SALISBURY, Md. – Salisbury University mourns the passing of one of Sea Gull baseball's founders and a pillar of Salisbury athletics,
Deane Deshon.
The 1998 inductee into the Salisbury Athletics Hall of Fame led the SU baseball program for 34 years, compiling a 553-446-12 record with five NCAA Tournament appearances and four NAIA bids. Deshon also served as the head coach of the basketball program for eight years and spent several years as the Director of Athletics while teaching classes during his tenure.
Deshon was widely recognized for his leadership of both the baseball and basketball programs. He was named the 1967 Maryland Intercollegiate Basketball Coach of the Year, earned two NAIA District Baseball Coach of the Year awards and was named the 1977 NCAA Division III Baseball Coach of the Year. He retired as the 13th-winningest baseball coach in NCAA Division III history.
"Coach Deshon took me under his wing in 1994. He embraced and empowered me as an assistant baseball coach at then-Salisbury State University," said
Robb Disbennett, Assistant Head Coach of the football team. Disbennett served for four years as the lead assistant baseball coach under Deshon. "I loved every minute of coaching with him, learning the game of baseball on an entirely different level and perspective. [Deshon] loved coaching and cared deeply for his players. He treated everyone with dignity and respect. I am grateful for the time I got to spend with him and our relationship beyond his retirement. Coach Deshon was an impactful figure to so many Salisbury baseball alums over his time here. He will be missed, but remembered always."
When he was first hired by then-Maryland State Teachers College in 1962, Deshon's first task was to build the institution's baseball program. Handed a situation with no team, no baseball field and a population of just 105 male students, Deshon helped oversee the construction of a field where Maggs Physical Activities Center and Devilbiss Hall now stand.
Deshon needed just seven years to guide his team to a share of the Delaware Valley Conference Championship. Soon after, the squad was competing with the upper echelon of Division III talent.
"I came to Salisbury in 1976 as a transfer from Essex Community College," said
Pat Lamboni, Salisbury's head athletic trainer for 39 years and Deshon's neighbor for nearly a decade. Lamboni played baseball under Deshon's guidance as a student-athlete. "The year I came in, we had some of the best players that I ever played with. We all came there and met this guy named Deane Deshon, and he took that bunch of players and turned us into a Division III powerhouse. We made it to the NCAA Division III playoffs in 1977 and 1978 … if you want to talk about legacy, that's a good start."
Deshon helped develop six Sea Gulls into All-Americans, coaching one First-Team selection, one Second-Team honoree, two Third-Team choices and two Honorable Mentions. He finished 22 of his 34 seasons with a winning record, including 16 of his final 22 years at the helm.
"Deane gave me a chance to both play baseball and be an athletic trainer," Lamboni said. "I think that opportunity made me realize the guy had more than just baseball on his mind. He allowed me to do two things that are very difficult, and the rest is history … He was just a very kind heart. The impact he had on not only me but on my family has been tremendous."
Deshon was inducted into the Eastern Shore Baseball Hall of Fame in 2012 and the Mid-Coast (Maine) Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.
"He was a great coach to play for," said
Doug Fleetwood, assistant football coach who also served as Salisbury's head baseball coach for 14 years and played for Deshon as a student-athlete. "He was a great baseball coach
, and he ran it by himself … Where this program is today, with the great success that has been accomplished here, he was the main throttle behind it. There are a lot of guys who have not only learned a lot of baseball from him, but who have learned a lot in life from him as well."
Salisbury Baseball will honor Coach Deshon this spring with the inaugural Deane Deshon Memorial Weekend. The weekend will feature activities for alumni and friends as well as honor his legacy and impact prior to a game. Event details and registration will be forthcoming.
Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with the New Jersey Athletic Conference for football and men's and women's swimming, and the Coastal Lacrosse Conference for men's lacrosse. With over 500 student-athletes in 21 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, featuring dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on and off the field. The Sea Gulls have celebrated 23 team national championships, 24 individual national champions, 197 conference championships, and 45 Academic All-Americans.
To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit www.SUSeaGulls.com or follow on social media @SUSeaGulls.
