Brian Blessie Head Baseball Coach

Coach Blessie begins his fifth season as the Head Baseball Coach of the Odessa College Wrangler Baseball Program.  During the 2010 season, the Wranglers finished with a 40-24 overall record while finishing in a tie for second place in the Western Junior College Athletic Conference.   The second place finish qualified the Wranglers for post season play in the NJCAA Region V Baseball Tournament, played in Fort Worth, Texas.   The Wranglers finished third in Region V, the highest finish garnered by the OC baseball program in twelve years.  During his tenure as baseball coach at Odessa College, Blessie has qualified for post season competition in four of the five years he has directed the baseball program.  The baseball program has a five year record of 157-117 under Coach Bessie’s tutelage.

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 Bessie’s have four children, Taylor 19, Allison 14, Blake 12 and Bo 11.  Taylor is currently a second year student at Odessa College and is a member of the student training staff for the softball program.  Shawn is a speech pathologist in Odessa.