Emporia State alum named new head baseball coach

EMPORIA, Kan. (WIBW) - Emporia State University has announced that Emporia State alum, Emporia State Hall of Honor member and former NCAA Division II national championship coach Brad Hill will act as their next head baseball coach.

A native of Galva, Kan., Hill played baseball and graduated at Emporia State in 1984, helping lead the Hornets to an NAIA College World Series appearances in 1984.

Hill has coached multiple NCAA programs for 30 years, 24 of them as a head coach. He has amassed a career record of 886-482-3 while serving as head coach Central Missouri and Kansas State. His coaching career began as the head coach of Hutchinson Community College from 1988-90 before acting as an assistant coach at KU from 1991-94.

From 1995-2003 as Central Missouri’s head coach, Hill became their all-time winningest coach with a 418-91 record, including nine NCAA D-II Regional appearances, seven D-II College World Series appearances and a 2003 D-II National Championship. Hill was also named the D-II National Coach of the Year in 2003.

In the summer of 2003, Hill was hired at Kansas State as their new head baseball coach, where he served from 2004-18 in his first, and only, NCAA Division I head coaching gig. He became the Wildcats’ all-time winningest coach with a 468-391-3 record, including four Regional berths and leading K-State to their first Big 12 Championship and Super Regional in 2013. Hill earned two-time Big 12 Coach of the Year and two-time ABCA Midwest Coach of the Year, both in 2009 and 2013.

After his head coaching tenure at K-State, Hill served as an assistant coach for one season at Northwestern University in 2022. The Wildcats finished with a 24-27 record that season.

Hill has coached 64 MLB Draft picks, 46 at K-State and 18 at Central Missouri.

“What an honor and privilege returning to my alma mater to take over the head baseball coaching position. Emporia State baseball has a long, rich tradition of success with high expectations to win championships,” Hill said in a release. “I am very excited to be back in the college game that has provided many positive memories, plus a network of lifetime relationships with players and coaches.”

“Hornet Baseball has a great tradition that includes several alumni who have been very successful as baseball coaches. As we narrowed down the process, we were looking for someone who can structure and develop a championship level program, while bringing our history to the present,” said Emporia State Athletic Director David Spafford. “We feel Coach Hill is someone who can provide our student athletes with the experience they deserve and are excited to welcome Coach Hill home!”

Hill will take over for Seth Wheeler, who served as the head coach from 2019-23, recording a 97-116 record. According to their release, Hill will become just the fifth Emporia State head baseball coach in 50 years.

An introductory press conference will be held June 8.