Tell us about your background and how you ended up coaching at UIS:
I grew up in Des Plaines, Ill., a suburb just outside of Chicago. After graduating from Elk Grove High School in 2006, I attended Illinois State University and played there from 2007-10. In 2010, we won the program’s first Missouri Valley Conference Championship since 1994 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. During the regional, I was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals, and played three seasons in the minor leagues before a Thoracic Outlet Syndrome led to my release.
I contemplated continuing my professional career with another organization, but I never graduated from Illinois State and I knew my future was in coaching. After coaching travel ball for a year, I joined the coaching staff at Illinois State as a student assistant in 2014-2015 while also finishing up my degree. Once I had my degree, I began looking for a full-time position in college baseball. Ironically, two of my former players from travel ball were at UIS. They both reached out to me when the assistant position opened up and I have been here ever since.
What do you like best about the sport you coach:
It is an incredibly challenging game, especially from a mental perspective. Some of the best athletes in the world are humbled so often. The intricacies and nuances of the game make it a lot different than other sports. I grew up a baseball fan from the time I was four-years-old because of my dad. When I started playing around that age, I fell in love with everything about the game. There is so much history surrounding the game of baseball and its origins.
What has been the top moment/game of your coaching career:
The top moment of my coaching career at UIS is when we defeated Bellarmine in 2018 to win the GLVC Conference Championship. The NCAA Regional Championship in 2019 was great and something our coaching staff and players were incredibly proud of, but the GLVC title in 2018 was particularly special because we had finally established ourselves as one of the top programs in the country. We had worked so hard as a coaching staff the previous three years to get to that point. It was almost like that “we’re here” moment for our program.
What’s the best thing about coaching at UIS:
We are fortunate to go to work every day surrounded by people that truly care about what we do. Having the opportunity to coach and interact with our players on a daily basis is something that I am very grateful for.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not coaching:
I enjoy being at home with my dog. We do just about everything together when I’m not working. Since the courses opened back up, I’ve taken up golf and usually go a few times each week. I’m not very good, but I’m getting better.
