John Weber enters his sixth season as the Head Baseball Coach, Director of Athletics and Sports Information Director at Purdue University North Central where he also assists with student activities and teaches at PNC.
Weber has led the Panther program to new heights after taking over a struggling program in October, 2004 with just 16 eligible players. The last four years have established PNC baseball as the number one ranked NAIA program by winning percentage in the state of Indiana (11 teams) and 8th of 34 teams at all levels. The Panthers have been ranked regionally countless times and are looking to make their mark on the national scene.
PNC has averaged 30 wins per season and established new marks for conference wins the past four years under Weber, the winningest coach in PNC history. Prior to Weber's arrival the single season win mark was 22.
Despite having the lack of an indoor facility, the lowest scholarship amounts in conference, and being a commuter based campus, the Panthers have become a top-tier program in the difficult CCAC.
This past season continued PNC 's attack on becoming an elite college program. The Panthers finished 31-24 overall and 21-9 in the CCAC while qualifying for the post season for the fourth straight season. The Panthers were eliminated in the NAIA National Tournament in California after earning an automatic bid by finishing in second place in the large, 11-team conference. In 2009 only the top two teams from the CCAC advanced as their was not a conference tournament.
In 2008 the Panthers finished 28-21 overall and 14-6 in the CCAC. PNC went to the final day of the regular season before losing the conference championship and slipping to third place. However, PNC qualified for the postseason and were defeated in the CCAC Tournament Chmpionship game in extra innings.
In 2007 the Panthers finished 28-22 and 13-7. The second place finish, along with the 2009 team is still the higest in program history. Once again, PNC qualified for the postseason but were eliminated in the CCAC Tournament.
In 2006 the Panthers set the single season wins mark at 32-20 and finished 11-9 in the CCAC (5th place). However, PNC qualified for the CCAC Tournament and won it to advance to the NAIA National Tournament, just the second time PNC has qualified for the post season. The Panthers were eliminated in Regional play in Joliet, IL.
In Weber's first season in 2004, the Panthers finished 18-23-1 and 8-12. The 18 wins was the fourth highest single-season win total for PNC at the time.
Prior to PNC Weber was the Head Baseball Coach, Sports Information Director and a teacher at Lakeland College in Sheboygan, WI for six years. He established himself as the most successful coach in the history of Lakeland in any sport. The baseball team had won only two conference titles in 60 years but Weber's teams won Lake Michigan Conference titles in his last four years and earned their first NCAA tournament appearances in 02' and 03', including a 5th place finish at the 02' Division III College World Series. Lakeland is still the smallest college ever to make a Division III, CWS appearance with an enrollment of just over 700.
Weber received numerous honors for his team's accomplishments, including being named the LMC Coach of the Year four times, the 2002 Midwest Regional and Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association College Coach of the Year. He was also a featured speaker at the 2004 American Baseball Coaches Association national convention .
Weber left Lakeland as the all-time victories leader with the best winning percentage in program history. His teams set virtually every team and individual mark, including wins in a season three times. They averaged more wins per season than the previous single season wins record at Lakeland and were nationally ranked several times, reaching a high of 5th in 2002. He coached 46 All-Conference selections, with three Players of the Year.
Off the field Weber was equally successful. He had nearly 50 Academic All-Conference selections and a team GPA of almost 3.0. As SID, Weber oversaw the daily management of the department and developed the first athletic website. Weber also wrote all press releases, designed media guides and hosted a local television show.
Prior to Lakeland, Weber was the Associate Head Coach for the legendary Irish O'Reilly at Lewis University (Romeoville, IL) in 1998, where he led the pitchers to the second best ERA in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Before Lewis, Weber coached at Morton Community College in Cicero , IL where he served as head coach for the 1997 season and built the program from 12 to 40 players in one year.
Weber started his career at Benedictine University in Lisle, IL under reknown coach, John Ostrowski. In Weber's first season as pitching coach his staff led the nation in ERA at 2.49, down from 6.40 the previous year.
Weber is known for recognizing and developing talent in both his players and his coaches. Seven of his former assistant coaches became head coaches at the collegiate level, while 13 of his former players were either drafted or signed to professional contracts, including nine pitchers.
Former assistant coaches currently serving as head coaches include: Damon Day (University Nebraska Kearney), Marc Marizzaldi (Seton Hill College, PA), Jason Bartelt (Marian College, WI), Harry Torgerson (Triton College, IL), John Govek (Ashford University, IA) and Chris Thousand (Lakeland College, WI). Chad Gorman, former coach at Dana College (NE) is out of baseball.
