BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Illinois State Baseball is set to open the 124th campaign in team history this Friday with the first installment of a four-game series against Western Kentucky of Conference USA.
The Redbirds are 5-1 in season openers under head coach Steve Holm, including winning four of their last five. This year marks the earliest Opening Day for the Birds in a full season since 2015 when ISU started the year on Feb. 13 at Arkansas State.
Games 1-4
Illinois State (0-0) at Western Kentucky (0-0)
Dates: Friday, Feb. 14 – Sunday, Feb. 16
Location: Bowling Green, Kentucky
Facility: Nick Denes Field
Series: ISU leads 14-12 | Last meeting: 2017
Head Coaches: ISU; Steve Holm (136-157, Seventh Season) | WKU; Marc Rardin (69-48, Third season)
OUTLOOK FROM THE NEST
- Illinois State enters 2025 after a 30-27 season in 2024, their 16th 30-win season in program history and first since 2019
- Steve Holm enters his seventh season as head coach of the Redbirds, compiling a 136-157 overall record through six seasons.
- The Redbirds made their fourth MVC Tournament appearance under Holm in 2024
- ISU returns 20 players from the 2024 team, including 12 pitchers who pitched over 80 innings a year ago for the Birds
- The Birds welcomed eight freshmen and 10 transfers to Normal ahead of the 2025 campaign.
SCOUTING THE HILLTOPPERS
- The Hilltoppers finished the 2024 season with making their second-consecutive Conference USA Championships appearance and fourth overall since joining the league in 2015.
- Western Kentucky is coming off a 36-22 season in 2024, including 22-9 at home.
- Marc Rardin enters his third season at WKU, compiling a 69-48 record with the Hilltoppers heading into 2025.
- The Hilltoppers were slated third in the CUSA Preseason Poll as right-handed pitcher Dawson Hall and outfielder Ethan Lizama were named to the 2025 CUSA Preseason All-Conference Team.
- Of Division I teams that made head coaching hires in 2023, Rardin and the Hilltoppers hold the fifth-best record.
SERIES HISTORY
ISU and WKU will meet for the 27th time when they square-off on Opening Day. The Redbirds are 14-12 all-time versus the Hilltoppers.
The most recent series meeting came during the 2017 season in Bowling Green. ISU swept both games of a Sunday doubleheader to win two out of three games against WKU.
2025 SLATE
The 22 teams on the 2025 schedule for ISU averaged 27 wins last season and feature five NCAA regional qualifiers (Evansville, Illinois, Indiana State, Oral Roberts, and Oklahoma State).
Seven 2025 opponents finished last season in the top 100 in RPI (12. Indiana State; 16. Oklahoma State; 43. Illinois; 52. Evansville; 80. Murray State; 89. UIC; 100. Western Kentucky).
YEAR SEVEN FOR HOLM
Illinois State enters its seventh season under the direction of head coach Steve Holm (including the 2020 season that was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
Holm has led the Redbirds to a 137-157 record, one NCAA Tournament appearance, four MVC Tournament appearances, and the 2019 co-MVC regular season title.
2025 ROSTER OUTLOOK
Illinois State returns 20 total players from last year's roster headlined by positional starters in first baseman Judah Morris, middle infielder Shai Robinson, left fielder Daniel Pacella, and catcher Daniel Contreras.
12 pitchers who saw action on the mound in 2024 are also back, frontlined by right-hander Tanner Perry, right-hander Joe Husak, and righty Carter Monke.
ILLINOIS STATE TO HOST MVC TOURNAMENT
The 2025 Missouri Valley Conference Championships will take place from Duffy Bass Field in Normal, Illinois.
The eight-team tournament opens on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, and is scheduled to run through Saturday, May 24, 2025. This is the first time Illinois State will host the MVC Championships since 2019.
ON DECK FOR ISU
Following this weekend's opening series, Illinois State will hit the road for an in-state midweek battle at SIUE on Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 3 p.m.
The Redbirds will then head to the Sunshine State for a three-game series at Jacksonville next weekend (Feb. 21-23).
For the latest updates on Illinois State Baseball, stay tuned at GoRedbirds.com, follow the Redbirds on X (@RedbirdBaseball) and Instagram (isuredbirdbaseball), and like the team on Facebook (Illinois State Baseball).
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Athletic Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
