Roger Coryell - Baseball Coach - Eastern Michigan University Athletics

Roger Coryell

Title:
Head Coach

The 2006 season marks the 19th for Eagles Head Coach Roger Coryell at the head of the Eastern Michigan baseball program. A three-year letter winner for the Eastern Michigan baseball team and an assistant under Ron Oestrike, Coryell has been part of the EMU baseball program for the past 37 years, and has played a major part in the history of the program. Coryell was inducted into the EMU Athletics Hall of Fame, Class of 2004.

In 2004, Eastern Michigan made it to its third consecutive MAC Tournament, a feat that had not been reached since the 1981, '82 and '83 seasons. Behind MAC Player of the Year Brian Bixler and MAC Pitcher of the Year Ryan Ford, the Eagles made it to their second consecutive appearance in the MAC Championship game, falling to Kent State in the final.

February 16, 2003, EMU’s mentor tallied his 400th victory as the Eagles defeated a nationally-ranked Florida Atlantic squad. (Coryell also picked up win No. 425 against local rival Michigan, May 14.) Even though a division title escaped the Eagles last season, the first MAC Championship with Coryell in control did not as Eastern bounced back from an early setback in the MAC Tournament to win four straight games in the conference tournament for the first league title since 1982.

The 2002 season marked one of the most successful under Coryell’s tutelage as the Eagles won their first ever Mid-American Conference West Division crown and qualified for the conference tournament for the first time in nine years. In addition, EMU placed a player on both the first (Ryan Goleski) and second (Greg Anglin) All-MAC team, and the conference Freshman of the Year (Brian Bixler). Combined with a MAC-high 19 wins in conference play, Coryell earned the 2002 MAC Coach of the Year award.

Coryell took the reins of the EMU program in 1988, finishing with a record of 35-22-1 and in second place in the Mid-American Conference. He won his first game at the helm with a 9-5 victory over Columbus (Georgia) March 5, 1988. Ten seasons later, he reached his 300th career win with a 9-4 victory over Marshall April 22, 1998. In 2001, the Eagles second win of the season, a 4-2 win over Illinois-Chicago, marked the 350th career win for EMU’s skipper. Coryell is second behind his mentor Oestrike in career wins in EMU history.

Throughout the past 18 seasons, Coryell has coached 21 first-team All-Mid American Conference selections, 13 second-team selections (Derrick Peterson in 2004) and five MAC batting title champions. Under his tutelage, Brian Bixler was named the 2004 MAC Player of the Year as well as Greg Ryan in 1997. Ryan Ford earned 2004 MAC Pitcher of the Year honors along with Doug Martin in 1991. Both Don DeDonatis (1994) and Bixler (2002) earned MAC Freshman of the Year honors.

Coryell’s career at EMU began in 1968 as a player for the then-Hurons. He earned three varsity letters as a member of the baseball team and was the starting pitcher in the 1970 NAIA National Championship game, the lone national title for the program, with the 2-1 victory over Northeast Louisiana. Coryell graduated in 1971.

The Eagles mentor has seen 77 former players sign pro contracts during his coaching tenure here at Eastern Michigan, both as an assistant and as the head coach.

Prior to being named the head coach at EMU, Coryell served as assistant coach for 16 seasons. He was a member of the coaching staff when Eastern Michigan made its two appearances at the NCAA College World series in 1975 and in 1976. EMU finished in fifth place in 1975 and lost in the championship to Arizona in 1976.

In addition to his collegiate coaching, Coryell led the EMU Adray Photo summer team from 1973-1988. The 1974, ’77, ’84 and ’87 squads participated in the All-American Amateur Baseball Association Tournament in Johnstown, Penn., with the 1974 team winning the AAABA National Title.

Coryell and his wife, Kitty, have three children: Jennifer, Laura and Todd. He is an active member in the American Baseball Coaches Association as well as an instructor in EMU’s Heath Physical Education Recreation and Dance (HPERD).