Former Hornet Brad Hill, who won his 1000th career game last season, is getting ready for his third year at the helm of Hornet Baseball and is just the fifth head baseball coach in the last 50 years.

Hill, an NCAA Division II national championship coach and an Emporia State Hall of Honor member on being the head coach at Emporia State, "What an honor and privilege returning to my alma mater to take over the head baseball coaching position.  Emporia State baseball has a long, rich tradition of success with high expectations to win championships," said Hill. "I am very excited to be back in the college game that has provided many positive memories, plus a network of lifetime relationships with players and coaches."

In his first season with the Hornets in 2024, Hill helped improve Emporia State from 18 wins in 2023 to 21 wins. Emporia State also 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.

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.  Along the way to the national title, the Mules defeated Emporia State in the MIAA Championship game.

"Hornet Baseball has a great tradition that includes several alumni who have been very successful as baseball coaches.  As we narrowed down the process, we were looking for someone who can structure and develop a championship level program, while bringing our history to the present," said Emporia State Athletic Director David Spafford. "We feel Coach Hill is someone who can provide our student athletes with the experience they deserve and are excited to welcome Coach Hill home!"

He moved from Warrensburg to Manhattan following the 2003 national championship and would lead K-State to four NCAA Regional Tournaments and the Wildcats first ever Super Regional berth in 2013. Within four years, he took K-State to their first Big 12 Championship game appearance in 2007.  He was named the ABCA Midwest Region Coach of the Year in 2009 as the Bat Cats advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history, earned their first ever National Top Ten ranking and finished the season ranked for the first time in school history.

A proven producer of talent, Hill has coached 64 players that were selected in the Major League Baseball Draft with 46 at Kansas State and 18 in nine years at Division II Central Missouri.
 
Hill's tenure in Manhattan saw 82 Wildcats earn All-Big 12 accolades – including two conference players of the year while producing 18 All-Americans, 84 Academic All-Big 12 honorees, eight freshman All-Americans, three Academic All-Americans and three Big 12 pitchers of the year while at K-State. At Central Missouri 45 Mules earned first-team All-MIAA honors, including the player or pitcher of the year in each of his nine seasons, 12 first-team ABCA All-Americans, and five Academic All-Americans.

"I am thankful to President Ken Hush and Athletic Director David Spafford for this opportunity," said Hill. "Their vision for Emporia State and the athletics department to be at a championship level academically and athletically made this decision easy for me.  I look forward to our current and future Hornet players embracing the championship culture established by our former players/coaches at Emporia State."

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.

What Others Say About Brad Hill
Rob Vaughn, Head Coach-University of Alabama /Player for Coach Hill at K-State 
In 2005, Coach Hill took a chance on an undersized catcher from Humble, Texas and gave me a chance to compete at Kansas State… at the end of my four years was the first NCAA Regional Appearance in school history, a chance to play professional baseball and most important, a future career. Coach Hill knows how to build people – not just baseball players. The skill will grow, you will learn to compete, you will see that you are capable of much more than you ever thought possible, but most importantly, you will become a leader and a man of character.

Frank Anderson, Pitching Coach-University of Tennessee/Coach on 1984 ESU NAIA World Series team
Brad Hill has seen his career come full circle. He was an outstanding player at ESU that could have played anywhere in the United States and he remained loyal to the Hornets! He has been a successful coach at the JuCo, D2, and the Division 1 level taking K-State to heights they had never seen before. Brad is a great choice to bring ESU back to national prominence!

Ross Kivett - Assistant Coach-University of Tennessee/2013 Big 12 Player of Year for Coach Hill at K-State
Coach Hill provided me an opportunity to grow as a player and a man.
Under his guidance I developed from a fringe Division 1 player to eventually the Big 12 Player of the Year.
I would not be where I am today as a coach, or have the career I had as a player, if it weren’t for my four years with Coach.

Josh Reynolds - Director of Baseball Ops & Pitching Performance-University of Tennessee/Former Coach and Player for Hill & 3rd Rd Draft Pick
Emporia State has a true baseball guy in the dugout. He knows the game inside and out and has won at every level. He will recruit the right players, and develop them on and off the field. The administration showed they are committed to baseball by hiring Coach Hill.

Will Brennen - Outfielder Cleveland Guardians/Played for Coach Hill at K-State
Playing for Brad Hill at Kansas State was a huge opportunity for growth in my career. He instilled a toughness and work ethic that would carry into professional baseball. The expectation was to work hard and play the game the right way for 27 outs.

HILL'S CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
All-time head coaching record: 992-563-3 (.637) (four year and two year schools)
Four-year school coaching record: 907-511-3  (.647) 
K-State's all-time winningest head coach (468-391-3)
Central Missouri's all-time winningest head coach (418-91)
Two-time Big 12 Coach of the Year (2009, 2013)
Two-time ABCA Midwest Coach of the Year (2009, 2013)
Led K-State to its first Big 12 championship in 2013
Four NCAA Regional berths and first-ever Super Regional appearance
2003 NCAA Division II National Championship
2003 NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year
64 MLB Draft picks (46 at K-State/18 at Central Missouri)