University of Illinois Director of Athletics Ron Guenther announced the hiring of Dan Hartleb Wednesday as the 10th Fighting Illini head baseball coach. Hartleb has signed a four-year contract to coach the Illinois squad.

“I’m very excited about the opportunity to step in as the head coach at the University of Illinois,” Hartleb said. “It’s been an honor to work with Ron Guenther and the UI athletic department over the years and I’m looking forward to many more. I’m excited about where the program has been and even more excited about where I think it can go.”

Guenther said he is extremely pleased that Hartleb will become the head baseball coach.

“I have had the opportunity to observe and work with Dan throughout my 13 years as Athletic Director and feel very fortunate that we have a person with his abilities on staff,” Guenther said.

Hartleb was tutored by Itch Jones, who Guenther considers to be one of the great baseball coaches in the country. “He has an excellent baseball mind and terrific loyalty to the University of Illinois,” Guenther said. “I look forward to working with Dan as we continue to build a nationally recognized program.”

During his time as assistant, Hartleb helped lead the Illini to two Big Ten titles (1998, 2005), two NCAA Regional appearances (1998, 2000) and one Big Ten Tournament title (2000).

As the pitching coach at Illinois, Hartleb produced five All-America pitchers and three Big Ten Pitchers of the Year.

Hartleb was also integral to recruiting some of the best classes in the nation. Anderson turned down a sixth-round offer from the Kansas City Royals in 1997 to attend Illinois after being recruited by Hartleb, and James Morris, a junior this past year, turned down a draft offer from the Anaheim Angels in 2001 to do the same. Hartleb’s 1994 recruiting class, which included the core of the 1998 Big Ten championship team, will also go in the books as one of the finest classes ever recruited to Illinois.

Hartleb began his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at Southern Illinois University in 1989-90. He transferred to Southern Illinois from John A. Logan Community College where he was a junior college all-star catcher. At Hamilton High School in Hamilton, Ohio, Hartleb was a standout athlete in both baseball and football. He was inducted into Hamilton High School’s Hall of Fame in February of 2002.

“I was very pleased to hear that Dan has been given the opportunity to take over as head coach,” said Jones, who coached Hartleb at SIU and then gave him his start in coaching as graduate assistant before bringing him to Illinois in 1990. “Dan spent 15 years and over 750 games working along side me as an assistant. During that time he handled all of the responsibilities of a head coach so he knows how to get things done here. Dan is honest, up-front and is a very hard worker, something I think his players really respect.”