TOPEKA, Kan. -- Washburn baseball interim head coach Connor Crimmins announced the hiring of two assistant coaches joining the Ichabod dugout for the 2026-27 season. Jack Howard joins Washburn as the lead hitting coach, and Alex Cox will take the reigns as the head pitching coach and recruiting coordinator.
Crimmins on Cox: "Coach Cox is a great addition to the Washburn baseball program. He brings a lot of energy, passion and desire to help our student-athletes become better young men and baseball players. His experience at multiple levels of baseball brings a broad view and connections in recruiting. I'm very thankful to have coach Cox on staff as our pitching coach and recruiting coordinator."
Alex Cox joins the Ichabod baseball coaching staff for the 2027 season where he will serve as the pitching coach.
Prior to joining Washburn, he worked most recently at Engaged Athletics for two years where he was the director of the Riverside facility, pitching coordinator and recruiting coordinator. Before that he spent three seasons on the coaching staff at MIAA foe Central Missouri, the first two as a graduate assistant from 2020-22. During his time as a graduate assistant, he was an assistant pitching coach and director of operations. Cox returned to Central Missouri for the 2023 season where he was the head pitching coach. His start in coaching came at Highland Community College where he was the head pitching coach and recruiting coordinator between 2016-2020.
Prior to coaching, Cox began his collegiate career with two seasons at Pratt Community College before spending his final two seasons playing at Fort Hays State.
Cox, a Prairie Village, Kan. native, graduated from Shawnee Mission East High School and earned his bachelor's degree in history from Fort Hays State in 2016. He currently resides in Prairie Village, Kan.
Crimmins on Howard: "Coach Howard's addition to our staff is very exciting and a great addition to the Washburn baseball program. He will be our hitting coach and will also be involved in recruiting. His experience at the junior college level brings a difference perspective and he also has a lot of strong connections in the baseball community. His love for baseball is something that he shows and gives back to the players with his energy and passion for the game. I'm thankful to have coach Howard as part of our coaching staff."
Jack Howard joins the Ichabod coaching staff for the 2027 season, working primarily with the hitters. He comes to Topeka from Rock Valley College where he has been the recruiting coordinator and primary hitting coach since 2022. In the summer of 2026, he was the hitting coach for Bismarck Larks in the Northwoods League, helping lead a 16-game improvement from the previous season.
In his time in Rockford, Illinois he helped coach five All-Region hitters and an All-American during his four seasons, the first four for the problem in NJCAA. Prior to joining the Golden Eagles, Howard served as an assistant coach at Parrish Community High School (FL), where he worked with hitters and infielders. He played four years of collegiate baseball, beginning at the College of DuPage where he hit .403 as a sophomore with a .511 OBP and .653 slugging percentage. He finished his career at Webber International University.
Howard, a native of Joliet, IL, graduated from Joliet Catholic Academy. He holds a bachelor's degree in Sport Business Management from Webber International University.
