Head coach Steve Holm is entering his seventh season with the Redbird baseball program in the 2024-25 academic year. Through the 2024 season, his overall mark is 136-157, a winning percentage of .464. Holm is 58-65 in Missouri Valley play, a winning percentage of .472.
The 2024 season saw Illinois State finish 30-27 with a trip to the MVC Tournament for the Redbirds. Daniel Pacella headlined a group of six Redbirds who collected All-MVC honors, as the Mundelein native was named First Team All-MVC. Pacella is the first Redbird to be named First Team All-MVC since Ryan Cermak in 2022.
The Redbirds also saw a trio of Honorable Mention All-MVC honorees in Judah Morris, Auggie Rasmussen, and Joe Husak. Finally, Cameron Mabee and JT Sokolove were named to the All-MVC Defensive Team last season.
The Redbirds increased their win total from 2023 to 2024 by 10 games (20-30 in 2023 to 30-27 in 2024). The 10-win increase was the best in the MVC, ahead of UIC’s seven win increase, tied for seventh best across all-mid majors with 12 schools, and tied for the ninth best increase nationally. The 30 wins by ISU marked the 16th time, and second under Holm, in school history the Redbirds reached the 30-win mark.
Holm and the Redbirds posted a 36-26 (14-7 MVC) record and earned a share of the Missouri Valley Conference regular season title in 2019, his debut season as head coach. The 36 wins was a 14-win improvement than the year prior and the most wins for an Illinois State team since winning 39 in 2013. It was also the most wins for a first-year Redbird baseball head coach in program history.
The Birds earned an at-large NCAA Tournament berth in 2019 and were placed in the Louisville regional, defeating both Big Ten regular season champions Indiana and No. 7 Louisville, before ultimately falling to Louisville in the Illinois State's first-ever appearance in a regional final. Louisville advanced to the Final Four of the College World Series where they were defeated by eventual champions No. 1 Vanderbilt, who ISU had also beaten earlier in the year in Nashville.
Holm was named MVC Coach of the Year for the 2019 season. The Redbirds also collected the MVC Player of the Year (Joe Aeilts) and MVC Pitcher of the Year (Brent Headrick) awards.
At the conclusion of the 2019 season, five Redbirds heard their names called in the draft, including John Rave (Royals, 5th Round), Brent Headrick (Twins, 9th Round), Matt Walker (Tigers, 13th Round), Joe Aeilts (Rockies, 14th Round) and Jeff Lindgren (Marlins, 24th Round). Colton Johnson (Athletics, 16th Round) and Hayden Jones (Reds, Free Agent) received professional opportunities following the 2021 campaign while Ryan Cermak (Rays, 2nd Round) became the program's third-highest pick after the 2022 season.
Illinois State shook up the college baseball world to open the 2022 season, knocking off 2nd-ranked Arkansas in Fayetteville to open the season. The Redbirds also defeated the nation's last remaining unbeaten team, #19 Purdue, in a thrilling extra-inning, walk-off victory to open ISU's home slate. Illinois State also defeated the Big Ten's Illinois and Iowa, in addition to Purdue.
Ryan Cermak became the program's third-highest pick in program history in 2022 and highest since 2001 after he was selected in the 2nd round and 71st overall by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2022 MLB Draft. Cermak won the program's first ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove and was back-to-back MVC Defensive Player of the Year and First-Team All-MVC.
During the shortened 2020 season, Holm and the Redbirds recorded road victories at No. 23 Oklahoma and No. 13 Arkansas en route to a 7-9 record.
Under Holm’s lead, the Redbirds have defeated seven different ranked opponents (#1 Vanderbilt in 2019, #7 Louisville in 2019, #23 Oklahoma in 2020, #13 Arkansas in 2020, #25 Indiana State in 2021, #2 Arkansas in 2022, #19 Purdue in 2022, #17 Iowa in 2023). The Redbirds have also been ranked in the NCAA's RPI Top 25 two seasons (25 in 2020, 23 in 2019). The Redbirds were one of just 11 total programs and three Mid-Majors to be ranked in the RPI Top 25 in both 2019 and 2020.
