USA Baseball announced today that Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb will lead the 2026 Collegiate National Team. The Big Ten Coach of the Decade (2010s) and multiple-time Big Ten Coach of the Year (2024 & 2015) is set to make his national managerial debut this summer, representing the USA.

Hartleb has been involved with USA Baseball before. He served as an assistant coach at last year’s Collegiate National Team training camp and as an assistant coach for the 2021 Collegiate National Team.

“We are excited to have Dan make his managerial debut in 2026 with the Collegiate National Team,” wrote USA Baseball’s General Manager of Collegiate and Professional National Teams Eric Campbell in a press release. “He has a proven track record at Illinois and is one of the most tenured coaches at the collegiate level, which makes him the perfect fit to lead this year’s team in our annual international competition. We are confident that Dan will guide our team to a great deal of success while providing unparalleled guidance to the top non-draft eligible players in the country.” 

Hartleb, who is the winningest head coach in program history, is looking forward to representing and competing for his country and will look to lead the team with a sense of pride and energy. 

“I am extremely excited for the opportunity to wear a USA Baseball uniform and lead a team of outstanding collegiate athletes into international play this summer,” Hartleb wrote in a press release. “Representing our country in any capacity is a profound honor and privilege. I am energized by the challenge ahead as we work to select a team that will compete with great pride, passion, and purpose in representing our nation and our national pastime in international competition.”

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