Academically, Weber graduated from Lewis in 1993 with a Bachelor's in Marketing and played for O'Reilly as a pitcher. During this time the Flyers made two Division II CWS appearances, finishing 3rd in 90' and 4th in 92'. 15 of Weber's team mates moved on to pro baseball with three making the majors. While coaching at Benedictine, Weber earned his Master's degree in Management and Organizational Behavior with an emphasis in Human Resources in 1996.
Weber attended Benet Academy High School in Lisle, IL and graduated in 1989, when he led the Redwings to their only trip to state for baseball. The Redwings finished 31-9 under Marty Wiora as Weber finished 14-3 on the mound and played shortstop when not pitching.
Weber, 38, and his wife Erin are both natives of Lisle, IL. They have two daughters ages 6 and 3 and reside in Porter County.
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Steve Plucinski enters his third year as an assistant coach for Purdue North Central. He will assist in pitching and infield duties for the Panthers.
Plucinski graduated from Lakeland College in 2006 where he played baseball for Coach Weber from 2002 to 2004 and served as a three-year captain.
As a freshman Plucinski helped lead the Muskies to the 2002 Division III College World Series (5th place finish), becoming the smallest school to ever make a CWS appearance. He was named Third Team All-American, First Team All Region, First Team All-Conference and the Lake Michigan Conference Rookie of the Year while leading Lakeland to their second straight conference title.
Plucinski finished 9-3 on the mound with a 3.21 ERA, racking up 100 strikeouts and just 30 walks in 92.2 innings pitched. When not pitching, Plucinski started at second base and finished at .328 with 16 2B's and 22 RBI.
As a sophomore Plucinski was the LMC Player of the Year and First Team All Conference while leading Lakeland to their third straight conference title and second straight NCAA Tournament appearance. He finished 4-5 with a 2.55 ERA, collecting a whopping 111 strikeouts in 77.2 innings pitched. As the second baseman, Plucinski hit .267 with eight double and nine stolen bases.
As a junior Plucinski was named First Team All-Conference while leading the Muskies to their fourth straight conference title. Once again he finished 4-5 with a 2.69 ERA and struck out 100 batters in 67 innings. He batted .299 with four HR's, nine 2B's and 28 RBI.
Plucinski played at Arizona for one semester and concluded his playing career at UW-Oshkosh.
While at Lakeland, he set many career pitching records in just three seasons including strikeouts and ERA and is in the top five in virtually every category. He also set single season records in wins, games started, innings and strikeouts while being second through fifth in almost every statistic.
Plucinski tied the NCAA record for strikeouts in a game with 22 strikeouts in 2004 and had the seventh highest total in Division III at 19 later in the year. He also threw a no-hitter for Lakeland in the same season. Offensively, Plucinski ranks third in career doubles and fifth for single season doubles.
Plucinski played for the Duluth Huskies of the prestigious Northwoods Collegiate Summer League where he continued to make a name for himself as a pitcher. He was named a league all-star and finished at the top of several league pitching categories both years. In his first year for Duluth he led the team in both wins and saves.
Upon completion of his collegiate career, Plucinski signed a professional contract with the Gary Railcats of the independent Northern League. He had to walk away shortly after due to back injuries that kept him from playing.
Before PNC, Plucinski served as Mundelein High School's (IL) Suspension Supervisor, an assistant varsity basketball coach and head JV basketball coach.
Currently, Plucinski is working towards his Masters in Business Administration at PNC and serves as a Manager at the University Park Apartments in Westville.
Plucinski, a native of Mundelein, is the son Dave and Sharon Plucinski and has one sister (Stacy) who is a grade school teacher in Lake Forest, Ilinois. In his spare time, Plucinski enjoys knitting, scrapbooking and watching the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.
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Dan Martin enters his third year as an assistant coach for the Panthers. He assists in all phases of the program and brings years of experience and knowledge to the staff.
Martin has been employed at Purdue North Central since September 1999 in the Physical Plant Grounds Department. Along with Grounds Foreman Steve Taylor, Martin is responsible for maintaining the Purdue North Central baseball field.
A 1976 graduate of La Crosse High School, Martin was a four-year letterman in baseball going 8-1 his senior year with a 1.26 ERA to help lead the Tigers to their first ever sectional title. Martin played first base and third base when not pitching.
Prior to working with the PNC baseball team, Martin served as an assistant coach at Marquette Catholic High School in Michigan City from 1997-2000 and as an assistant coach at Michigan City High School in the 2007 season.
Martin was married for 28 years to his late wife Jackie and resides in Wanatah. Both of their children graduated from PNC. Kristopher, 28, finished in 2004 with a Business degree and Kelli, 25, earned a degree in Biology in 2008.
In his spare time, Martin enjoys collecting baseball cards and playing fantasy football and baseball.
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