who was 3rd in the North and led the team in batting average, Jordan Justice who led the North and the team in home runs, and Kenji Miller who was 2nd in the North and led the team in strikeouts.
Studer added, "The Trojan Baseball culture is strong and not easily unraveled. We have one of the best coaching staffs in the NWAC, and a great group of players coming in this fall. We'll begin our search immediately and will aim to have the new head coach named within the next couple of weeks."