First year NIU head baseball coach Ryan Copeland enthusiastically shares his vision for the Huskie team during this week’s Rotary meeting. Copeland came to NIU after four seasons as head coach at the University of Illinois-Springfield where his teams achieved a 131-38 record, two conference championships, and three NCAA Division II regional appearances, including one run to the Division II national tournament.
The new NIU head baseball coach, Ryan Copeland, brings a winning record from his last job and clearly wants to make the same happen in his new assignment as leader of the Huskies. Copeland is a native of Des Plaines and attended Illinois State University (ISU) in Normal. A standout left-handed pitcher, he was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals and spent three years with their organization. He later returned to ISU to complete his degree and then began his coaching career with them. He moved on to the University of Illinois-Springfield (UIS) for the 2016 season and became head coach in 2020. Overall, his teams at UIS achieved a record of 131-38.
Copeland says he is approaching his new job on two levels. There is the Micro level where he will be working to get the most each outing from the players that were recruited prior to him joining the organization. He said he does have a couple of transfer players from his old school, but for the most part is working a playbook that looks at what his available talent has to offer, not necessarily the type of game he would ideally play. Copeland says his other level is the Macro outlook, where he begins recruiting players to build a program that he says can be the best program in the Division.
Copeland admits that new NCAA rules make college sports almost a constant recruiting activity for coaches. He said college players can now change schools without any waiting periods before playing again and potential players are pursued very early in their high school careers. He says things that will make a difference for building strong NIU teams are their core values stressing conditioning, studying, and mental health awareness. The quality of campus life is also important, said Copeland, including a commitment to volunteerism in the community.
April 8, 563 BC – Celebrated as the birthday of Buddha; an estimated 350 million people currently profess the Buddhist faith.
April 9, 1898 – American Pro-Football Hall of Fame halfback and coach (founder, first coach of the Green Bay Packers), Curly Lambeau, is born in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
April 10, 1847 – Newspaper publishing magnate Joseph Pulitzer is born in Budapest, Hungary. With his wealth he endows the journalism school at Columbia University and the prizes annually given in his name for excellence in journalism.
April 13, 1743 – The principal author of the Declaration of Independence and the third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, is born in Shadwell, Virginia.
April 8, 1913 – The 17th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution was ratified requiring direct popular election of U.S. Senators instead of being chosen by state legislators.
April 9, 1865 – General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox, effectively ending the Civil War.
April 11, 1968 – President Lyndon Johnson signs into law the Civil Rights Act of 1968. Generally called the Fair Housing Act, it expands on previous acts by adding federal enforcement provisions to prohibit discrimination in housing based on race, religion, and national origin. It was passed following the April 4th assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and subsequent civil unrest.
April 12, 1961 – Soviet Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in outer space. His 108-minute orbit of the earth propels him into international fame.
Birthdays & Club Anniversaries
Member Birthdays
Becky Springer
October 3
Paul Stromborg
October 3
Joyce Klein
October 21
Matt Nelson
October 22
________________________________________
BOARD OF DIRECTORS, 2024-2025
President – Steve Wilder
President Elect – Jonelle Bailey
Director (President Nominee) – Becky Springer
Director (President Designee) - Matt Nelson
Past President – Brandon Diviak
Treasurer – Dr. Michele Jurkovic
Secretary – Pat Shafer
Sergeant at Arms – Paulette Renault
Monthly Committees
July: Board of Directors
August: Brandon Diviak, Jeff Keicher, Pat Shafer
September: Dave Hamilton, Jeff Jacobson, Jim Stoddard
October: Paul Callighan, Matt Nelson, Paul Stromborg
November: Sue Emberson, Jeff Frank, Phil Meyer
December: Larry Berke, Ray Dembinski, Riley Oncken
Fellowship: Paulette Renault, Larry Berke, Sue Emberson, Dave Hamilton, Pat Shafer
Foundations:Paul Stromborg, Jim Buck, Sue Emberson, Matt Nelson, Jim Stoddard
Membership: Jonelle Bailey, Ray Dembinski, Brandon Diviak, Bob Hammon, Jeff Jacobson, Steve Kuhn, Phil Meyer, Matt Nelson, Riley Oncken, Jeff Petersen, Bob Wildendradt
New Generations: Chip Houdek, Julie Sgarlata, Becky Springer, Steve Wilder
Public Image: Bob Brown, Paul Callighan, Jeff Keicher, Joyce Klein, Tasha Sims
Scholarships:Tim Neubert, Don Clayberg, Ray Dembinski, Michele Jurkovic, Steve Kuhn, Julie Sgarlata
Service: Brandon Diviak, Alicia Cosky, Jeff Frank, Michele Jurkovic, Rob Mondi, Tim Neubert, Brendan Wilson
.png)
