The Indiana State Sycamores baseball team is the
NCAA Division I baseball program of
Indiana State University, located in
Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, about 5 miles east of the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a ...
. It is a member of the
Missouri Valley Conference. The team last played in the
NCAA Division I Baseball Championship
The NCAA Division I Baseball Championship is held each year from May through June and features 64 college baseball teams in the United States, culminating in the eight-team Men's College World Series at Charles Schwab Field Omaha in Omaha, Nebr ...
in 2019. Their first season was 1896. The Sycamores have had 12 All-Americans, 26 Major Leaguers, and more than 2,070 victories. The team's most successful season was in 1986, when the team appeared in the
College World Series and finished with a record of 48–21. The Sycamores have appeared in the
NCAA Division I Baseball Championship
The NCAA Division I Baseball Championship is held each year from May through June and features 64 college baseball teams in the United States, culminating in the eight-team Men's College World Series at Charles Schwab Field Omaha in Omaha, Nebr ...
in 1979, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1989, 1995, 2012, 2014, 2019 and 2021.
They appeared in the
NAIA Baseball World Series in 1958 and won the NAIA "Midwest" District Championship in 1964. In 2013, the 1958 team was honored on the 55th Anniversary of their appearance at the NAIA Baseball World Series.
Past coaches include
John Wooden
John Robert Wooden (October 14, 1910 – June 4, 2010) was an American basketball coach and player. Nicknamed the Wizard of Westwood, he won ten National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) national championships in a 12-year period as head ...
,
Bob Warn
Bob Warn is a former Indiana State Sycamores baseball coach. While coaching Indiana State University's Baseball team, he led the Sycamores to six Missouri Valley Conference (1979, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1989, 1995) championships, seven NCAA Tournament ...
, former ISU and MiLB'er
Paul L. Wolf, and
Wally Marks
Walter E. Marks (February 16, 1905 – November 24, 1992) was an American football, basketball, and baseball player, coach, college athletics administrator, sports official, and university instructor. Marks played football, basketball, and baseba ...
. The Sycamores play their home games at
Sycamore Stadium
Sycamore Stadium is a baseball stadium in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States. The venue is used by both the Indiana State Sycamores baseball team of the Missouri Valley Conference and the Terre Haute Rex of the college summer Prospect League. ...
at Bob Warn Field (900) and are coached by
Mitch Hannahs; Hannahs was named as the 29th head coach on July 25, 2013 and returns to his alma mater following a 9-year stint as the head coach at Lincoln Trail College in Robinson, Illinois. Hannahs was an assistant at Indiana State from 1995–1999 and the 2001 season. An All-American 2B for the Sycamores, Hannahs spent three seasons (1989–1991) in the
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
system, spending two seasons in AA-ball with the
El Paso Diablos of the
Texas League.
Division I NCAA tournament results
The Sycamores have appeared in 11
NCAA Division I Baseball Championship
The NCAA Division I Baseball Championship is held each year from May through June and features 64 college baseball teams in the United States, culminating in the eight-team Men's College World Series at Charles Schwab Field Omaha in Omaha, Nebr ...
s. Their combined record is 11–22; they won the 1986 Mideast Regional and reached Regional Finals in 1989 and 2019.
National awards (1)
All-Americans (16)
Most Valuable Player
Conference (reg. season)
*2012 Jeremy Lucas, C
Missouri Valley Conference
Conference Tournament (5)
*1979
Wallace Johnson, 2B
Missouri Valley Conference
*1986 Dave Travis, DH
Missouri Valley Conference
*1989 Larry Russell, OF
Missouri Valley Conference
*1995 Jeff Leaman, 3B/P
Missouri Valley Conference
*2019 Chris Ayers, OF/DH
Missouri Valley Conference
All-Conference (113)
Only players selected for the conference first team are displayed; for second team and honorable mention, please consult the Indiana State baseball media guide at www.gosycamores.com
All-Indiana Collegiate Conference (35)
All-Missouri Valley Conference (85)
Conference Speciality
Pitcher of the Year (1)
*Geremy Guerrero - 2021
Defensive Player of the Year (2)
*Tyler Wampler - 2014
*Jake Means - 2019
MVC Newcomer of the Year (5)
*Rich Angell – 1998
*
Clint Barmes
Clint Harrold Barmes (, born March 6, 1979) is an American former professional baseball second baseman and shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2003 through 2015 for the Colorado Rockies, Houston Astros, Pittsburgh Pirates, a ...
– 2000
*Tim Brewer – 2005
*Collin Liberatore - 2019
*Aaron Beck - 2021
MVC Freshman of the Year (1)
*
Mitch Stetter
Mitchel Blake Stetter (born January 16, 1981) is an American former professional baseball pitcher and current Coach (baseball), coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers.
College
Stetter attended Indiana State Univ ...
– 2000
*
Ryan Keaffaber – 2014
Career leaders
Batting average
* Bird appeared in one game for the baseball team, going 1-for-2 with 2 RBI.
Hits
* Bob Zeihen holds the National NCAA career record for triples (32)
HRs
Wins
ERA
Strikeouts
Sycamores in MLB
While long-time baseball great
Tommy John is an alumnus of Indiana State; he did not play baseball for the Sycamores as he attended classes around his professional baseball schedule. Future
New York Yankees-great,
Don Mattingly
Donald Arthur Mattingly (born April 20, 1961) is an American former professional baseball first baseman, coach, and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). He is the bench coach for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). Nicknamed ...
, declined his baseball scholarship from Coach Bob Warn after he was drafted by the
New York Yankees.
Bill Hayes had 2 "cups-of-coffee" in the majors but would go on to a long career as a Minor League manager before beginning a 15-year coaching career with the San Francisco Giants, winning 3x
World Series Championships (
2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
,
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
,
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
); in Dec 2014, he was named 1st-base coach for the Giants. Long-time college basketball coach
Ron Felling was a 2-year letterman for the Sycamores.
In addition, basketball legend
Larry Bird appeared in two games for the Sycamores, in the spring of 1979, following the NCAA men's basketball tournament.
Indiana State has placed over 75 Sycamores in the Minors, of which 27 have reached the Major Leagues or Negro Major Leagues. They are by order of appearance:
Coaching leaders
Coaching honors
Conference Coach of the Year (9)
Hall(s) of Fame
* 1987 – Paul Wolf (Coach) – Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame
* 1988 – Don Jennings (Player) – Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame
* 1989 – Howard Sharpe (Player) – Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame
* 1990 – Bob Warn (Coach) – Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame
* 2000 – Bob Warn (Coach) – Iowa Western Hall of Fame
[Indiana State University Archives Home](_blank)
* 2002 - Junius "Rainey" Bibbs (Player) - Indiana State University Hall of Fame
* 2002 – 1986 Baseball Team (College World Series participant) – Indiana State University
/ref>
* 2002 – Bob Warn (Coach) – Indiana State University Hall of Fame
* 2002 – Paul Gries (Player) – Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame
* 2003 – Bob Warn (Coach) – American Baseball Coach's Association
* 2007 – Brian Dorsett (Player) – Indiana State University Hall of Fame
* 2008 – Brian Dorsett (Player) – Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame
* 2011 – Junius "Rainey" Bibbs (Player) – Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame
* 2021 -
Sean Manaea
Sean Anthony Manaea ( ; born February 1, 1992) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Oakland Athletics and San Diego Padres. He played co ...
(Player) – Indiana State University Hall of Fame
* 2022 - Steve Ruckman (Player) -
Frontier League Hall of Fame
See also
*
List of NCAA Division I baseball programs
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Indiana State Sycamores Baseball
Baseball teams established in 1896