D1Baseball's Big Ten Best of the Decade
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Dan Hartleb was named the D1Baseball Big Ten Coach of the Decade, the website announced Tuesday. Former Illini Bren Spillane, Kevin Duchene, and Tyler Jay were named to the Big Ten All-Decade team.
Hartleb led Illinois to its best decade in program history, producing 30 MLB Draft picks, seven All-Americans, two first-round picks, and the Illini's first National Player of the Year (Spillane). Illinois won Big Ten titles in 2011 and 2015, the 2015 NCAA Champaign Regional, and hosted its first ever Super Regional in 2015. Hartleb took Illinois to four regionals during the decade (2011, 2013, 2015, 2019), more than any other coach in the conference.
Spillane, who was a unanimous All-American after hitting 23 homers in 2018, earned the DH spot, while All-Americans Duchene and Jay were part of the lists at starting and relief pitchers, respectively.
Illinois' three All-Decade players were second in the conference behind Indiana's five.
D1Baseball on Hartleb - Big Ten Coach of the Decade
There's plenty of competition for this honor. Former Indiana coach Tracy Smith has a good argument but only coached half the decade in the Big Ten. Minnesota's John Anderson led his program to three regionals, three Big Ten titles and one super regional, while Erik Bakich took Michigan to three regionals and one memorable trip to the CWS Finals, but no conference titles. Our vote goes to Hartleb, who guided the Illini to four regionals, two Big Ten titles and one super regional. Illinois' 2015 season was one of the best in Big Ten history, as Hartleb's club went 21-1 in the conference, 50-10-1 overall, earned a national seed and advanced to super regionals, where they were beaten by eventual national champion Vanderbilt. Entering the decade, Illinois hadn't been to a regional since 2000, but Hartleb turned the program into a regular contender in the teens.
D1Baseball on Spillane - Big Ten All-Decade DH
Former Iowa slugger Jake Adams (who hit 29 homers in his lone season at the Division I level) was also in the discussion for this spot, but Spillane's OPS was 237 points higher in his first-team All-America campaign in 2018 than Adams' OPS a year earlier. Spillane also provided decent production in 36 games as a sophomore, posting an .878 OPS … but he became one of the most dangerous sluggers in the nation a year later, when he led the nation in slugging percentage and home runs per game. Overall, he hit .389/.498/.903 (1.401 OPS) with 23 homers, 17 doubles and 60 RBIs — and he even swiped 16 bases in 16 tries.
D1Baseball on Duchene - Big Ten All-Decade Starting Pitcher
Another polished, competitive lefthander, Duchene was a rock in the weekend rotation for three years, helping to lead the Illini to regionals in 2013 and 2015. He earned second-team All-America honors as a junior, when he went 11-2, 1.75 in 102.2 innings. But he was a model of consistency throughout his career, as evidenced by his sparkling career line of 24-4, 2.12.
D1Baseball on Jay - Big Ten All-Decade Relief Pitcher
One of the most electric lefthanders in Big Ten history, Jay posted a 1.68 career ERA in 128.2 innings over three seasons for the Illini, along with 143 strikeouts against 30 walks. After posting a 1.94 ERA with 10 saves as a sophomore, Jay earned Big Ten Pitcher of the Year honors a year later, going 5-2, 1.08 with 76 strikeouts and seven walks in 66.2 innings, along with 14 saves. He ranked third in the nation in ERA and second in WHIP, helping to lead the Illini to a 21-1 record in the Big Ten, a national seed and a trip to super regionals. He was the No. 6 overall pick in the draft that June.
