Athletic Department: Brian Grunzke

Brian Grunzke was named to lead the Illinois Springfield baseball program in its infancy on August 21, 2009.

“While Brian owns a wealth of baseball experience, he also brings a maturity to the position that will be beneficial in helping this program grow from the ground up,” UIS Athletic Director Dr. Rodger Jehlicka said. “We are thrilled that someone of the caliber and character of Brian is joining the Prairie Star athletic family.”

Grunzke comes to Springfield after spending the 2009 season as the assistant coach at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls.

Prior to joining the Panthers, Grunzke spent two years as an assistant coach at Arkansas-Little Rock. During his time in Little Rock he signed 29 players (14 in 2007 and 15 in 2008) and three of his student-athletes earned All-Sun Belt Conference honors.

Before making his move south, Grunzke spent 16 successful years as the head coach at Waldorf College in Forest City, Iowa.

Grunzke compiled a 388-344-1 record while with the Warriors, taking Waldorf to eight appearances in the NJCAA Region 11 finals. He coached nine All-Americans, 11 Academic All-Americans, 24 All-Region selections and seven players who went on to play professionally.

His teams also rewrote the school’s record books setting 29 individual and career stands and 17 team records. His 1994 squad posted 40 wins – 23 of them consecutive – and reached the regional final.

He also guided the program from junior college status to a four-year institution.

From 2000-05, Grunzke worked for Perfect Game, a national scouting service based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, evaluating high school players throughout the nation. He has also worked as an instructor at several clinics at schools around the Midwest.

A native of Minnesota Lake, Minn., Grunzke earned his AA degree from Waldorf, and in 2007 he completed his bachelor’s degree at UALR.

Grunzke and his wife, Dawn, have three children, Jerad, Jenifer and Amanda, and five grandchildren.