Cougill, enters his 11th season in 2023 at the helm of the Roughrider Baseball program. This will mark Cougill’s 15th season at Yavapai and 20th coaching, overall.
As Head Coach at Yavapai, Cougill’s teams have accomplished a 353-188-1 record (.651). They have seen trips to the NJCAA World Series in 2015 and 2016, including the programs 4th National Championship in 2016.
In 2022, Cougill's Roughriders earned a spot in the region playoffs with a 36-19-1 record. In 2021, Cougill led the squad to a region championship with a 34-21 overall record.
The 2020 Roughrider squad added to the program rich tradition at Yavapai. Before a shortened season, Yavapai held a 22-3 record, as high as a #1 National ranking, led the ACCAC in Runs, Hits, Doubles, HR’s, RBI, AVG, OBP, SLG and second in SB’s. The pitching staff led the ACCAC in ERA and finished second in K’s and BB’s allowed. To cap the incredible season, Roughrider players finished the spring semester with an overall 3.32 team GPA and 6 NJCAA Academic All-Americans. All 12 of Cougill’s Sophomore’s went on to transfer at the NCAA level, including 9 Division 1 commits.
Following the 2018 season, Cougill was selected on the NJCAA National Team coaching staff under Tyler JC, Head Coach, Doug Wren. This team placed 2nd at the NBC World Series.
In 2016, Cougill was named the ABCA and NJCAA National Coach of the Year, NJCAA Western District Coach of the Year and the Regional Coach of the Year in ’15 and ’16.
During Cougill’s 10-year tenure as Head Coach, there have been 18+ Roughriders drafted into MLB, 80+ Division 1 commits and 3 players in MLB (Chance Adams, Yankees/Royals, Yavapai ’14; Willie Calhoun, Rangers, Yavapai ’15; Jojo Romero, Phillies, Yavapai ’16).
Prior to being a Head Coach at YC, Cougill served 4 seasons as an assistant under former Head Coach, Sky Smeltzer. Cougill handled the recruiting responsibilities and served as the infield and hitting coach for the Roughriders. Those teams averaged 40 wins/season, saw 9 D1 commits/year, 16 players drafted and 4 current MLB players.
Prior to Yavapai College, Cougill spent the 2008 season as an assistant at New Mexico Junior College. That ’08 NMJC team captured the WJCAC Championship with a remarkable team batting average of .376, belting 78 homeruns, a mark good enough for third in the country. The ’08 Thunderbirds were equally as impressive defensively, finishing second in the country in team fielding percentage.
In 2007, Cougill served as an assistant coach for his father and IHSA hall of famer at Reed-Custer HS in Braidwood, IL. Cougill helped that team to its first state tournament appearance in 22 years.
In 2006, Cougill assisted his former head coach Wayne King at Joliet Junior College in Joliet, IL. Joliet, a perennial powerhouse in the Div. III NJCAA ranks saw back-to-back trips to the Junior College World Series, finishing 3rd in ‘06 and runner up in ’07.
Following graduation, Cougill spent one season as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Western Illinois University in Macomb, IL. He served as the infield coach on a team that finished second in the Mid-Continent Conference and one game away from earning an NCAA Division I Regional birth.
From 2001-2002, Cougill played at Joliet Junior College for hall of fame coach Wayne King, where he earned All-Conference honors in both his freshman and sophomore campaigns. He then transferred to Western Illinois University where he played for the late Stan Hyman. Cougill was named to the All Mid-Continent Conference team in 2003 and 2004. Cougill left his mark at WIU finishing his career amongst the top of the record books in single season hits, runs scored, and career batting average.
Cougill earned his B.S. in Kinesiology from Western Illinois University in 2004. He is married to Jennifer (Ekstrand) Cougill from Tempe, AZ. Jennifer serves as a Physician’s Assistant in the Emergency Room at Yavapai Regional Medical Center. Together, they have one son: Colter.
