| Probable Starting Pitchers |
| Day |
Illinois |
Abilene Christian |
| Fri. 1 p.m. CT |
RHP Tyler Schmitt (0-0, -.--) |
RHP Dominick Reid (0-0, -.--) |
| Sat. 1 p.m. CT |
RHP Ben Plumley (0-0, -.--) |
LHP Brett Lanman (0-0, -.--) |
| Sun. 10Â a.m. CT |
RHP Julius Sanchez (0-0, -.--) |
TBD |
PREVIEW
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. --Â Illinois baseball begins its 146th season of play this weekend with a three-game series against Abilene Christian at Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi, Texas.
This season, the Illini have 17 players returning from the 2024 Big Ten champion squad and welcome 18 newcomers. Thirteen of the 18 newcomers are transfers, while five are freshmen.
Illinois will send RHP Tyler Schmitt to the mound in Friday's opener, with RHP Ben Plumley and RHP Julius Sanchez to follow on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
All three ballgames can be streamed on FloSports.
SERIES HISTORY
vs. Abilene Christian
- First-ever meeting between the two programs.
NOTES
CORPUS CHRISTI SERIES
Illinois begins its 146th season of play with a three-game series against Abilene Christian at Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi Texas.
The Illini enter the 2025 season as defending Big Ten Champions, winning their first conference title since 2015, which earned them an at-large bid to the 2024 NCAA Tournament, the program's first appearance since 2019.
All three games of this opening weekend will be streamed on FloCollege.com.
Scott Beatty will call the action for the Illini on the Busey Bank Illini Sports Network (WDWS 1400-AM/93.9FM). Streaming, audio, and stats links are also available at FightingIllini.com.
About Abilene Christian
Abilene Christian finished the 2024 season with a 33-23 record, including an 18-12 mark in WAC play, which was good for a tied-for-second place finish during the regular season. The Wildcats were eliminated by Cal Baptist in the semifinals of the conference tournament.
At the plate, INF/OF Benjamin Greer is the leading hitter returning to the squad after slashing .338/.436/.477 to go along with 15 doubles, two home runs and 25 RBI over 44 games, 39 starts in 2024. C Maddox Miesse, who ranked third on the squad in 2024 with 35 RBI, also returns in 2025.
On the mound, LHP Brett Lanman, who led all qualifiers on the staff in ERA (3.48), strikeouts (79), innings pitched (72.1) and average against (.215) returns as well as fellow starter RHP Iain Campa, who posted a 7-4 record and a 4.14 ERA (31 ER/67.1 IP) over 15 games/starts last season.
all-time series info
The Illini and the Wildcats are facing each other for the first time in program history.
Abilene Christian will be playing a Big Ten team in a three-game series for the first time since sweeping Michigan State from Feb. 27-28, 2022, at Crutcher Scott Field in Abilene.
Illinois is making its third trip to Whataburger Field, having previously played at this facility during the 2017 and 2022 seasons.
In 2017, the Illini went 1-2 facing Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, No. 25 Houston and Missouri.
In 2022, the Orange and Blue took on Kansas for a three-game set, dropping the series 1-2.
DAN Hartleb's 20th season
Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb begins his 20th season at the helm of the program in 2025.
The winningest coach in Illini baseball history has currently amassed 567 wins, three Big Ten championships, one Big Ten Tournament title, five NCAA Regional appearances and one NCAA Super Regional Appearance.
Along with being named Big Ten Coach of the Year two times, Hartleb was named Big Coach of the Decade (2010s), by D1Baseball.
As he enters his 35th season overall at Illinois, Hartleb has seen 148 players have earned Big Ten All-Conference honors under his watch, with 47 of those players earning first-team selections. He's also coached a total of 27 All-Americans and 96 players who have gone on to play professionally.
Among active Big Ten coaches, Hartleb is one of two coaches that have spent at least 20 seasons as head coach at their current school (John Savage, UCLA, 21st season in 2025).Â
2024 B1G CHAMPS
For the 31st time in program history, Illinois was crowned Big Ten champions after its 9-4 victory over Purdue on May 17, 2024. The Illini were able to claim an outright title with Nebraska's loss to Michigan State on May 18, 2024. Their 18-10 triumph later that day over the Boilermakers would have also solidified an outright title had the Huskers won.
The conference title was the program's third in the Dan Hartleb era (2006-pres.) and the first since 2015. Hartleb's three Big Ten championships are fifth-most in program history.
Illinois 31 conference titles are second-most all-time in the Big Ten.
ILLINI PLAY LONG BALL
During the 2024 campaign, the Fighting Illini launched 104 home runs, setting a new program record and shattering the previous of 91 (1998) in the process.
Illinois' 104 home runs were the most among Big Ten teams, slugging 21 more than second-placed Indiana (83). It also ranked 28th nationally and ninth among teams that played fewer than 60 games.
The Orange and Blue averaged 1.86 home runs per game, which was the 19th-highest mark in the country and the best in the Big Ten.
Five players tallied double-digit home runs last season (Brody Harding, Ryan Moerman, Jacob Schroeder, Vytas Valincius, Drake Westcott) and were the only team in the conference with more than four players in double figures.
The Illini return 54.8 percent (57/104) of their home run production in 2025.
FOUR IS THE MAGIC NUMBER
Illinois slugged at least four home runs in a single game seven times last season, winning each one of those contests.
Illinois had eight such games in 2023, going 7-1 in those ballgames. Since 2018, Illinois is 18-2 when they hit at least four homers in a single game.
