Head coach Mitch Hannahs enters his 11th season at the helm of the Indiana State baseball program after returning to his alma mater in 2013. Hannahs, who is one of the most decorated student-athletes in program history, entered the Indiana State Hall of Fame in 2010. Overall, Hannahs has been a part of eight of the program’s 12 trips to the NCAA Postseason Tournament as a player or coach.
Since taking over the program in 2013, Hannahs has led the Sycamores to 311 wins, four NCAA Tournament appearances, the first Super Regional appearance in program history, as well as hosting and winning the Terre Haute Regional. He sits second all-time in career wins behind legendary head coach and ISU Hall of Famer Bob Warn who guided the program to 1,070 wins from 1976-2006.
Hannahs was named the 2023 ABCA/ATEC NCAA Division I Midwest Region Coach of the Year as announced by the American Baseball Coaches Association and ATEC. The Sycamore skipper received the honor for the first time after guiding the Sycamores to one of the best seasons in program history. The Sycamores won the 2023 Missouri Valley Conference regular season and tournament championships, hosted their first-ever NCAA regional, won the Terre Haute Regional, and advanced the first NCAA Super Regional in program history. For his efforts, Hannahs was voted as the league’s Dan Callahan Coach of the Year by his peers for the first time in his career.
In 2023, the Sycamores won 45 games; the most in the Hannahs coaching era and set a new program record for Missouri Valley wins with 24. ISU won every MVC weekend series for the first time in program history.
The Sycamores advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 12th time in program history and third in the last four seasons in 2023. ISU was ranked in all six major NCAA baseball polls and posted a top-10 RPI heading into the postseason. With a mantra of playing anyone, any time, and any place, the Sycamores headed into the postseason as one of the nation’s hottest teams, winning 30 of their final 33 regular season games, including nonconference victories over Vanderbilt, Indiana, Purdue, Ball State, and Illinois.
ISU won the 2023 MVC Tournament in front of their home fans at Bob Warn Field, clinching the program’s first tournament championship since 2019 and eighth in program history. The regular season and conference tournament success led to Indiana State earning the No. 14 national seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament and the right to host an NCAA Regional for the first time in program history.
Indiana State continued its momentum in the NCAA Tournament as ISU topped Wright State and Iowa (twice) over the June 2-4 weekend on the way to winning just the program’s second NCAA Regional title in school history and first since 1986. The Sycamores advanced to the Super Regional round for the first time in program history since the NCAA Tournament format was changed back in 1999. ISU’s season ended in Fort Worth after falling twice to TCU at Lupton Stadium.
Hannahs again posted a winning record in the 2022 season after guiding the Sycamores to a 26-22-1 overall mark. The Sycamores had six players honored on the MVC All-Conference teams, including First Team selections Matt Jachec (SP) and Jordan Schaffer (SS), while Josue Urdaneta (2B), Seth Gergely (OF) both claimed Second Team nods. ISU also had a trio of players honored on the MVC All-Defensive squad in Jachec, Gergely, and catcher Grant Magill.
The Sycamores earned back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament after picking up an at-large bid in 2021. Hannahs led the squad to a 31-21 record, including 21 wins away from home. ISU traveled to Nashville as the No. 3 seed at the Vanderbilt Regional, picking up a victory against Presbyterian in an elimination contest.
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Geremy Guerrero was named Pitcher of the Year -- the first time a Sycamore has earned the award in program history -- while Aaron Beck earned Newcomer of the Year accolades marking consecutive years that an Indiana State student-athlete has earned the honor. Guerrero finished the season 10-1 with a 2.08 ERA while earning five All-American honors. Hannahs also saw longtime catcher Max Wright sign a free agent deal with the San Francisco Giants following the postseason run.
Hannahs led his club to an 8-6 record in 2020 before the season was suspended due to COVID-19.
2019 served as a milestone year for Hannahs and the Sycamores. ISU picked up its 10th NCAA Tournament appearance after securing the No. 2 seed at the Nashville Regional following Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Championship -- the first in over 20 years for the program. After knocking off both McNeese and Ohio State, the Sycamores advanced to the regional final against No. 1 ranked Vanderbilt, falling to the eventual National Champion Commodores.
Indiana State used a wealth of experience to make the magical run with 13 seniors on the roster. In 2019, Hannahs coached seven All-MVC selections, including three first-team honorees. Third baseman Jake Means was named the MVC Defensive Player of the Year while starting pitcher Collin Liberatore earned Newcomer of the Year honors from The Valley. Five Sycamores were tabbed MVC Scholar-Athletes while catcher Max Wright picked up CoSIDA Academic All-America accolades. Clay Dungan, Triston Polley and Jake Means were each selected in the MLB Draft.
Indiana State entered the national ranking in three different polls in 2019, coming in at No. 23 in both D1Baseball.com and Perfect Game while sitting at No. 25 in the Baseball America poll. The last time the Sycamores were nationally ranked was at the conclusion of the 1989 season when ranked 22nd by Collegiate Baseball.
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He led the Sycamores to a 31-24 overall record during the 2018 campaign and an 11-10 clip in Valley play. Hannahs eclipsed the 100-career win mark at Indiana State and moved into second all-time in program history in career wins behind long time skipper Bob Warn.
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Jake Means, Dane Giesler, Tyler Ward and Jarrod Watkins earned MVC postseason honors while Ward was also named an Honorable Mention MVC Scholar Athlete. Right-hander Ethan Larrison was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 16th round of the MLB Draft.
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Hannahs saw four players drafted in the 2017 season after the Sycamores finished the year 29-26 and 12-9 in The Valley. Four Sycamores earned MVC Postseason honors, including Tony Rosselli who was tabbed First Team All-MVC. Austin Conway Dane Giesler and Will Kincanon earned second team honors.
