FAYETTE, Iowa - Upper Iowa baseball coach Brian Voigt has announced the addition of Zac Tapia as an assistant coach to the baseball staff. Tapia joins the Peacocks after serving at Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga, California, for four years as the pitching coach. 

"Zac is the right fit because he values relationships with his student-athletes and building them up to be the best person, student and competitor they can be," Voigt said. "He is a strong recruiter and someone who genuinely invests into the success of his players as a whole. He is a great addition to our baseball family and Upper Iowa."

For Tapia, the most rewarding aspect of coaching baseball is helping athletes achieve their goals through mentorship and development. 

"What I enjoy most about coaching is building relationships and helping players reach goals they may not have thought were possible," Tapia said. "Baseball provides a platform to teach discipline, accountability, resilience and teamwork, and I take pride in helping athletes grow both as players and as people."

At Chaffey College, Tapia helped the Panthers capture three consecutive Inland Empire Athletic Conference (IEAC) Championships. The team set an all-time program record with 34 wins in 2025. Under Tapia's leadership, the Panther pitching staff had the best ERA in the IEAC in 2024 and 2025. 

"One area I believe I can bring value to is player development, particularly with pitchers," Tapia said. "I enjoy breaking down mechanics, creating individualized development plans and helping athletes understand how to maximize their strengths. I also enjoy recruiting and building connections with players and families. My goal is to create an environment where players feel challenged, supported and motivated to improve every day."

During the summer, Tapia has coached the Badlands Big Sticks of the collegiate Northwoods League. He guided the program to a historic 41-29 record, which marked the best in Badlands history. In 2025, his pitching staff averaged eight strikeouts per game, and he had three pitchers with a 2.03 ERA or lower.

"We're excited for Zac to bring his energy, baseball knowledge and passion for player development," Voigt said. "He has a strong ability to build relationships with student-athletes while helping them grow on and off the field."

Tapia is eager to apply his experience and contribute to the continued growth of the Peacock program.

"Upper Iowa stood out because of the people, the vision for the program and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact," Tapia said. "Throughout the process, I felt a genuine sense of alignment with the coaching staff's values and their commitment to developing student-athletes both on and off the field. This opportunity is the right fit because it allows me to continue growing as a coach while contributing to a competitive program. I am excited about helping recruit and develop quality student-athletes, building strong relationships within the team and being part of a university that values personal growth, academics and athletic excellence. Moving to Iowa represents a new challenge and an opportunity to invest fully in a program that is focused on long-term success."

The Fontana, California native graduated from Bluefield University in Virginia with a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice. He competed for the Rams as a right-handed pitcher during his time there. 

As Tapia settles into his role, he is excited about forming meaningful relationships with Upper Iowa student-athletes. 

"I'm excited about building relationships with the players, learning the culture of the program and helping contribute to a winning environment," Tapia said. "Anytime you join a new program, there is an opportunity to bring fresh energy and ideas while continuing to build on what has already been established. I'm thrilled to join the Upper Iowa community, recruit future Peacocks and help our student-athletes develop both on the field and in the classroom. Most importantly, I'm looking forward to competing, watching our players grow throughout the year and doing everything I can to help the program move forward."