HOME SWEET HOME
Illinois finished the 2024 season 20-3 at Illinois Field after taking two of three games from Iowa from May 10-12, 2024.
The Illini also went 8-0 during its season-long homestand from April 9-23, 2024.
It was the first time since 2015 that Illinois won at least 20 home games, with the Illini's .869 winning percentage is the highest mark in program history since 1940 (8-1, .889).
The Orange and Blue were victorious in all six home series last season, earning sweeps over Penn State, Northern Illinois and Northwestern. Overall, Illinois has won nine-straight home series, dating back to 2023.
Following the sweep of Northwestern from April 19-21, 2024, the Illini had won 12-straight Big Ten home games dating back to last season, four series sweeps, which was the longest such streak since the Orange and Blue won 18-straight such games from May 2, 2014, to March 26, 2016.
The Fighting Illini also won their home opener 12-2 over Eastern Illinois at Illinois Field on Feb. 27, 2024. Illinois is 8-3 in its last 11 home openers and the 12 runs scored are the most since also scoring 12 in the 2021 home opener vs. Northwestern.
OPENING DAY HISTORY
Illinois is 6-2 in their last eight season openers, following 2024's curtain-raising victory over Akron on Feb. 16...the Illini snapped a brief two-game losing streak in season openers in their 9-6 victory over Youngstown State in 2023.
DAN HARTLEB, THE WINNINGEST COACH at ILLINOIS
Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb earned win No. 519 on April 2, 2023, against Michigan, passing Lee Eilbracht for the most in program history...currently has 567 career wins.
CLEAN FIELDING
The Illini led the Big Ten in fielding percentage during conference play (.986) last season for the third-straight year and for the fifth time in the last six seasons overall.
The Illini posted a .979 fielding percentage overall and have posted a .970 overall fielding percentage or better in 12 of the last 14 seasons.
NEW YEAR, NEW FACES
Illinois has 17 returners and 18 newcomers on the 2024 roster.
  » Thirteen newcomers are transfers: LHP Zach Bates (Iowa Central CC), RHP Ryan Daly (St. Francis), RHP Mitch Dye (Lincoln Land CC), OF Nick Groves (Niagara), C/1B Will Johannes (Madison College), INF Greg LaChance (Jefferson College), LHP Reece Marley (Case Western Reserve), RHP Christian Morel (Tampa Unviersity), INF/RHP Grant Ross (Madison College), RHP Tyler Schmitt (UW-La Crosse), INF Kyle Schupmann (Cincinnati), OF Alexander Wright (George Washington), INF Jack Zebig (Marryville University)
Illini Trio Earn Big Ten Preseason Honors
A trio of Illini baseball players were selected Big Ten Preseason Players to Watch, the conference announced today.Â
Right-hander Ben Plumley along with catcher Jacob Schroeder and first baseman Drake Westcott, were all named to the list.
Plumley is coming off of a breakout 2024 season, where he amassed 33 strikeouts in 35.1 innings of work last season over 23 relief appearances. He had a season-long six-game span (8.1 IP) without allowing an earned run from May 10 to June 1, striking out eight batters compared to three walks.
Schroeder, who earned 2024 College Baseball Foundation All-American Second Team and All-Big Ten First Team honors slashed .306/.434/.613 to go along with seven doubles, 14 home runs and 41 RBI. Schroeder ranked tied for ninth in the Big Ten in home runs and also ranked among conference leaders in slugging (8th) and OPS (1.047, 10th).Â
Westcott slashed .290/.421/.571 to go along with 11 doubles, 16 home runs and 52 RBI. He ranked among conference leaders in walks (T-3rd, 47) and home runs (T-4th). Westcott enters the 2025 campaign with 34 career dingers in the Orange and Blue, 14 away from matching Scott Spiezio's (1991-93) program record of 48.
ONES TO WATCH
D1Baseball Big Ten Top 2025 MLB Draft Prospects: No. 19 RHP Tyler Schmitt, No. 22 OF Nick Groves, No. 37 RHP Julius Sanchez
D1Baseball Big Ten Top 2026 MLB Draft Prospects: No. 10 OF Cameron Chee-Aloy
Perfect Game Preseason All-Conference Team: 1B Drake Westcott
Perfect Game Big Ten Top 2025 MLB Draft Prospects: No. 30 RHP Julius Sanchez, No. 38 Ben Plumley
Perfect Game Big Ten Top 2027 MLB Draft Prospects: No. 16 OF/LHP Brayden Mazzacano
Illini Baseball Inks SEVEN to 2025 Class
"I am extremely excited about the group of great athletes that we have signed to join our Illini family," head coach Dan Hartleb said.Â
"We feel as if this group has the ability to help us to pursue future championships. In the changing times of college athletics, I feel as though our staff did a tremendous job of identifying great athletes and helping to secure their talents which will ensure our success moving forward."
Michael Farina / INF / Mundelein, Ill.
Aidan Flinn / LHP / Mokena, Ill.
Lucas Krebs / SS / Edwardsville, Ill.
Ryan Ohm / RHP / Rochester, Minn.
AJ Putty / 1B / McHenry, Ill.
Jack Wheeler / 3B/RHP / Morris, Ill.
Ike Young / RHP / Cisco, Ill.
UP NEXT
Illinois will return to the Lone Star State for a three-game showdown at Texas State in San Marcos from Feb. 21-23.
