Lew Kent is compiling quite a resume as the head coach of the Radford University baseball program.

In his eleventh year on the RU bench, Kent is the Dean of RU baseball, surpassing successor Scott Gines, for the longest tenure by a RU baseball coach in 2002. He also passed Gines in the win column, and is now Radford’s winningest skipper. In 10 seasons, Kent has tallied six 20-plus wins, including three seasons with 25 or more victories, while eclipsing the 30 win plateau once.

The Tucson, Ariz. native is known as a players coach. He has a knack for developing baseball players both on and off the field, leading to successful teams. His 1995 Highlander squad was second in the league, finishing just one win away from an NCAA Regional berth. Kent guided RU to its best season ever, a 30-24 record, in his first year after taking over as head coach during the winter of 1994. RU set a school record with 60 home runs that spring and Kent's team quickly became known for its solid fundamentals and great hitting. Since he joined the program as a hitting coach in 1992, the Highlanders have been a fixture among the national offensive leaders.

While Kent did a marvelous job in 1995, his work in 2000 could be his best year as a skipper. That season Kent directed RU to 28 victories, just two shy of the school record his 1995 team established. In addition, he kept RU in contention for the regular season Big South Conference title up until the last weekend of the season for the second consecutive year. For his efforts, Kent garnered Big South Conference Coach-of-the-Year honors, becoming only the second RU coach to garner this honor in the program’s history.

Prior to coming to RU, Kent spent two years as an assistant at North Carolina State University under legendary head coach Ray Tanner. During his tenure at N.C. State, the Wolfpack posted a 96-40 record.

As a player, Kent played three seasons in the Cleveland Indians' organization. In 1988 his Kinston team captured the Carolina League Championship played under current major league manager Mike Hargrove. Kent advanced to AA, playing one season for the Williamsport Bills, before turning to coaching.

Before entering professional baseball, Kent played at Arizona State for two years, helping the Sun Devils to a third place finish in the 1983 College World Series. He even pinch hit for Barry Bonds that year in Omaha, and was seven-for-seven as a pinch-hitter. After transferring to Grand Canyon College, Kent was an all-area and all-district selection at catcher as well as team captain for a squad that won the 1986 NAIA World Series. Kent earned all-series honors for Grand Canyon.

He has been to five collegiate regional championships and two World Series. The 37-year-old Kent received his bachelor’s degree in history from N.C. State and his master’s degree in education from Radford. He and his wife Treva reside in Radford with their daughter, Taylor and son Colton.