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Wikipedia / Indiana State Sycamores baseball

The Indiana State Sycamores baseball team is the NCAA Division I baseball program of Indiana State University, located in Terre Haute, Indiana. It is a member of the Missouri Valley Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship in 2024. Their first season was 1896. The Sycamores have had 12 All-Americans, 26 Major Leaguers, and more than 2,200 victories. The team's most successful season was in 1986, when the team appeared in the College World Series and finished with a record of 48–21. The Sycamores have appeared in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship in 1979, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1989, 1995, 2012, 2014, 2019, 2021, 2023, and 2024.

They appeared in the NAIA Baseball World Series in 1958 and won the NAIA "Midwest" District Championship in 1964. In 2013, the 1958 team was honored on the 55th Anniversary of their appearance at the NAIA Baseball World Series.

Past coaches include John Wooden, Bob Warn, former ISU and MiLB'er Paul L. Wolf, Wally Marks and Mitch Hannahs. The Sycamores play their home games at Sycamore Stadium at Bob Warn Field (900).

Division I NCAA tournament results

The Sycamores have appeared in 13 NCAA Division I Baseball Championships. Their combined record is 16–26; they won the 1986 Mideast Regional and the 2023 Terre Haute Regional; they reached Regional Finals in 1989, 2019 and 2024.

National awards (2)

All-Americans (17)

Most Valuable Player

Conference (reg. season)

Conference Tournament (6)

All-Conference (113)

Only players selected for the conference first team are displayed; for second team and honorable mention, please consult the Indiana State baseball media guide at www.gosycamores.com

All-Indiana Collegiate Conference (35)

All-Missouri Valley Conference (87)

Conference specialty (12)

Pitcher of the Year (2)

  • Geremy Guerrero – 2021

  • Connor Fenlong – 2023

Defensive Player of the Year (3)

  • Tyler Wampler – 2014

  • Jake Means – 2019

  • Grant Magill – 2023

MVC Newcomer of the Year (5)

  • Rich Angell – 1998

  • Clint Barmes – 2000

  • Tim Brewer – 2005

  • Collin Liberatore – 2019

  • Aaron Beck – 2021

MVC Freshman of the Year (2)

Career leaders

Batting average

  • Bird appeared in one game for the baseball team, going 1-for-2 with 2 RBI.

Hits

  • Bob Zeihen holds the National NCAA career record for triples (32)

HRs

Wins

ERA

Strikeouts

Sycamores in MLB

While long-time baseball great Tommy John is an alumnus of Indiana State; he did not play baseball for the Sycamores as he attended classes around his professional baseball schedule. Future New York Yankees-great, Don Mattingly, declined his baseball scholarship from Coach Bob Warn after he was drafted by the New York Yankees.

Bill Hayes had 2 "cups-of-coffee" in the majors but would go on to a long career as a minor league manager before beginning a 15-year coaching career with the San Francisco Giants, winning 3 World Series Championships (2010, 2012, 2014); in December 2014, he was named first base coach for the Giants. Long-time college basketball coach Ron Felling was a 2-year letterman for the Sycamores.

In addition, basketball legend Larry Bird appeared in two games for the Sycamores, in the spring of 1979, following the NCAA men's basketball tournament.

Indiana State has placed over 75 Sycamores in the minors, of which 27 have reached the major leagues or Negro major leagues. They are by order of appearance:

Major League Baseball All-Stars

Coaching leaders

  • - John Wooden was a graduate student while he coached the baseball team

Coaching honors

Conference Coach of the Year (10)

Hall(s) of Fame

  • 1985 - Wallace Johnson (player) - Indiana State University Hall of Fame

  • 1987 – Paul Wolf (coach) – Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame

  • 1988 – Don Jennings (player) – Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame

  • 1989 – Howard Sharpe (player) – Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame

  • 1990 – Bob Warn (coach) – Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame

  • 2000 – Bob Warn (coach) – Iowa Western Hall of Fame

  • 2002 - Junius "Rainey" Bibbs (player) - Indiana State University Hall of Fame

  • 2002 – 1986 Baseball Team (team) – Indiana State University Hall of Fame

  • 2002 – Bob Warn (coach) – Indiana State University Hall of Fame

  • 2002 – Paul Gries (player) – Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame

  • 2003 – Bob Warn (coach) – American Baseball Coach's Association

  • 2007 – Brian Dorsett (player) – Indiana State University Hall of Fame

  • 2008 – Brian Dorsett (player) – Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame

  • 2011 – Junius "Rainey" Bibbs (player) – Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame

  • 2014 - Lou Giovanini (coach) – Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame

  • 2020 - Clint Barmes (player) – Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame

  • 2021 - Sean Manaea (player) – Indiana State University Hall of Fame

  • 2022 - Steve Ruckman (player) - Frontier League Hall of Fame

See also

References