As head coach for the Redbirds, Holm has mentored 12 student athletes who have advanced to the professional ranks, including two Birds who have played in the MLB (Jeff Lindgren and Brent Headrick).
Prior to taking over the ISU program, Holm was a pitching coach at Purdue and an integral part of the staff that helped the Boilermakers improve by 28 wins over a two-year period and become a NCAA Regional participant in 2018.
Relief pitcher and former ISU assistant coach Ross Learnard was named a Third-Team All-American under Holm’s tutelage in 2018, as the Boilermakers posted a 38-21 overall record (17-6 Big Ten) to finish second in the regular-season conference standings. Right-handed starter Tanner Andrews (Marlins, 10th Round) and catcher Nick Dalesandro (Diamondbacks, 10th Round) were both drafted following the season and six Boilermakers earned All-Big Ten honors.
In Holm's first season at Purdue in 2017, Learnard (NCBWA Second Team All-American) and Gareth Stroh (Third Team All-Big Ten) both garnered postseason honors while helping lead the Boilermakers to a 19-win improvement. Learnard (0.58) eclipsed the team's minimum 30 innings ERA record that had stood since 1965 after having a consecutive scoreless innings streak of 35 2/3. Stroh (90 1/3 IP, 1.30 WHIP) teamed with Andrews (8-4, .258 B/Avg.) to give Purdue its most consistent weekend rotation since 2012. Dalton Parker's six saves eclipsed a team freshman record that had stood since 1993. Purdue's team totals for ERA (5.27 to 4.91), WHIP (1.61 to 1.43), batting average against (.295 to .265) and strikeouts per nine innings (5.8 to 6.7) all improved and its pitchers surrendered 57 fewer hits while throwing 22 more innings in 2017 vs. 2016.
Holm joined the Sacramento State coaching staff for the 2013 season and was promoted to associate head coach the following year. He helped the Hornets win 40 games and a pair of Western Athletic Conference titles in 2014. Under Holm's guidance, the Hornets' team ERA dropped from 5.25 in 2012 to 3.63 during his first season and remained below 4.00 for three straight years. The 2015 pitching staff ranked third nationally in WHIP (1.09) and fewest walks per nine innings (2.07) while establishing school records for ERA (2.97) and batting average against (.235). Sacramento State won at least 30 games in each of Holm's four seasons as an assistant coach, good for a combined mark of 137-103 (67-41 WAC). The 2014 team posted victories against Oregon State, Arizona State, Texas A&M and Fresno State on its way to a program-record 40 wins and its first NCAA Regional appearance.
Holm also worked with the catchers and infielders while providing hitting instruction. The Hornets' 2016 MLB draft picks included pitchers Tyler Beardsley and Sam Long as well as catcher Gunner Pollman. Numerous other Sacramento State players developed into MLB draftees after excelling under Holm's tutelage. That list was highlighted by three-time All-WAC honoree and all-time wins leader Brennan Leitao as well as all-time saves leader Sutter McLoughlin. Long and McLoughlin were both Freshman All-Americans to begin their collegiate careers.
The Sacramento native was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1997 MLB First-Year Player Draft after his senior season at McClatchy High School, but passed on that opportunity to start his collegiate career at American River Junior College. After two seasons, Holm made his way to Oral Roberts and became an All-American at shortstop, winning Mid-Continent Conference Player and Newcomer of the Year honors in 2000 after batting a school-record .437. He was then drafted by the Giants in 2001 and made the transition to catcher in pro ball, where he played in over 700 games during his 12 pro seasons. He was part of the Giants' 2008 opening-day roster and also played in the big leagues in 2009 (Giants) and 2011 (Twins).
Holm graduated in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in recreation administration and was later inducted into the ORU Hall of Fame in 2014. In the fall of 2016, he was part of McClatchy High School's Hall of Fame class along with former teammate and longtime big leaguer Nick Johnson as well as their coach Brian Loforte. He and his wife, Lindsey, were married in the summer of 2013 and are the parents of two daughters, Annika and Hanna.
