{"id":524,"date":"2013-09-11T21:01:24","date_gmt":"2013-09-11T21:01:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/rochester-honkers\/?page_id=371"},"modified":"2026-01-19T10:54:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T16:54:10","slug":"coaching-staff","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/mankato-moondogs\/team\/coaching-staff\/","title":{"rendered":"MoonDogs Coaching Staff"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/h1>\n

2025 MoonDogs Coaching Staff<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n

Danny Kneeland – Manager\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

COACH EMAIL: dkneeland8@gmail.com<\/p>\n

CURRENTLY: Associate Head Coach at Bethany Lutheran College<\/p>\n

HOMETOWN: Windom, MN<\/p>\n

HIGH SCHOOL: Windom Area HS<\/p>\n

COLLEGE: Bethany Lutheran<\/p>\n

Kneeland, 29, took over as the manager of the MoonDogs before the second half of the 2022 season. Entering his fourth season as MoonDog Manager, as well as his third full season at the helm, MoonDog Manager Danny Kneeland looks to continue the success he found with Mankato after piloting the club to a 134-105 record, 16 All-Stars (9 in one-year NWL record), 16 players on professional contracts, and 11 players hearing their name’s called on draft day.<\/p>\n

Currently an Associate Head Coach at Bethany Lutheran College, where he played for four seasons in 2013 to 2017, Kneeland just wrapped up his sixth year on staff for the Vikings.<\/p>\n

During his time as a player at BLC, Kneeland would finish top-ten in program history with 497 putouts (second place), 17 caught stealings (3rd place), and 23 stolen bases (8th place). Playing in 100 career games over four seasons, Kneeland slashed .258\/.352\/.266 with 21 career RBI and 58 career hits. Across his time with the program, Kneeland proved to be a versatile player, appearing at catcher, second base, third base, and right field.<\/p>\n

Kneeland graduated from Bethany Lutheran following his playing Kneeland playing at BLC career in 2017 with a degree in Secondary Social Studies Education. During his time at BLC, he has helped the team to five winning seasons, 37 all-conference players, and two conference championships.<\/p>\n

\n

Benji Ries (Assistant Coach)<\/strong>–<\/p>\n

The Mankato MoonDogs are excited to announce the addition of\u00a0Benji Ries<\/strong>\u00a0to the coaching staff for the\u00a02026 season<\/strong>, marking his\u00a0first year with the organization<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Ries is currently serving as a\u00a0Graduate Assistant at the University of Central Missouri<\/strong>, where he continues to develop as a coach at the collegiate level. He brings valuable experience in player development, preparation, and daily operations that will translate well to the MoonDogs\u2019 clubhouse.<\/p>\n

Prior to his time at Central Missouri, Ries spent\u00a0three seasons coaching with Elite Baseball Training in Chicago<\/strong>, one of the\u00a0premier travel baseball organizations in the country<\/strong>, working closely with high-level athletes and contributing to long-term player development.<\/p>\n

As a player, Ries competed at\u00a0Le Moyne College<\/strong>, where he was the\u00a0starting catcher for three seasons<\/strong>. He helped lead the program to a\u00a0Super Regional appearance in 2023<\/strong>\u00a0and played a key role in the program\u2019s\u00a0transition from Division III to Division I<\/strong>\u00a0baseball. During his senior season, Ries led the team in\u00a0batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS<\/strong>, showcasing both leadership and offensive production.<\/p>\n

A\u00a0native of Buffalo Grove, Illinois<\/strong>, Ries brings a strong blend of playing experience, coaching background, and developmental insight to Mankato. The MoonDogs are thrilled to welcome Coach Ries and look forward to the energy and knowledge he will bring to the team during the 2026 season.<\/p>\n

\n

Shea Walker (Pitching Coach)<\/strong>–<\/p>\n

The Mankato MoonDogs are excited to announce the addition of\u00a0Shea Walker<\/strong>\u00a0as the team\u2019s\u00a0Pitching Coach for the upcoming season<\/strong>, marking his\u00a0first year with the organization<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Walker currently serves as the\u00a0Pitching Coach at Bethany Lutheran College<\/strong>, where he is responsible for developing pitchers, managing staff preparation, and overseeing in-game pitching strategy. He brings a strong blend of collegiate coaching experience and recent competitive playing background to the MoonDogs\u2019 staff.<\/p>\n

In 2025, Walker also served as the\u00a0Pitching Coach for the Queen City Corndogs<\/strong>\u00a0of the\u00a0South Carolina Baseball League (SCBL)<\/strong>, gaining valuable summer collegiate experience while working closely with pitchers in a fast-paced, development-focused environment.<\/p>\n

