MAINEVILLE – With Board of Education approval on Wednesday, October 16, Little Miami Schools is proud to announce Gabriel "Gabe" Olivencia as the next varsity head coach of the LMHS baseball program. Olivencia replaces Casey Woodruff who resigned for personal reasons after a two-year stint as the Panthers' skipper.
Coach Olivencia is a 2013 graduate of Lakota East High School in Liberty Township where he played baseball for the Thunderhawks, and following high school he enrolled at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in social studies in 2017. "I am extremely excited for the opportunity to lead the Little Miami baseball program," said Olivencia. "Coach Woodruff leaves the program in a wonderful place. I see this opportunity as a great chance to step in and lead a program that has a solid foundation. And if we install the right gameplan, we can position the Panthers for great success in the upcoming years," Olivencia continued. "Our expectations will focus on being physically and mentally tough, which will yield a fun baseball brand."
Following his undergraduate studies at EMU, Gabe returned to the Greater Cincinnati Area in 2018 and began teaching coaching baseball. In 2021, Coach Olivencia began coaching all high school ages in summer ball with the Cincinnati Durham Bulls and during the 2022 season Olivencia moved into the high school ranks at Kings High School. During the 2022 season, Gabe was a varsity assistant coach at Kings High School when the Knights claimed the Eastern Cincinnati Conference championship with an 18-10 record while going 14-4 in conference play. And in 2023, Kings improved by a game finishing 19-10 overall and 12-6 (3rd place) in the rugged ECC. During his stint with the Knights, Coach Olivencia provided instruction and feedback to players on improving their fundamental skills, along with promoting self-esteem and a sense of discipline.
Following the 2023 season, former Kings' head coach Lance Durham took over the baseball program at Fairfield High School and Olivencia made the jump with Durham. In 2024, the Indians finished 13-16 overall and fell in Round 2 of the postseason to rival Loveland. At Fairfield, Olivencia's duties included conducting daily practice sessions for hitting and fielding, while also collaborating with Durham to develop game strategies and lineup selections.
In addition to his baseball duties, Olivencia is also a history teacher at LMHS. "Gabe is an excellent teacher in the classroom, and we're certain his skill set there will translate well into leading our baseball teams, too," said Little Miami principal Dr. Kevin Harleman. "Gabe is a natural leader, a highly organized communicator, and knows the game of baseball well," Harleman concluded. In addition to his principal duties, Harleman also knows the game of baseball with the mindset of a professional coach. A former high school coach himself, Harleman also spent nearly two decades as the head baseball coach at his alma mater Miamisburg High School. So as the committee was navigating the interview process, they knew they had great direction and confidence when selecting Olivencia to be the Panthers' next leader.
As we move into October, expect upcoming communications from Olivencia to players and families regarding offseason preparation and training. Additionally, please visit littlemiamipanthers.com in the coming months for Little Miami's full 2025 baseball schedule.
