Brian Blessie Head Baseball Coach

Coach Blessie begins his sixth season as the Head Baseball Coach of the Odessa College Wrangler baseball program.  During the 2011 baseball season, Odessa College finished with a 29-27 overall record during a rebuilding year for the Wranglers.  The 2010 season saw the Wranglers go 40-24 overall while finishing second in the Western Junior College Athletic Conference.  The second place finish qualified the Wranglers for the Region V tournament, which OC garnered a third place finish in the always tough Region V qualifier.   The third place Region V finish in 2010 was the highest finish for an Odessa College baseball team in twelve years.  During his tenure as baseball coach at Odessa College, Blessie has qualified for the post season in four the six seasons he has directed the baseball program.  Under Blessie, the Wranglers have a six year record of 186-144.

Prior to becoming the Head Coach at Odessa College, Coach Blessie spent seven years as the assistant baseball coach at Butler County Community College in El Dorado, Kansas.  While at Butler County, Blessie also served one season as the interim head coach of the Grizzlies baseball program.  Blessie was responsible for the hitters and the outfielders at Butler County, while also serving as the assistant pitching coach.  Blessie has had over 50 players sign pro contracts or sign NCAA Division I scholarships during his career at the NJCAA level.  Currently Coach Blessie has three former players in the Major Leagues that he previously coached at the two year college level. 

Before Blessie coached at Butler County CC, he was the head baseball coach at El Dorado High School, located in El Dorado, Kansas.  While at El Dorado High School the team made a state tournament appearance in 1996, the first such opportunity for the program in seven years. 

Coach Blessie is originally from Omaha, Nebraska and prepped at Omaha Burke High School.  While at Burke, Blessie was named the Gatorade and Topps Baseball Player of the Year in the state of Nebraska.   Blessie was a 12th round draft choice out of high school, but opted to attend Butler County Community College and played under the legendary B.D. Parker.   Butler County CC captured the Region VI championship and participated in the NJCAA World Series in 1994, eventually finishing third in the nation.  Coach Blessie was a member of the team that enjoyed the “once in a lifetime” experience of the national championship atmosphere provided in Grand Junction, Colorado.  Brian moved on from Butler County Community College to the University of Nebraska where he was a member of the baseball program.  Coach Blessie has a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Nebraska.  In addition to his coaching responsibilities at Odessa College, Coach Blessie is also on the professional teaching staff within the Department of Health and Physical Education.  

Brian Blessie is married to the former Shawn Powell of El Paso, Texas and Wichita, Kansas.  The Blessie’s have four children, Taylor (20), Allison (14), Blake (13) and Bo (12).