Millikin University Men's Baseball

Dylan Hamilton joined the Millikin Athletics staff in January 2023 serving as an assistant coach for the Big Blue baseball program. Hamilton will be Millikin’s Pitching Coach and Recruiting Coordinator.   In Hamilton's first season, Big Blue pitchers had a team ERA of 3.64 and had a school record seven shutouts. In 2024, the Big Blue pitching staff propelled the team to a 29-16 record winning a share of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Regular sesaon title and a trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament. Hamilton led the pitching staff that included All-American and CCIW Pitcher of the Year Caleb Buehrle and All-Conference First Team hurler Drew Detmers. Hamilton comes to Millikin after spending the last two season an assistant baseball coach at Spalding University serving as the Pitching Coach and Recruiting Coordinator for the Eagles.   Prior to Spalding, Hamilton spent the 2020 season at Eastern Illinois University serving as the Director of Baseball Operations. Hamilton spent two seasons at Wittenberg University in Ohio where he was the Pitching Development Coach and Recruiting Coordinator.   Hamilton was the Head Coach/Pitching Coach for the Irish Hills Leprechauns of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League in 2018.   Hamilton is a 2017 graduate of Malone University, where he double majored in Business Administration and Sports Management.  

Brandon Townsend was named the Head Baseball Coach at Millikin University in June 2013. In addition to heading the Millikin baseball program, Townsend serves as a strength and conditioning coach for Millikin. In 2024, Townsend became Millikin's all-time winningest baseball coach surpassing the 200 career win mark. Townsend led the Big Blue to a 29-16 record winning a share of the College Conference of Illinois an Wisconsin (CCIW) regular season title and making a trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Big Blue squad included All-American and CCIW Pitcher of the Year Caleb Buehrle and five players on the All-Conference First with two making the Second Team. Townsend was named the CCIW Co-Coach of the Year.   In 2022 and 2023, Millikin has posted 27-16 records each year going 11-7 in CCIW action. Millikin finished in third in the CCIW race in 2023 and tied for second in 2022. In 2021, Townsend led the Big Blue to the best season in school history with a 31-16 overall record and a 20-12 mark in College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW). Millikin set school records for overall wins and conference wins in a season. Townsend guided the Big Blue to a CCIW Tournament Title and the school’s first ever trip to the NCAA Tournament. In 2019, Millikin finished 23-20 overall, going 14-10 in CCIW conference play. The Big Blue were third in the regular season standings and qualified for the CCIW Tournament for the first time since 1990, where they would finish third in the conference playoffs. 2019's successes lead to Coach Townsend being named CCIW Coach of the Year, becoming one of two coaches in Millikin history to receive the honor, and the first Millikin coach since 2000 to be given the award.    Townsend’s players have earned All-Conference First Team honors 17 times and 17 players received All-Conference Second Team recognition. Thirteen players have earned All-Region honors during Townsend’s tenure.            Under Townsend’s guidance, the Big Blue baseball program has excelled in the classroom.  In 2014-15 and 2015-16, the baseball team had the highest grade point average of any male sports team at Millikin.  In 2017, 18 baseball players earned CCIW Academic All-Conference honors. Eleven players were honored 2018, 14 2019, 12 in 2020, 14 in 2021, and 15 in 2022.            Prior to coming to Millikin, Townsend served as the Head Assistant Coach at Concordia University-Chicago for three seasons.  He was Concordia’s Head Pitching Coach and the program’s Recruiting Coordinator.  Townsend helped guide Concordia to three 30 win seasons and two straight NCAA Tournament appearances. In 2013, the Cougar’s went 39-7 winning the NAC regular season and tournament titles and advancing to the championship game of the NCAA Central Regional. Five of Townsend’s pitchers earned All-Conference honors this season.                      Townsend played collegiate for three seasons at North Central College serving as team captain for two seasons and earning two CCIW Pitcher of the Week awards. Townsend served as an assistant baseball coach at North Park University in 2005-06 and at North Central in 2006-07.           Townsend graduated from North Central with a Bachelor of Arts in Athletic Training in 2005 and earned his master’s degree in Athletic Administration from California University in Pennsylvania. Townsend is a Certified Performance Enhancement Specialist (NASM).