Baseball | July 21

DeKALB, IL – Northern Illinois University head baseball coach Ryan Copeland announced on Monday that Joe Kelch has been promoted to Associate Head Coach.
 
Under Kelch's direction, NIU set single-season records in 2025 for runs scored, home runs, walks and RBI. The Huskies scored 416 runs with 382 RBI, hit 82 home runs and drew 259 walks. On April 15 NIU set single-game records of 27 runs and 17 walks in its 27-11 seven-inning win at Northwestern on April 15, one of the Huskies' two wins over Big Ten programs this season.
 
"Joe has a track record of recruiting and developing dynamic athletes who fit our offensive philosophy," said Copeland. "We had one of the more dangerous offenses in college baseball this year and that is a reflection of his ability to get the most out of our hitters. He's a tireless worker and an outstanding recruiter. His promotion is well deserved and shows how valuable he is to the success of our program."
 
NIU has scored 747 runs in the last two seasons for the top and 10^th-most runs in a single year in program history. The Huskies hit the third-most home runs in a single-season in program history in 2024 with 50. Over the last two seasons NIU has set it's top-two single-season marks in walks with 250 in 2024.
 
The 2025 Huskies were second in the Mid-American Conference in home runs, third in runs per game and fourth in walks and slugging percentage at .466. Junior catcher Logan Gregorio was named to the All-MAC Second Team and Rawlings/ABCA All-Midwest Region Second Team after leading NIU with 18 home runs, 69 RBI and a .332 batting average. He was named MAC Player of the Week on March 10 after hitting .533 with a 1.267 slugging percentage in NIU's series at Kent State.
 
Gavin Baldwin (Nashville, Ill./SEMO) was also an All-MAC Second Team selection, giving the Huskies' multiple All-MAC honorees for the second straight year. Baldwin hit .322 with 15 home runs and 57 RBI and tied for the team lead in walks with 29. On March 16 Baldwin tied the NIU single-game home run record with three at Miami. He also tied the single-game record for walks with four in the win at Northwestern on April 15.
 
--NIU--