Madonna University Men's Baseball

Haeger enters his 21st year as Crusader head coach amidst a string of accomplishments that have undoubtedly been a direct reflection of his coaching style. The Livonia native most recently earned his 650th career victory on Oct. 8, 2016, defeating Aquinas (Mich.) by a 9-5 margin. Haeger and the Crusaders won four straight Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) championships from 2008-11 during an overall stretch that saw the Blue and Gold take home six of seven league crowns. In all, Haegers teams have won 11 WHAC championships and five league tournament titles while earning trips to the NAIA National Championship Tournament on five occasions (2009, 2010, 2013, 2015 and 2016). The 2016 Crusaders ended the season with an overall record of 41-17 and a WHAC regular season mark of 24-4. The impressive campaign, which included a program-best 23-game winning streak, lifted the Crusaders to a No. 2 seed in the NAIAs Opening Round Santa Barbara Bracket. For their efforts, the Crusaders took home several on-field honors, including Johno Rodriguezs NAIA All-America selection. Trumping all on-field accolades, MU was able to earn their way to the most NAIA-Daktronics Scholar-Athletes in the nation in 2016 after posting a Madonna-best GPA for all mens sports. The 2015 Crusaders ended the season with a 37-17 overall mark and a record of 26-6 in WHAC play. The successful campaign was a result of great balance as the Crusaders had five batters with averages north of .300 while pitchers Evan Piechota and Adam Prashad carried the rotation on their way to WHAC All-Conference nods. Outfielder Taylor Grzelakowski took home a Gold Glove award and WHAC All-Conference first team nomination. More important to Haeger, the 2011 and 2015 squads took home the Blue and Gold Award for Male Scholar Team, while the 2011 team earned NAIA Scholar Team honors after posting a 3.01 grade point average for the 2010-11 school year showing the teams dedication both on the field and in the classroom. The successes of 2011 came on the heels of the most successful season in Madonna University history as the Crusaders set the program record for wins in 2010 with 48 against just 11 losses before advancing to the NAIA National Tournament for the second straight season and ending the year ranked at No. 10 in the NAIA Coaches Poll - the highest finish ever for a Madonna baseball team. Haeger - the  longest tenured coach in the WHAC - has coached four conference Players of the Year in Jeff Bultinck (2011), Kevin Zerbo (2008), Ben Ramsey (2006) and Joe Greene (2005);  along with a like number of Conference Pitchers of the Year in Jeremy Gooding - twice (2011, 13), Jeff Sonnenberg (2009), Will Kennedy (2008) and Derek Dufrane (2005); and has had six players in the last several years (Ramsey first team in 2006, Dufrane second team in 2005 and John McCracken honorable mention in 2008) earn NAIA All-America honors with Bultinck and Gooding being selected to the 2011 first team. Johno Rodriguez earned second team honors in 2016. Haeger has been honored as the WHAC Coach of the Year eight times (2005, 06, 08, 09, 10, 11, 13, 16), NAIA Region Coach of the Year three times (2005, 06, 08) and NAIA Great Lakes Section Coach of the Year once (1998). The longtime head coach is the architect behind one of the nations top pitching staffs as the Crusader arms carried the team to nine straight 30-win seasons from 2004-12 and a like number of post season appearances. On the field, Haeger places a strong emphasis on teaching the game of baseball. Whether working as a team or through individual instruction, he has constantly worked to improve fundamentals. In addition, he preaches an aggressive style of play, as the Crusaders stolen base numbers demonstrate. His work with the Madonna pitching staff is undeniably a major reason for the teams success since he came on board. Since taking over for Mike George on June 24, 1996, after a pair of seasons as Georges pitching coach, Haeger has led the Crusaders to a 646-410-5 overall record (entering the 2016-17 campaign). After an outstanding high school career at Detroit Catholic Central, Haeger was named Michigan Amateur Player of the Year, and was drafted by the Detroit Tigers following his senior season in 1987. Haeger put his professional dreams on hold to accept a baseball scholarship and pursue his education at the University of Michigan. Haeger enjoyed a tremendous career at Michigan, earning All-Big Ten Conference honors in both 1988 and 1989. He led the Wolverines with eight game winning RBIs as a sophomore when he batted .292 with five home runs. He tied for third on the team with 38 RBIs as a sophomore. A career .290 hitter, Haeger spent the majority of his time as a first baseman for the Maize and Blue. In 1990, Haeger was again drafted by the Tigers and opted to turn pro following his junior season. While with the Tigers, Haeger moved up through the farm system, earning All-Star honors in 1991 and playing on the Florida State League Champion Lakeland Tigers in 1992. Unfortunately, a knee injury ended his professional career. Following the injury, Haeger returned to Michigan to continue his education in 1994. He later joined the Madonna staff as an assistant. His impact on the pitching staff was immediately noticeable as the teams ERA finished in the top 15 of the NAIA in two of his three seasons as pitching coach. In addition, he was part of Madonnas first sectional championship team in 1995. In addition to his duties in the dugout, Haeger is responsible for maintenance and upkeep of Ilitch Ballpark as well as University Field and assists the Athletic Department with game management duties at MU sporting events. Off the field, Haeger and his wife Jean reside in New Hudson with their sons Gregory III [Trey] and Evan.   