Dan Hartleb enters his 21st season as head coach at Illinois and 36th season on the Illini coaching staff in 2026. Hartleb is the winningest coach in school history, as he enters 2025 with a career record of 597-443-1 (.575). The D1Baseball.com Big Ten Coach of the Decade for the 2010s has won three Big Ten titles (2011, 2015, 2024) and owns a conference record of 271-200 (.574).

Under Hartleb, Illinois has had one of its best eras ever, winning 59.5 percent of its games over the last 13 years (388-264-1). Every Illini that has played four years for Hartleb has left with a winning percentage of .500 or better. Hartleb's teams have finished with a record of .500 or better in 18-of-20 seasons under his leadership.

Illinois has made a huge commitment to baseball under Hartleb with the announcement of the Susan and Clint Atkins Baseball Training Center. The 26,000-square foot, $8 million facility was completed in September 2022 giving the Fighting Illini one of the top indoor training facilities in all of college baseball. Illinois Field's turf was redone in 2020.

The Illini captured their third Big Ten title under Hartleb in 2024, winning their first conference crown since 2015. After starting the season 5-10, Illinois closed the regular season with a 28-7 record, backed by the most potent offense in the Big Ten. The Illini launched 104 home runs on the season, shattering the previous record of 92 set in 1998. Illinois was the only Big Ten team to hit more than 90 on the season and the offense also led the conference in slugging and OPS. Along with a high-octane offense, the Illini were nearly unbeatable at Illinois Field, going 20-3 at home, the first time since 2015 that Orange and Blue won at least 20 games in front of the home faithful.

Illinois returned to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time under Hartleb in 2024. The five NCAA trips in the last 15 seasons (2011, 2013, 2015, 2019, 2024) is the best stretch in program history, as Hartleb has already set the Illinois program record for tournament appearances. The Illini reached the postseason in 2019 by winning two season series against ranked teams (Coastal Carolina, Indiana) for the third time in the Hartleb era, joining 2009 (LSU, Minnesota) and 2015 (Oklahoma State, Ohio State).

In 2023, Hartleb became the winningest coach in program history when the Illini defeated Michigan, 11-1, on April 2, giving him 519 wins in his career, passing Lee Eilbracht for sole possession of first.

During the 2021 season, Hartleb recorded his 475th win after a 14-8 victory over Penn State on May 22, 2021. The win moved him into second place on the program's all-time wins list, passing his predecessor and mentor Richard “Itch” Jones. Hartleb also managed the Illini's combined no-hitter at Purdue on April 25, 2021, the first for the program since 1985. Following the season, Hartleb was named to the coaching staff for the 2021 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.

Illinois was off to a hot start in 2020 with ranked wins over #13 Texas A&M and #23 Oklahoma State before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the season before the Illini could make a run at back-to-back NCAA Tournament berths. 

Illinois enjoyed its greatest season ever in 2015 under Hartleb, who was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year, ABCA Mideast Region Coach of the Year and a National Coach of the Year finalist. The team won 50 games, breaking the previous school record of 49 wins set in 1982, won the NCAA Champaign Regional, and advanced to the NCAA Champaign Super Regional.

Along the way the Illini reeled off a Big Ten-record 27-game winning streak from March 30-May 20, the longest in the nation in 2015. Illinois won its first outright conference title in 10 years, claiming the crown with a 21-1 record. Illinois' .955 winning percentage was the best by a league champion since 1966.

The Illini earned the No. 6 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament; becoming just the second Big Ten team to earn a national seed. Illinois went on to win its first-ever NCAA Regional, advancing to the Super Regional for the first time in school history. The Orange and Blue hosted both the Regional and Super Regional during a season in which the Illini won a school-record 25 games at Illinois Field.

Illinois swept the Big Ten individual awards for the first time in school history with first baseman David Kerian being named Player of the Year, left hander Tyler Jay selected as Pitcher of the Year and Dan Hartleb garnering Coach of the Year. Jay went on to earn first-team All-America honors while Kerian and pitcher Kevin Duchene were chosen as second-team All-Americans. The 2015 Illini pitching staff set a pair of school records with a 2.55 ERA and 449 strikeouts.

Immediately following the season a school-record nine players were selected in the MLB Draft, highlighted by Jay’s selection at No. 6 overall by the Minnesota Twins to become the highest draft pick in Illini history. Illinois was tied for the third-most draft picks in the country in 2015.

The following year, right-hander Cody Sedlock was taken with the No. 27 overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft. Sedlock set Fighting Illini single-season records for strikeouts (116), innings pitched against Big Ten opponents (64.2) and strikeouts against Big Ten opponents (75) on his way to the 2016 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year award and first team All-American honors by Baseball America.

Jay and Sedlock were the first teammates from Big Ten schools to be drafted in the first round of back-to-back drafts since Purdue’s Sherard Clinkscales and Jermaine Allensworth went in the 1992 and 1993 supplemental first rounds.

Two years later Ben Spillane became the highest drafted position player in the history of Illinois baseball after one of the greatest offensive seasons in Big Ten history. Spillane slashed .389/.498/.903 and hit 23 home runs, the second-most in an Illinois single season, while leading the nation in slugging percentage. The Reds selected Spillane in the third round, becoming the first Big Ten player off the board.

