Kolin Conner was named the head baseball coach at Concordia University Chicago in June 2019, after serving as the assistant coach for the Cougars from 2016 to 2019.
Since becoming head coach, Conner has led the Cougars to a 100-110 record, including three NACC Tournament appearances in the past four years. His first season saw the team ranked No. 19 in the nation in the preseason poll and No. 21 at the start of regular play. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic cut that season short. Nevertheless, Conner’s leadership has produced 25 NACC All-Conference athletes, including 11 in the 2025 season. He has also coached seven All-Region honorees, 14 CSC Academic All-District selections, and one ABCA Division III Region All-Defensive player. Notably, Michael Kasik was named to the CSC Academic All-American Third Team after a standout 2023 season.
Under Conner’s guidance, the program has seen significant statistical increase with players such as Tyler Dorsch, Michael Kasik, Jack Rector, Wyatt McLaughlin, Elijah Hickman, Cole Carman, Christian Jacob, Dylan Ferraro, Bryce Jones, Sammy Valdez, Westin Stutzman, Brady McCleery, Jake Mahler, and Tyler Krater all breaking into the top ten in the program record book. Additionally, Brody Marriotti set a new school and NACC record with 35 career home runs in 2022 while writing his name in many areas of the record book.
Since assuming the head coach position, the Cougars have also earned recognition for their academic achievements. The team boasts the highest male GPA on campus over the past decade, with an impressive 3.3 Team GPA. The program averages 32 athletes on Dean’s List and 24 NACC Scholar Athletes per year.
Before becoming the head coach, Conner served as the head assistant at Concordia for four years. During that time, the team made two College World Series appearances, won four NACC regular-season titles, and reached the No. 1 national ranking. Conner was honored as the 2018 Assistant Baseball Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA). As an assistant, he worked with the team’s hitters, catchers, and strength and conditioning program. Under his leadership, the Cougars posted a .321 team batting average and averaged 7.8 runs per game over his four years as assistant coach. During that period, 11 position players earned NACC All-Conference honors, including Mitch Wilson, who earned the distinction three times. The team also produced multiple All-Region players and set several program records for hits, with Wilson, Joe Silva, and Bryan VanDuser breaking those records.
In 2020, Conner’s influence helped three of his former players—VanDuser, Wilson, and Silva—earn spots on the D3baseball.com All-Decade Team.
Conner’s passion for the game began as a player at St. Joseph's College in Rensselaer, Ind., as a first-team All-Great Lakes Valley Conference and second-team Daktronics All-Region player. After college, Conner signed a free-agent contract with the Joliet Slammers and later played for the Evansville Otters in the Frontier League.
A native of Indianapolis, Ind., Conner earned his BA in Educational Studies with a minor in Communications from St. Joseph’s in 2013. He and his wife, Lyndsey, live in Lombard, Ill., with their children, Leo and Layla.
“It’s truly an honor to be part of the CUC baseball staff,” Conner said. “This program has a long history of winning, and I am proud to continue that tradition.”
| Year |
Record |
Conference |
Finish |
| Total |
100-110 |
54-62 |
|
| 2020 |
5-5 |
0-0 NACC |
*Season Shortened due to COVID-19 |
| 2021 |
11-25 |
4-16 NACC |
6th Place (South) |
| 2022 |
19-21 |
12-12 NACC |
6th Place - NACC First Round |
| 2023 |
20-22 |
12-12 NACC |
6th Place - NACC First Round |
| 2024 |
19-21 |
10-14 NACC |
9th Place |
| 2025 |
26-16 |
16-8 NACC |
3rd Place - NACC First Round |
