NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State baseball program has found its new leader, as ISU Director of Athletics Larry Lyons has announced the hiring of former big leaguer and Purdue pitching coach Steve Holm as the Redbirds’ new head coach.
“Our goal was to find the best person to lead our baseball program back to the top of the Missouri Valley Conference and to compete for postseason opportunities. In addition, we were looking for the best person to continue our high level of academic success and personal development of the young men in our program. Steve brings all of that and many more intangibles,” Lyons said. “We feel Steve’s background as an All-American shortstop, a professional catcher and collegiate pitching coach gives him the ability to make our team immediately better in every facet of the game. His success in helping programs improve in relatively short periods of time is impressive, and we are very excited Steve and his family have chosen to join the Redbird family.”
Holm was an integral part of the staff that helped the Boilermakers improve by 28 wins over a two-year period and become a NCAA Regional participant in 2018.
“I am extremely excited to be the new head coach at Illinois State University,” Holm said. “I’d like to thank Dr. Larry Dietz, Larry Lyons, and Peyton Deterding for trusting me to lead the program and the 35 young men within it. There are a lot of people who have helped me get to this point, including both Reggie Christiansen and Mark Wasikowski. I am forever grateful to both of them for the opportunity they gave me as an assistant coach. Most importantly I’d like to thank each and every one of my players who have played for me. I promised my wife when she moved to California that I’d get her back close to her Midwest roots and without the efforts of those players this never would have been possible.”
Relief pitcher Ross Learnard was named a Third-Team All-American under Holm’s tutelage in 2018, as the Boilermakers posted a 38-21 overall record (17-6 Big Ten) to finish second in the regular-season conference standings. Right-handed starter Tanner Andrews (Marlins, 10th Round) and catcher Nick Dalesandro (Diamondbacks, 10th Round) were both drafted following the season and six Boilermakers earned All-Big Ten honors.
In Holm’s first season at Purdue in 2017, Learnard (NCBWA Second Team All-American) and Gareth Stroh (Third Team All-Big Ten) both garnered postseason honors while helping lead the Boilermakers to a 19-win improvement. Learnard (0.58) eclipsed the team’s minimum 30 innings ERA record that had stood since 1965 after having a consecutive scoreless innings streak of 35 2/3. Stroh (90 1/3 IP, 1.30 WHIP) teamed with Andrews (8-4, .258 B/Avg.) to give Purdue its most consistent weekend rotation since 2012. Dalton Parker’s six saves eclipsed a team freshman record that had stood since 1993. Purdue’s team totals for ERA (5.27 to 4.91), WHIP (1.61 to 1.43), batting average against (.295 to .265) and strikeouts per nine innings (5.8 to 6.7) all improved and its pitchers surrendered 57 fewer hits while throwing 22 more innings in 2017 vs. 2016.
Holm joined the Sacramento State coaching staff for the 2013 season and was promoted to associate head coach the following year. He helped the Hornets win 40 games and a pair of Western Athletic Conference titles in 2014. Under Holm’s guidance, the Hornets’ team ERA dropped from 5.25 in 2012 to 3.63 during his first season and remained below 4.00 for three straight years. The 2015 pitching staff ranked third nationally in WHIP (1.09) and fewest walks per nine innings (2.07) while establishing school records for ERA (2.97) and batting average against (.235). Sacramento State won at least 30 games in each of Holm’s four seasons as an assistant coach, good for a combined mark of 137-103 (67-41 WAC). The 2014 team posted victories against Oregon State, Arizona State, Texas A&M and Fresno State on its way to a program-record 40 wins and its first NCAA Regional appearance.
Holm also worked with the catchers and infielders along with providing hitting instruction. The Hornets’ 2016 MLB draft picks included pitchers Tyler Beardsley and Sam Long as well as catcher Gunner Pollman. Numerous other Sacramento State players developed into MLB draftees after excelling under Holm’s tutelage. That list was highlighted by three-time All-WAC honoree and all-time wins leader Brennan Leitao as well as all-time saves leader Sutter McLoughlin. Long and McLoughlin were both Freshman All-Americans to begin their collegiate careers.
The Sacramento native was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1997 MLB First-Year Player Draft after his senior season at McClatchy High School, but passed on that opportunity to start his collegiate career at American River Junior College. After two seasons, Holm made his way to Oral Roberts and became an All-American at shortstop, winning Mid-Continent Conference Player and Newcomer of the Year honors in 2000 after batting a school-record .437. He was then drafted by the Giants in 2001 and made the transition to catcher in pro ball, where he played in over 700 games during his 12 pro seasons. He was part of the Giants’ 2008 opening-day roster and also played in the big leagues in 2009 (Giants) and 2011 (Twins).
Holm graduated in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in recreation administration and was later inducted into the ORU Hall of Fame in 2014. In the fall of 2016, he was part of McClatchy High School’s Hall of Fame class along with former teammate and longtime big leaguer Nick Johnson as well as their coach Brian Loforte. He and his wife, Lindsey, were married in the summer of 2013 and are the parents of two daughters, Annika and Hanna.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT STEVE HOLM:
“Steve is a home run hire for Illinois State. Steve is really a smart guy and a good baseball coach. He’s a player’s type coach to where the relationships he’ll have with the players are deep, and he’s just really smart on the baseball field. You can’t be around people like he’s been around in his career and not be an advantage to have in your dugout from an all-in standpoint.” – Mark Wasikowski, Purdue baseball head coach
“Steve has one of the brightest baseball minds I have ever come across. The way he can see the game from every aspect will help Illinois State take the next step as a program. His players will enjoy his demeanor and approach each day at the ballpark. Illinois State just made a statement that they expect to win in the Missouri Valley. I am thrilled for Steve and Linsdey.” – Reggie Christiansen, Sacramento State baseball head coach