As a player, Walker pitched collegiately at\u00a0UNC Asheville<\/strong>\u00a0from\u00a02024\u20132025<\/strong>\u00a0after beginning his career at\u00a0Dodge City Community College<\/strong>\u00a0from\u00a02022\u20132023<\/strong>. During his time at DCCC, he was an\u00a0All-Conference performer as a sophomore<\/strong>\u00a0and ranks\u00a0top 10 in career strikeouts<\/strong>\u00a0in the program\u2019s history, highlighting both durability and competitive consistency on the mound.<\/p>\n

A\u00a0native of San Antonio, Texas<\/strong>, Walker brings energy, knowledge, and a pitcher-first development approach to Mankato. The MoonDogs are thrilled to welcome Coach Walker and look forward to the impact he will have on the pitching staff in the upcoming season.<\/p>\n

\n

Samuel Tetrault (Assistant Coach)<\/strong>–<\/p>\n

The Mankato MoonDogs are excited to announce that\u00a0Sam Tetrault<\/strong>\u00a0will return to the coaching staff for the\u00a02026 season<\/strong>, marking his\u00a0second year with the organization<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Tetrault played a key role in the MoonDogs\u2019 success during the 2025 campaign, helping guide the team to a\u00a038\u201332 record<\/strong>, a\u00a0Second Half Championship<\/strong>, and the\u00a0Great Plains West Division Series Championship<\/strong>. His responsibilities included\u00a0assisting with hitters<\/strong>,\u00a0coordinating the run game<\/strong>, and\u00a0opponent scouting<\/strong>, providing critical preparation and in-game strategy throughout the season.<\/p>\n

Currently, Tetrault is in his\u00a0second year on the coaching staff at Mount Marty University<\/strong>, where he helped lead the Lancers to the\u00a0GPAC Tournament Championship in 2025<\/strong>. A\u00a0native of Fullerton, California<\/strong>, he brings a diverse and accomplished coaching background at multiple competitive levels.<\/p>\n

Tetrault previously served as an\u00a0undergraduate assistant at the University of Arizona<\/strong>\u00a0from\u00a02018\u20132021<\/strong>\u00a0under head coach\u00a0Jay Johnson<\/strong>, gaining experience in a premier Division I program. He also coached the\u00a0Bismarck Larks in 2024<\/strong>\u00a0and spent\u00a0two seasons at Iowa Western<\/strong>, where he helped the Reivers reach the\u00a0JUCO World Series in 2024<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The MoonDogs are thrilled to welcome back Coach Tetrault and look forward to the continued impact his experience, preparation, and player development will bring to Mankato in 2026.<\/p>\n

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n

Brooks Walton (Analytics\/Player Development-\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Mankato MoonDogs are excited to announce the addition of\u00a0Brooks Walton<\/strong>, who will oversee\u00a0Analytics and Player Development<\/strong>\u00a0for the upcoming season.<\/p>\n

Walton brings a unique blend of\u00a0professional playing experience, analytical insight, and coaching background<\/strong>\u00a0to the MoonDogs\u2019 staff. His role will focus on utilizing data-driven evaluation while supporting individual player growth both on and off the field.<\/p>\n

As a player, Walton pitched collegiately at\u00a0UAB from 2022\u20132023<\/strong>, where he was twice named\u00a0Conference USA Pitcher of the Week<\/strong>\u00a0during his senior season. He continued his playing career professionally with the\u00a0Ottawa Titans of the Frontier League<\/strong>\u00a0from\u00a02023\u20132024<\/strong>, gaining experience at the professional level and further expanding his understanding of player development systems.<\/p>\n

Walton also brings valuable coaching experience, having worked with the\u00a0University of Florida Softball program from 2023 to present<\/strong>, as well as serving in coaching roles with the\u00a0Ottawa Titans<\/strong>\u00a0during his time in professional baseball. His diverse background across collegiate, professional, and analytical environments adds a modern development approach to the MoonDogs organization.<\/p>\n

A\u00a0native of Gainesville, Florida<\/strong>, Walton adds depth and innovation to the MoonDogs\u2019 staff. The organization is excited to welcome Coach Walton and looks forward to the impact his analytics-driven approach and player development focus will have during the upcoming season.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":39,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-524","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nMoonDogs Coaching Staff - Mankato MoonDogs<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/mankato-moondogs\/team\/coaching-staff\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"MoonDogs Coaching Staff\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/mankato-moondogs\/team\/coaching-staff\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Mankato MoonDogs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-19T16:54:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/mankato-moondogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2023\/11\/MoonDogs-Web-Banner-Coaching-Staff-1024x244.png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/mankato-moondogs\/team\/coaching-staff\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/mankato-moondogs\/team\/coaching-staff\/\",\"name\":\"MoonDogs Coaching Staff - 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