DURHAM, N.C. – USA Baseball announced the coaching staff and evaluators for the 2016 17U National Team Development Program, including Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb. The program will take place July 18-22 in Chicago.
It will be the second USA Baseball assignment for Hartleb, who served on the staff of the 2014 USA Baseball 14U National Team Development Program.
The National Team Development Program offers athletes an opportunity to connect with USA Baseball staff to better prepare for a future national team experience. The program includes skill development sessions, off-field education seminars and intrasquad Stars vs. Stripes games to assist in the development of the athletes as both a player and a person.
Hartleb will head the Stripes Team and will be backed by assistant coaches Spencer Allen (Northwestern University), Butch Thompson (Auburn University) and former MLB veteran Ernie Young. Young represented the United States at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and again on the 2003 qualifying team. Allen served as an assistant for Hartleb in 2015 when Illinois advanced to its first ever NCAA Super Regional.
Illinois pitching coach Drew Dickinson also coached with USA Baseball this summer. Dickinson was part of the coaching staff for the 2016 USA Baseball Tournament of Stars held June 21-26 in Cary, N.C.
2016 17U National Team Development Program staff
Dan Hartleb, Stripes Manager, University of Illinois Head Coach
Spencer Allen, Stripes Assistant Coach, Northwestern University Head Coach
Butch Thompson, Stripes Pitching Coach, Auburn University Head Coach
Ernie Young, Stripes Assistant Coach, Former MLB and USA Baseball player
Thomas Walter, Stars Manager, Wake Forest University Head Coach
Gerald Laird, Stars Assistant Coach, Former MLB and USA Baseball catcher
Ricky Meinhold, Stars Pitching Coach, St. Louis Cardinals Scout
Gregg Ritchie, Stars Assistant Coach, George Wash. University Head Coach
Andy Stankiewicz, Evaluator, Grand Canyon Univ. Head Coach
Robert Woodard, Pitching Evaluator, Former Virginia Tech Pitching Coach
Eric Kibler, Field Coordinator, Horizon (AZ) High School Head Coach
