Gavin Murphy, Head Coach
Gavin Murphy joined the Champion City Kings as an Assistant Coach in 2019 and was promoted to Head Coach ahead of the 2020 season.
He led the 2021 Kings to the first postseason appearance in franchise history. In addition, two players were named to the 2021 Prospect League All-Star team and 8 offensive season records fell as well as one pitching record.
Murphy earned his undergraduate degree in Business Marketing and his M.B.A. from Thomas University where he was a stalwart catcher for the Night Hawks.
Murphy is a native of Lakeland, FL and currently is an Assistant Baseball Coach at Tallahassee Community College.
Jon Erhard, Assistant Coach
Jon Erhard enters his second season as the Champion City Kings Assistant Coach. A former Kings player, Jon also is an Assistant Coach for the University of Rio Grande Red Storm.
He was instrumental in the success of the 2021 campaign where he helped guide the Kings to the first postseason appearance in franchise history.
Among the team success, the Kings saw two players named to the 2021 Prospect League All-Star team. The Kings also saw 8 offensive records fall in one season as well as one pitching record.
Erhard graduated from Ohio Wesleyan in 2020 with his undergraduate degree in History Education while being a 4-year lettermen winner for the Battling Bishops.
Erhard is currently pursuing his master’s in Education and Coaching & Leadership. He resides in Newark, OH.
Mark Lucas, Assistant General Manager/Assistant Coach
Mark has been with the Kings since 2014 and brings a wealth of baseball knowledge and experience to the franchise. He is a graduate of Springfield North High school and Wright State University. Lucas excelled at shortstop at both institutions.
After his junior year in college, he signed a free agent contract with the Atlanta Braves. He was considered a multi-position player as a professional and led the Greenwood Braves (Class A) in hitting with a .359 average in his rookie year. Mark played three and a half years in the pros and after that competed in amateur baseball in the Springfield/Dayton area until age 46.
In addition, Mark has coached baseball at the high school level as well as at the University of Dayton and Wright State University. He was inducted into the Springfield/Clark County Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002, the Wright State Walk of Fame in 2005 and the Dayton Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006. Currently, Mark serves as the President of the Springfield/Clark County Baseball Hall of Fame.