EUREKA, Illinois – Eureka College Athletics Hall of Famer Craig Gerdes has been named the department’s new head baseball coach, Director of Athletics Paul Bryant announced Tuesday. Gerdes returns to the Eureka athletics staff after serving as Interim Director of Athletics in 2008 and as an assistant baseball coach from 2005-07.
“When I graduated from Eureka College, I had always hoped that I would come back some day as a head coach,” Gerdes said. “I’m glad my dream came true.”
Gerdes was a four-year member of the men’s basketball team from 1967-71 before graduating cum laude in 1971. The Washburn, Illinois native scored 1,150 points during his EC career, and his 859 career rebounds rank second all-time at Eureka and were a school record until 1994. He was inducted into the Eureka College Athletics Hall of Fame in 1991. Gerdes served as the Eureka College Interim Director of Athletics in early 2008, organizing the department’s annual E-Tribe golf outing at Pine Lakes Golf Course that included more than 155 participants and raised more than $35,000.
Widely known throughout the Eureka community, Gerdes dedicated more than three decades of service as a coach and English teacher at Eureka Middle School. He served as the school’s athletic director and coached boys’ baseball, basketball and track from the time the school opened in 1971 until his retirement in 2006. In 33 years on the baseball diamond, Gerdes led the Hornets to 440 victories, 14 regional championships, five sectional titles and three appearances in the IESA Final Four. Gerdes also coached the boys’ basketball team to the 1986 seventh grade IESA class AA state basketball championship.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Craig back to our staff as our new baseball coach,” Bryant said. “Coach Gerdes continues to represent Eureka College athletics with great pride and dignity and we’re proud to have him lead our baseball program. He will have a positive influence on our student-athletes both on and off the field.”
Gerdes joins swim coach Jane Austin, football and track coach Kurt Barth, cross country coach Kim Holdenrid and golf coach Morgan Murphy as EC alums currently serving as head coaches at Eureka. In all, 14 coaches in the athletics department graduated from Eureka College.
Gerdes replaces Mike McDonald, who resigned last spring with a 22-40-1 record after two seasons
