Among the nation's elite active coaches in Division III, head coach John Harvell enters his 25th season at the helm of Christopher Newport baseball in 2025. With 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, seven conference championships and three Division III College World Series appearances, he has elevated the CNU program to one of the top programs in the nation.
Early in the 2019 campaign, which would be one of the most memorable seasons in NCAA Division III history, Harvell became the fourth Christopher Newport head coach in any sport to eclipse 500 career wins. He now owns an overall record of 590-290-3 for a winning percentage of 67.0%, ranking in the Top 30 among active head coaches at Division III. In conference play, with 13 seasons in the USA South Athletic Conference and six in CNU's current home, the Captains are 215-102 for a winning mark of 67.8%.Â
The 2019 season was memorable for more than just the wins, though, as the Captains shattered program records time and time again. Harvell guided the Captains to the team's first Capital Athletic Conference Championship and the 10th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history. Led by a historically great offense that logged over 500 runs for the first time, the Captains averaged 11.7 runs per game and ranked among the top-five marks in Division III history. The Captains led the nation in home runs per game, slugging percentage, and runs per game. He coached three All-Americans and nine All-Region selections on the 2019 squad that won 35 games for the fifth time in program history. Heading into the postseason, Christopher Newport collected the No. 1 national ranking for the second time in program history. He was named the CAC Coach of the Year for the second time and collected his fifth career plaque.
Picking up his first career Capital Athletic Conference Coach of the Year recognition in 2018, Harvell and the Captains had a resurgent year and finished among the nation's top programs again. CNU climbed to as high as No. 5 in the nation after winning 18 straight games, the second longest win streak in program history, and registered the fourth 35-win season. The Captains reached the NCAA South Regional Championship and finished the year 35-12 led by junior conference player of the year and first team All-American Seth Woodard
The 2018 season marked the Captains ninth NCAA Tournament appearance, all under Harvell, and the first since 2012. In 2012, the head coach notched his third trip to the College World Series when he guided the Captains to a 34-10 season. In 2011, CNU posted a 39-7 season which featured a school-record 26-game winning streak, and his sixth trip to the NCAA Tournament. It was also the first time CNU Baseball was ranked No. 1 in the nation.
Following the 2013 season, Harvell added to his coaching resume when Christopher Newport nabbed its first ever Major League Baseball draft pick when it was announced the Houston Astros selected USA South and South Region Pitcher of the Year Austin Chrismon.Â
The team missed the postseason that season, but still accomplished plenty, with 29 wins, three All-Americans and five All-Region selections. Senior Ryan Fleischmann also broke the USA South career saves record during the year, and finished his tenure ranked fourth in NCAA Division III history with 29.Â
Harvell's tenure at CNU got off to a fast start. In 2001, in his first season at the helm, he led a program that had never finished higher than third in its conference (and that in a year when the league had only four teams) and won the school's first baseball championship. The win put CNU baseball in NCAA post-season play for the first time in its history.Â
In year two, Harvell and the Captains repeated the conference title and went even further - much further - all the way to the #3 final ranking in the nation. Harvell's impact on the program continued its steady rise when he took his third CNU team even higher. In 2003, he led the Captains all the way to national championship day at the NCAA Division III World Series, where they finished #2 in the country.
In three remarkable years, CNU went from conference also-ran to national power.
The American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) honored Harvell with its South Region Coach of the Year award for his efforts during the 2002 season and gave him the same award in 2003. He earned his third career Region Coach of the Year honor following the 2011 season, and is also a five-time Conference Coach of the Year (2001, 2008, 2012, 2018, 2019).
Here are just some of the amazing accomplishments of Christopher Newport baseball in the last 22 years under the leadership of John Harvell:
-In 2001, the Captains rose from a fifth place tie in the Dixie Conference to tie for the league's regular season title, and then won the conference tournament championship for the first time. That vaulted CNU into NCAA play for the first time ever.
-After a 5-7 start in 2002, the Captains raced to a then-school record 38 wins and finished third at the NCAA Division III World Series. That came after winning the NCAA Regional Championship, obviously for the first time ever.
-In 2003, the Captains swept through the Regional unbeaten in four games, and then won their first four at the World Series.
-In 2011, Harvell's Captains set a new program record by winning 26-straight games.
-Christopher Newport achieved its first-ever national #1 ranking during the 2011 season
-For his efforts Harvell has been named Conference Coach of the Year five times.
-Guided one of the top offenses in Division III history in 2019, shattering school and conference records along the way. The Captains hit 75 home runs, scored 525 runs, and hit .340 as a team while winning the 800th game in program history during the season
-Compiled a career record of 590-293-3 for a winning percentage of .670, that ranks among the nation's top 50Â all-time at Division III
John graduated from Christopher Newport, and became well-known to Captains fans as both a baseball and basketball player. He played three baseball seasons and two years of basketball after transferring from Howard University, where he played baseball and was a kicker on the football team.
His last two years playing baseball were the Captains first two 20-victory seasons. In basketball, he played for the first Christopher Newport team to reach the NCAA "Sweet 16" in 1990-91.Â
Harvell began his coaching career by starting the baseball program from scratch at nearby Woodside High School in Newport News. In his four years at the brand new school, he compiled a record of 62-25, reached the state Group AAA regionals three times and advanced to the final four in 1998. He was named state high school Coach of the Year that season.
John's son Brandon played baseball at Division I Longwood University. He and his wife Emily were married at Captains Park in 2019.