Two decades into his NAIA coaching career, Madonna University head coach Greg Haeger continues to define Crusader Baseball. His brilliant mind for the game and focus on the development of student-athletes continues to establish Madonna University as one of the most elite collegiate baseball programs in the country and one that consistently vies for conference and national titles each year. Haeger enters his 21 year as Crusader head coach amidst a string of accomplishments that have undoubtedly been a direct reflection of his coaching style. The Livonia native most recently earned his 650th career victory on Oct. 8, 2016, defeating Aquinas (Mich.) by a 9-5 margin. Haeger and the Crusaders won four straight Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) championships from 2008-11 during an overall stretch that saw the Blue and Gold take home six of seven league crowns. In all, Haegers teams have won 11 WHAC championships and five league tournament titles while earning trips to the NAIA National Championship Tournament on five occasions (2009, 2010, 2013, 2015 and 2016). The 2016 Crusaders ended the season with an overall record of 41-17 and a WHAC regular season mark of 24-4. The impressive campaign, which included a program-best 23-game winning streak, lifted the Crusaders to a No. 2 seed in the NAIAs Opening Round Santa Barbara Bracket. For their efforts, the Crusaders took home several on-field honors, including Johno Rodriguezs NAIA All-America selection. Trumping all on-field accolades, MU was able to earn their way to the most NAIA-Daktronics Scholar-Athletes in the nation in 2016 after posting a Madonna-best GPA for all mens sports. The 2015 Crusaders ended the season with a 37-17 overall mark and a record of 26-6 in WHAC play. The successful campaign was a result of great balance as the Crusaders had five batters with averages north of .300 while pitchers Evan Piechota and Adam Prashad carried the rotation on their way to WHAC All-Conference nods. Outfielder Taylor Grzelakowski took home a Gold Glove award and WHAC All-Conference first team nomination. More important to Haeger, the 2011 and 2015 squads took home the Blue and Gold Award for Male Scholar Team, while the 2011 team earned NAIA Scholar Team honors after posting a 3.01 grade point average for the 2010-11 school year showing the teams dedication both on the field and in the classroom. The successes of 2011 came on the heels of the most successful season in Madonna University history as the Crusaders set the program record for wins in 2010 with 48 against just 11 losses before advancing to the NAIA National Tournament for the second straight season and ending the year ranked at No. 10 in the NAIA Coaches Poll - the highest finish ever for a Madonna baseball team. Haeger - the  longest tenured coach in the WHAC - has coached four conference Players of the Year in Jeff Bultinck (2011), Kevin Zerbo (2008), Ben Ramsey (2006) and Joe Greene (2005);  along with a like number of Conference Pitchers of the Year in Jeremy Gooding - twice (2011, 13), Jeff Sonnenberg (2009), Will Kennedy (2008) and Derek Dufrane (2005); and has had six players in the last several years (Ramsey first team in 2006, Dufrane second team in 2005 and John McCracken honorable mention in 2008) earn NAIA All-America honors with Bultinck and Gooding being selected to the 2011 first team. Johno Rodriguez earned second team honors in 2016. Haeger has been honored as the WHAC Coach of the Year eight times (2005, 06, 08, 09, 10, 11, 13, 16), NAIA Region Coach of the Year three times (2005, 06, 08) and NAIA Great Lakes Section Coach of the Year once (1998). The longtime head coach is the architect behind one of the nations top pitching staffs as the Crusader arms carried the team to nine straight 30-win seasons from 2004-12 and a like number of post season appearances. On the field, Haeger places a strong emphasis on teaching the game of baseball. Whether working as a team or through individual instruction, he has constantly worked to improve fundamentals. In addition, he preaches an aggressive style of play, as the Crusaders stolen base numbers demonstrate. His work with the Madonna pitching staff is undeniably a major reason for the teams success since he came on board. Since taking over for Mike George on June 24, 1996, after a pair of seasons as Georges pitching coach, Haeger has led the Crusaders to a 646-410-5 overall record (entering the 2016-17 campaign). After an outstanding high school career at Detroit Catholic Central, Haeger was named Michigan Amateur Player of the Year, and was drafted by the Detroit Tigers following his senior season in 1987. Haeger put his professional dreams on hold to accept a baseball scholarship and pursue his education at the University of Michigan. Haeger enjoyed a tremendous career at Michigan, earning All-Big Ten Conference honors in both 1988 and 1989. He led the Wolverines with eight game winning RBIs as a sophomore when he batted .292 with five home runs. He tied for third on the team with 38 RBIs as a sophomore. A career .290 hitter, Haeger spent the majority of his time as a first baseman for the Maize and Blue. In 1990, Haeger was again drafted by the Tigers and opted to turn pro following his junior season. While with the Tigers, Haeger moved up through the farm system, earning All-Star honors in 1991 and playing on the Florida State League Champion Lakeland Tigers in 1992. Unfortunately, a knee injury ended his professional career. Following the injury, Haeger returned to Michigan to continue his education in 1994. He later joined the Madonna staff as an assistant. His impact on the pitching staff was immediately noticeable as the teams ERA finished in the top 15 of the NAIA in two of his three seasons as pitching coach. In addition, he was part of Madonnas first sectional championship team in 1995. In addition to his duties in the dugout, Haeger is responsible for maintenance and upkeep of Ilitch Ballpark as well as University Field and assists the Athletic Department with game management duties at MU sporting events. Off the field, Haeger and his wife Jean reside in New Hudson with their sons Gregory III [Trey] and Evan.