James Hattenstein

Coach James Hattenstein has served as the head baseball coach at Bishop State Community College since August 2017, transforming the Wildcats program into one of the most competitive and respected in the region. When he arrived, Bishop State had not posted a winning season in decades. In seven full seasons and one shortened COVID year, the Wildcats have won more than 150 games, shattered numerous program records, and established a sustained culture of winning on and off the field. 

Under Coach Hattenstein’s leadership, Bishop State has dramatically increased its winning percentage and emerged as a consistent conference contender. Over the past four seasons, the Wildcats have averaged 30 wins per year and earned multiple consecutive conference tournament appearances. His teams have also excelled academically, reflecting his belief that success in the classroom is just as important as success between the lines. 

Coach Hattenstein’s impact is especially evident on the mound. In his first season, the pitching staff reduced the team ERA by nearly two runs per game. Since then, his staffs have consistently ranked among the best in the league and the nation. Highlights include a 3.65 conference ERA in 2019; national top-ten rankings in walks allowed (7th) and earned runs allowed (8th) in 2021; a No. 2 conference finish in ERA in 2023 while also ranking second nationally in fewest walks allowed; and a standout 2025 season in which the Wildcats led the conference in ERA, WHIP, runs allowed, and walks allowed, while ranking seventh nationally in ERA and sixth nationally in fewest walks allowed. 

Academics remain a cornerstone of Coach Hattenstein’s program. Numerous Wildcats have earned NJCAA Academic All-American honors, and Bishop State has been named an ABCA All-Academic Team five times during his tenure. More than 70 Wildcats have advanced to play baseball at the next level, and Coach Hattenstein takes pride in ensuring his athletes earn their degrees. 

With more than 30 years of experience in education and coaching, Coach Hattenstein brings a wealth of leadership to Bishop State. Across the collegiate and high school levels, he has accumulated more than 300 career wins, including over 150 victories at each level. He has coached at the collegiate and high school levels, including stops at Bishop State, the University of Mobile, Mary G. Montgomery High School, LeFlore High School, Daphne High School, and Citronelle High School. As a high school head coach, he led his teams to three area championships, four Alabama High School Playoff appearances, and more than 150 career wins. He holds a master’s degree in Physical Education from the University of Mobile and a master’s-level certificate in Educational Leadership from the University of South Alabama, and he previously served four years as an assistant principal at Saraland Middle School. 

A proud local product, Coach Hattenstein is a 1991 graduate of Bishop State and a 1994 graduate of the University of South Alabama. As a pitcher at South Alabama, he was a member of the 1993 South Regional team that came within six outs of the College World Series, falling to eventual national champion LSU. After college, he played two seasons of professional baseball with the Mobile Baysharks and the Grand Forks Varmints. 

Coach Hattenstein and his wife of more than 20 years, Sharon, live in Spanish Fort and are the proud parents of two daughters, Alana and Alyssa.