The 2018 season also featured Illinois' first ever Gold Glove Award winner, as Michael Massey took home the prestigious award as the best defensive second baseman in the nation. Massey made just one error while starting every game at second base and went on a 60-game errorless streak between his freshman and sophomore seasons in Champaign.

During the 2014 season, Illinois posted its then-best Big Ten record at 17-7 during the conference’s 24-game schedule era, finishing in third place and playing in the Big Ten Tournament. The Illini earned their most conference wins under Hartleb, which included a 10-2 mark in Big Ten road games. Six Illini earned All-Big Ten honors, while Adam Walton was named a Freshman All-American. Illinois’ pitching staff shined on the mound, setting the then-school record with a 3.25 team ERA. Tyler Jay garnered All-Region recognition and shined on the Team USA Collegiate National Team roster during the summer, going 2-0 with a save and no earned runs allowed in 16.2 innings of relief. Hartleb also served on the coaching staff for the 2014 USA Baseball 14U National Team Development Program.

During the 2013 season, Illinois advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years and finished 35-20, marking the most wins under Hartleb and since 2000 by an Illini squad. The Illini earned an at-large bid into the Nashville Regional, where they won their opening game before falling in their final two contests. Hartleb coached a pair of players to top national and conference honors, as Justin Parr was named an All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year and Kevin Duchene was picked as a Freshman All-American and Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

Hartleb guided the Illini to Big Ten regular-season and tournament championships in 2011, and the squad advanced to the championship game of the NCAA Fullerton Regional. After a rocky start to the season, Illinois reversed course by winning 18 of their final 24 games to clinch a share of the regular season Big Ten title, sweep through the Big Ten Tournament with a 3-0 record and go 2-2 at the NCAA Fullerton Regional as the No. 4 seed, eliminating No. 1 Cal State Fullerton and No. 3 Kansas State along the way.

After spending the first 10 years of his tenure at Illinois as the pitching coach, Hartleb earned the additional title of associate head coach in 2001, coordinating many administrative duties associated with the Illini baseball program. Following the 2005 Big Ten Championship season, ABCA Hall of Famer Richard “Itch” Jones retired and Hartleb was hired as the 10th coach in 142 years of Illinois Baseball. Hartleb coached under Jones for 17 years, two at Southern Illinois and 15 at Illinois.

During his time with the Illini, Hartleb has been instrumental in recruiting and developing 92 players who have signed minor league contracts, including six in 2015, one in 2014, three in 2013, two in 2012, four in 2011, three in 2009, two in 2008, four in 2007 and seven in 2005. Since Hartleb joined the Illinois coaching staff in 1991, 13 former Illini have reached the major leagues, with Cody Sedlock (Baltimore) and Michael Massey (Kansas City) adding their names to that list in 2022.

In addition, 25 former players have earned All-America honors and 12 Illini freshmen have been named to Freshmen All-America teams. Five of Hartleb’s pitchers have been named Big Ten Pitcher of the Year and Illinois has produced seven Big Ten Players of the Year, along with 45 All-Big Ten first team selections.

The Illini also have achieved a great deal of success in the classroom in Hartleb’s 20 years as head coach, earning nine NCAA Public Recognition Awards, an honor bestowed on the highest-achieving schools in the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate (APR). Illinois has eight years of perfect 1000 scores in the APR and has never scored below 964 during Hartleb's head coaching career, finishing above the national average in every season.

As the pitching coach at Illinois from 1991-2005, Hartleb produced an All-American pitcher in five consecutive seasons from 1998-02 and three of the four Big Ten Pitchers of the Year from 1998-2001. Brett Weber started the run when he earned All-America status and won Pitcher of the Year honors in 1998 and closer Jimmy Journell followed suit with All-America honors of his own in 1999.

Jason Anderson picked up the streak in 2000, taking home both All-America and Pitcher of the Year honors after posting a 14-3 record that season. Andy Dickinson kept it alive with All-America honors in 2001 and ‘02 and Pitcher of the Year accolades in 2001.

But Hartleb has not simply been a pitching coach. He also has helped recruit and develop many top Illini players, including infielder Chris Basak, catchers Chris Robinson and Lars Davis, and infielder Bubba Smith. After three years under Hartleb’s tutelage, Robinson became the highest-drafted position player in Illinois history when he was selected in the third round of the 2005 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Detroit Tigers. Davis nearly matched Robinson in the 2007 draft when he was taken in the third round by the Colorado Rockies, but 12 picks later overall.

Hartleb has sent a number of former Illini hurlers to the professional ranks following their collegiate careers, most recently having former Joey Gerber get the call to the Seattle Mariners in 2020. Weber, Anderson and Jimmy Conroy all entered the New York Yankees’ farm system, and Anderson spent time in the big leagues with the Yankees, New York Mets and Cleveland Indians after spending only three years in the minors.