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Year three in Terre Haute was a standout season for the Sycamores under Hannahs. He led the squad to a 35-21 record and a 13-8 finish in the MVC and the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. The 2016 season was full of memorable moments including weekend sweeps at Campbell, Butler as well as an impressive sweep at home against nationally ranked Missouri State.
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Andy DeJesus, Hunter Owen, Andy Young, Jeremy McKinney and Tyler Friis earned MVC postseason honors while Hunter Owen and Andy Young were taken in the MLB Draft. Right-hander Tyler Ward was also named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American.
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The 2015 Sycamores finished 28-26 overall and 8-13 in the Valley. Key wins during the 2015 campaign include defeating NCAA runner-up and defending champion Vanderbilt, 8-1 in Port Charlotte, Fla. Indiana State swept in-state rival Indiana, taking two games from the Hoosiers.
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In his first season at the helm, Hannahs led the Sycamores to a 35-18 overall record and 14-7 in the Missouri Valley while earning an at-large bid into the NCAA tournament. The Sycamores were placed in the Bloomington Regional, falling to Stanford and Youngstown State. Infielder Tyler Wampler pitcher Ryan Keaffaber earned MVC postseason honors.
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Hannahs is four-year letterwinner from 1986-89. He finished his career on the diamond with a .376 batting average, 274 hits, 34 doubles, 23 triples, 11 home runs, 220 runs scored, 138 runs batted in and 77 stolen bases. An American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and Baseball America All-American in 1989, Hannahs led the team with a .428 batting average, 101 hits and 76 runs scored in his senior season while the Sycamores claimed the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament championship.
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With Hannahs on the diamond from 1986-89, Indiana State posted 172 victories and made trips to the NCAA Tournament in 1986, 1987 and 1989, including the 1986 College World Series team – the lone trip to the CWS in program history.
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Following his collegiate career, Hannahs was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 16th round of the 1989 Major League Baseball Draft. He went on to play three seasons in the minor leagues from 1989 to 1991 where he compiled a .306 batting average with 132 hits in 127 career games played.
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He returned to Terre Haute in 1995 to serve as an assistant coach for Bob Warn. He worked as the hitting and infield coach from 1995 to 1999 and was the Sycamores’ coach for pitchers and catchers from 1999 to 2001. He oversaw the development of several potential major league pitchers including Mitch Stetter, Joe Thatcher, Matt Zaleski, Alex Graman, and Aric LeClaire. Under Hannahs, the Sycamores saw the revitalizing of a pitching staff that ranked eighth in team earned run average in the Missouri Valley Conference, improving to third in the MVC.
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Hannahs went on to become the head coach at Lincoln Trail College in Robinson, Illinois, for nine seasons where he led the Statesmen to Region 24 titles in 2005 and 2007, and the Great Rivers Athletic Conference championship in 2006 and 2007.
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Hannahs was also inducted into the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Hall of Fame in recognition of his accomplishments at Skyvue High School (Graysville, Ohio) where he played basketball and baseball.
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Hannahs graduated from Indiana State in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in business and marketing. He went on to earn his master's degree in athletics administration. Hannahs and his wife, Amy, have three children: Derek, Kylee and Kaleb.
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| Overall Coaching Record |
| Lincoln Trail |
Overall |
|
| 2002 |
21-26 |
|
| 2003 |
29-23 |
|
| 2004 |
28-22 |
|
| 2005 |
39-23 |
|
| 2006 |
35-16 |
|
| 2007 |
37-15 |
|
| 2008 |
24-22 |
|
| 2009 |
23-17 |
|
| 2010 |
34-25 |
|
| Record (Nine Years) |
270-189 |
|
| Indiana State |
Overall |
MVC |
| 2014 |
35-18 |
14-7 |
| 2015 |
28-26 |
8-13 |
| 2016 |
35-21 |
13-8 |
| 2017 |
29-26 |
12-9 |
| 2018 |
31-24 |
11-10 |
| 2019 |
43-18 |
13-8 |
| 2020 (COVID-19) |
8-6 |
0-0 |
| 2021 |
31-21 |
14-10 |
| 2022 |
26-22-1 |
10-10-1 |
| 2023 |
45-17 |
24-3 |
| Record (10 Years) |
311-199-1 |
119-78-1 |
| Overall Record (19 Years) |
581-388-1 |
119-78-1 |
| MLB Draft Picks Under Mitch Hannahs at Indiana State |
| Year |
Player |
Round |
Pick |
Organization |
| 2014 |
Tyler Wampler |
17th |
519 |
Los Angeles Dodgers |
| 2014 |
Mike Fitzgerald |
27th |
807 |
San Diego Padres |
| 2015 |
Jeff Degano |
2nd |
57 |
New York Yankees |
| 2016 |
Hunter Owen |
25th |
765 |
Pittsburg Pirates |
| 2016 |
Andy Young |
37th |
1126 |
St. Louis Cardinals |
| 2017 |
Will Kincanon |
11th |
327 |
Chicago White Sox |
| 2017 |
Tyler Friis |
21st |
642 |
Cleveland Indians |
| 2017 |
Jeremy McKinney |
31st |
943 |
Washington Nationals |
| 2017 |
Damon Olds |
33rd |
990 |
Kansas City Royals |
| 2018 |
Ethan Larrison |
16th |
489 |
Arizona Diamondbacks |
| 2019Â Â |
Clay Dungan |
9th |
259 |
Kansas City Royals |
| 2019 |
Triston Polley |
16th |
475 |
Texas Rangers |
| 2019 |
Jake Means |
22nd |
649 |
Kansas City Royals |
| 2023 |
Matt Jachec |
18th |
548 |
Cleveland Guardians |
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