University of St. Francis (III.)

Brian Michalak was named the head coach of the University of St. Francis baseball program before the 2012 season.  In July of 2007, Michalak returned to the Saints as an assistant coach to Gordie Gillespie, a position he held until Gillespie’s retirement after the 2011 season.  The 2025-26 season will mark Michalak’s combined 19th year with the program, and 15th year as head coach.

As of the start of the 2025 season, Michalak has compiled an overall record of 393-332 (.542) and a conference mark of 257-130 (.664).  He has managed his teams to four CCAC regular season conference titles (2014, 2015, 2023, 2024), two CCAC tournament championships (2012, 2024), and five NAIA National Tournament appearances (2012, 2014, 2015, 2023, 2024).   Michalak is a four-time CCAC Coach of the Year recipient (2014, 2015, 2023, 2024).  He was also named the 2024 Pitch & Hit Club of Chicago Gordie Gillespie College Coach of the Year.  Michalak notched his first career victory at USF on February 19, 2012 with a 3-2 score over Lyon College (Ark.).

Under his tutelage, a total of 37 players have earned CCAC All-Conference honors, with seven having obtained Player of the Year statuses (three pitchers (Jacob Butler - 2014, Adam Panayotovich - 2015, Ryan Daly - 2024), three position players (David Kuhne - 2014, Eric Maffie - 2022 & 2023), one freshman (Adam Panayotovich - 2012) and 27 garnering CCAC Gold Glove Team accolades.  Three of his squads have captured the CCAC Champions of Character Award (2013, 2023, 2024).  Michalak has also seen 48 of his players receive CCAC Player of the Week awards (25 pitchers, 23 position), two NAIA Pitcher of the Week recognitions (Jacob Butler - 2014, Adam Panayotovich - 2015), and five Rawlings NAIA Gold Glove Team recipients (Joe Ruge (1B) – 2013, Travis Schoonover (RF) - 2019, Luke Ketchum (CF) - 2022 & 2023, Sean Michalak - 2024).  Overall, he has coached a total of three NAIA All-Americans during his head coaching career (Adam Panayotovich - 2015, Eric Maffie - 2023, Ryan Daly - 2024) and has had one player drafted in the MLB draft (Jacob Butler - 2014 Detroit Tigers).  On the academic side, Michalak has totaled 163 CCAC All-Academic honorees, 93 NAIA Scholar Athletes, and two CSC NAIA Academic All-Americans – including Eric Maffie who was named the 2023 CSC NAIA Baseball Player of the Year.

Prior to joining the Fighting Saints staff as head coach and after helping USF compile a record of 151-59 with three NAIA postseason berths during his four years as an assistant coach, Michalak spent five seasons (2002-2007) as the head baseball coach at NCAA Division III North Central College.  While at North Central, Michalak produced an overall record of 88-114-2 (.431) with a conference mark of 51-54 (.486), and engineered his teams to three straight CCIW Tournament appearances (2003-2005).  He coached 14 CCIW All-Conference selections and three ABCA All-Central Region honorees.

In 1993, Michalak first stepped into the collegiate baseball ranks when he was named an assistant baseball coach at NCAA Division II Lewis University, a position he held through the 2002 season.  While at Lewis, Michalak also served as the head women’s basketball coach (1993-2002), where he produced an overall record of 117-126 while leading his teams to four straight GLVC tournament appearances (1998-2001) and one NCAA Tournament qualification (1998).  He was named the 1998 Illinois Basketball Coaches’ Association Coach of the Year and was the all-time leader in coaching victories when he left Lewis in the summer of 2002.

Michalak graduated from the University of St. Francis (Ill.) in May of 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in Secondary History Education and later obtained his master’s in Business (MBA) from Lewis University in 1989.  During his playing career (1980-1983) at St. Francis, Michalak was a member of the 1983 NAIA World Series qualifying team that placed sixth.
 
 

COACHING RECORD