Jimmy Journell earned his first Major League appearance with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2003, less than three months after Anderson’s big-league debut. Journell was the Cardinals’ 2001 Minor League Pitcher of the Year. Mitch Walk, who was the Pitcher of the Year for the class-A San Jose Giants in 2001, pitched for Illinois from 1998-2000 and advanced to Double-A Norwich in 2005. Matt Vorwald was drafted in the seventh round by the Minnesota Twins in June of 2001.

Andy Dickinson was drafted by the Oakland A’s in June of 2002 and advanced to the A’s Double-A Midland RockHounds in 2005. Dave Mazurek and Justin Olson added their names to the list in 2003, as the former All-Big Ten closer signed a free agent deal with the Texas Rangers and Olson joined the Minnesota Twins organization. Mazurek played for the high class-A Lynchburg Hillcats, a Pittsburgh Pirates affiliate, in 2005, and Olson played for the Minnesota Twins’ Double-A affiliate in 2006. Conroy was drafted in the 19th round by the New York Yankees in 2005 and won a New York-Penn League title with the class-A Staten Island Yankees that fall.

Other pros who have pitched under Hartleb at Illinois include 1999 Chicago Cubs draft pick Tim Lavery, 1998 Anaheim Angels signee Cody Salter, 1997 Houston Astros pick Brian Hecht, 1993 St. Louis Cardinals draftee Matt Arrandale, Mark Dressen and Jake Toohey.

Hartleb, a former catcher himself, also has been instrumental in creating a catcher tradition at Illinois. In addition to the high selections of Robinson and Lars Davis, catchers Jason Goldstein, Adam Davis, Patrick Arlis and Aaron Nieckula  had their names called during the draft. Goldstein went in the ninth round to Seattle in 2016, Adam Davis was an 11th-round pick by Baltimore in 2011, Arlis was selected in the 11th round in 2002 by Florida and the A’s took Nieckula in the 22nd round in 1998.

Following a five-year minor league career, Nieckula became the manager of the Kane County Cougars in 2006 and led the A’s Class-A affiliate to the Midwest League championship series. He guided the Stockton Ports, Oakland’s advanced-A squad, in 2009 and returned to Kane County in 2010. After the A’s changed affiliates in the Midwest League, Nieckula became the manager of the Burlington Bees for 2011 and continued with the club in 2012.

In addition to developing Illinois’ batteries throughout the years, Hartleb also has helped bring some of the top recruiting classes in the nation to Champaign in recent years. Illinois received its first ever top-25 recruiting class ranking in 2018, coming in at No. 24 by Baseball America and No. 22 by D1Baseball.com. Illinois was the only Big Ten program ranked in either ranking and the highest rated “Northern school” in America.

Hartleb began his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at Southern Illinois University in 1989-90. A two-year letterwinner at SIU, Hartleb finished his playing career with a .305 batting average. As a senior, Hartleb appeared in 56 contests as a catcher. Hartleb transferred to Southern Illinois from John A. Logan Community College, where he was a junior college all-star catcher. At Hamilton High School in Hamilton, Ohio, Hartleb was a standout athlete in both baseball and football. He was inducted into Hamilton High School’s Hall of Fame in February 2002. 

A 1989 graduate of SIU with a B.S. in advertising, Hartleb received his M.S. in higher educational administration from SIU in May 1996. He and his wife, Gina, were married in December 1993 and reside in Champaign with their children, Zakary David and Haley Noel.

Highest Draft Picks in Hartleb Era

Round 1, Overall 6 - Tyler Jay, LHP, Minnesota Twins, 2015
Round 1, Overall 27 - Cody Sedlock, RHP, Baltimore Orioles, 2016
Round 3, Overall 82 - Bren Spillane, RF, Cincinnati Reds, 2018
Round 3, Overall 90 - Chris Robinson, C, Detroit Tigers, 2005
Round 3, Overall 102 - Lars Davis, C, Colorado Rockies, 2007
Round 4, Overall 107 - Sean Mulligan, C, San Diego Padres, 1991
Round 4, Overall 109 - Michael Massey, 2B, Kansas City, 2019

Highest Drafted Position Players in Hartleb Era

Round 3, Overall 82 - Bren Spillane, RF, Cincinnati Reds, 2018
Round 3, Overall 90 - Chris Robinson, C, Detroit Tigers, 2005
Round 3, Overall 102 - Lars Davis, C, Colorado Rockies, 2007
Round 4, Overall 107 - Sean Mulligan, C, San Diego Padres, 1991
Round 4, Overall 109 - Michael Massey, 2B, Kansas City, 2019
Round 4, Overall 116 - Kyle Hudson, OF, Baltimore Orioles, 2008
Round 5, Overall 161 - Brandon Wikoff, SS, Houston Astros, 2009
Round 6, Overall 181 - Scott Spiezio, 1B, Oakland A's, 1993

Illinois Draft Picks by Decade

2020-29 » 10
2010-19 » 30
2000-09 » 17
1990-99 » 19
1980-89 » 19
1970-79 » 4
1960-69 » 8

Illinois Top-10 Round Picks by Decade

2020-29 » 3
2010-19 » 10
2000-09 » 7
1990-99 » 4
1980-89 » 7
1970-79 » 0
1960-69 » 2