Brad Hill to Take Division I Position

Baseball | 8/15/2025 1:35:00 PM

August 15, 2025-Emporia State baseball coach Brad Hill has announced he is stepping down as the head coach of the Hornets to take the assistant coaching position at NCAA Division I Dartmouth. The head coach at Dartmouth is Blake McFadden who pitched for Hill at Kansas State from 2013-16 while another former player, Jacob Biller, is on the staff.
 
"It's never easy leaving the current players in the program, especially at your alma mater," said Hill. "I've had a great two years reconnecting with a lot of people. I've said before the only reason I would leave is if a former player was the head coach at a D-I school and makes me an offer. To me that is a great honor and I could not turn him down."
 
Hill, who won his 1000th career game as a head coach last season, increased the Hornets win total in each of his two years at the helm.  Under his guidance Emporia State returned to the MIAA Tournament after a two year absence. In his first season Emporia State improved in several statistical categories, including a 17-point jump in batting average, 44-point jump in OPS, 33-point jump in on-base percentage, 72 more walks and 59 fewer strikeouts. He had nine All-MIAA performers in his two seasons including the MIAA Freshman of the Year Logan Meyers in 2024.
 
"I want to personally thank Brad for his two years of dedicated service to Hornet Baseball and for the many contributions he has made to our program during that time," said Steve Rodecap, Emporia State Director of Athletics. "His leadership and commitment to our student-athletes have been greatly appreciated."
 
Off the field the Hornets were awarded the ABCA Team Academic Excellence Award, presented by Sports Attack for their efforts in the class room last year. Emporia State baseball was fifth in the nation in the final NCAA Helper Helper Report of community service for the 2024-25 academic year.
 
"I want to thank all of the alums and donors that have helped us over the past two years," said Hill. "Being able to complete the outfield turf project, the batting cages, improvements to the indoor facility, the Legacy Wall project have all helped set up the program for success in the future."
 
The 1984 Emporia State graduate has won 1,015 games in 29 years as a head coach with a career record of 930-536-3 in 26 seasons as a head coach at the four year level at the University of Central Missouri, Kansas State University and Emporia State.  He has taken 13 teams to the NCAA Tournament, nine trips with the Mules and four with the Wildcats. He spent the 2022 season as an assistant coach at Big Ten member Northwestern University.

Hill led Central Missouri to nine NCAA tournaments in nine seasons with seven Division II World Series appearances culminating with the 2003 National Championship. 
 
A proven producer of talent, Hill has coached 64 players that were selected in the Major League Baseball Draft.
 
A native of Galva, Kan, Hill has more than 30 years of service as a head coach or assistant at the collegiate level, including stints at Hutchinson Community College and Kansas prior to his time at Central Missouri and K-State.