Division II veteran Rick O’Dette, who has amassed over 500 wins and led his teams to NCAA Regional play four times during his career, was named Saint Leo's new head baseball coach on June 15, 2017, ushering in a new era for Saint Leo baseball. O’Dette made an immediate impact on the Saint Leo baseball program taking a team that had achieved just 23 wins in 2017 and amassing 38 victories in his first season at the helm. The Lions finished the year with an impressive 38-11 mark including taking two of three from Florida Southern on the road who was ranked No. 1 in the NCAA at the time. Under O’Dette’s guidance, junior utility player Peyton Isaacson led the NCAA in saves with 14 in just 21 appearances on the mound. The junior tied the Saint Leo program record for saves in a season while also filling the role of starting catcher and first baseman throughout the season.