Baseball
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Phone:
- 765-285-1425
- Email:
- ramaloney@bsu.edu
- Alma Mater:
- Western Michigan '86
- Years at Ball State:
- 20th season in 2025
- Years Coaching:
- 30th season in 2025
Click here for Rich Maloney's printable bio
Ball State Head Baseball Coach (1996-2002 and 2013-Present)
Career Head Coaching Record: 1,024-648-2 (.605) (30 Seasons)**In 2019, became 27th active DI coach to reach 800 wins
**In 2022, became 16th active DI coach to reach 900 wins
**In 2025, became 10th active DI coach to reach 1,000 wins
Ball State Head Coaching Record: 683-424-2 (.617) (20 Seasons)
**Winningest Baseball Coach in Ball State History
Mid-American Conference Coaching Record: 377-173 (.685)
Michigan Head Coaching Record: 341-244 (.583) (10 Seasons)
Big Ten Coaching Record: 160-120 (.571)
MAC Regular Season Championships: 1998, 1999, 2001, 2014, 2022
MAC Tournament Championships: 2023
MAC West Division Titles: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2014, 2016
MAC Coach of the Year: 1998, 2001, 2014, 2022
Big Ten Conference Championships: 2006, 2007, 2008
Big Ten Conference Tournament Championships: 2006, 2008
Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year: 2007, 2008
NCAA Regional Appearances: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2023
NCAA Regional Championship: 2007
Region Coach of the Year: 2007, 2008
Maloney's Career At A Glance
Ball State, head coach, 2013-PresentMichigan, head coach, 2003-12
Ball State, head coach, 1996-2002
Western Michigan, assistant coach, 1992-95
Professional Baseball Player, 1986-91
MLB Draft History
* Maloney has coached 70 players who were drafted 77 times. He's coached six first round picks, all of them at Ball State
* Of Maloney's six first round draft picks at Ball State, only one was drafted out of high school
* Ball State has had 10 players drafted in the top 4 rounds under Rich Maloney
Notes:
Maloney led Ball State to a 36-22 record in 2025, including 21-9 in conference play, to secure a No. 3 seed in the conference tournament ... The Cardinals won at least 30 games again to keep up the streak of reaching the mark in all 19 of Maloney's completed seasons while getting to 35 or more wins for the 6th straight campaign ... Maloney helped develop a quartet of First Team All-MAC selections in shortstop Dylan Grego, second baseman Nick Husovsky, outfielder Blake Bevis and starting pitcher Keegan Johnson ... third baseman Alex Richter and starting pitcher Jacob Hartlaub were Second Team All-MAC picks, while Grego and Richter were voted on the All-Defensive Team ... Grego was named a semifinalist for the Brooks Wallace Award honoring the top college shortstop and finished the year with the third-most hits (91) in a season in program history ... Bevis upped his career home run total to 41 with 18 on the year to move up to fourth in program history ... the Cardinals hit the third-most total home runs (89) in a season in team history.
The long-time head coach led the Cardinals to a 30-win season for the 18th straight campaign in 2024 and a 35-win season for the 5th straight time ... Ball State started the year 1-7 in Mid-American Conference play only to rally and finished conference play 17-5 to claim the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament, where the Cardinals finished runners-up to Western Michigan ... Maloney developed MAC Pitcher of the Year Merritt Beeker, MAC Defensive Player of the Year Michael Hallquist and MAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year Keegan Johnson ... each was in his first year at Ball State and was also named First Team All-MAC in addition to Second Team selections Blake Bevis and Hunter Dobbins ... Beeker finished the year with the third-most strikeouts in a single season (128) in program history before being drafted by the Washington Nationals in the 11th round, while Hallquist's 21 home runs tied for the second-most by a Ball State player ... Maloney led the Cardinals to a 2-2-1 record against Big Ten Conference opponents including a 7-1 win over eventual regular season champion Illinois on Feb. 25.
Maloney skippered Ball State to its second MAC Tournament Championship and fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in 2023 … he has led BSU to at least 30 wins in 17 complete season at the helm … he coached Trennor O’Donnell, Ryan Brown, and Ty Johnson (who all got drafted) and Ty Weatherly who was signed as a free agent after the MLB Draft … he coached three ABCA/Rawlings All-Region Honorees (Ryan Peltier, Decker Scheffler, and O’Donnell) … led five Cardinals to All-MAC honors (Peltier and Scheffler first team, Adam Tellier and O’Donnell second team, and Hunter Dobbins All-Defensive Team) … guided the Cardinals to the MAC Tournament Championship behind a thrilling come-from-behind victory capped off by a grand slam by Tellier with two outs in the top of the ninth inning … the Cardinals received the ABCA Excellence Award and have earned the award every year since 2016, BSU is just one of seven schools to achieve that honor … he had five players earn CoSIDA Academic All-District, Justin Conant, Scheffler, Logan Flood, Andrew Wilhite, and Sam Klein.
Maloney led the Cardinals to 40 wins for just the third time in program history during the 2022 season … in his 16th complete season at Ball State, he has coached BSU to at least 30 wins each season … earned his fourth MAC Coach of the Year award … coached the MAC Pitcher of the Year (Tyler Schweitzer), MAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year (Ryan Brown) and MAC Defensive Player of the Year (Ryan Peltier) … the Cardinals picked up four All-MAC First Team awards (Trenton Quartermaine, Zach Cole, Tyler Schweitzer and Sam Klein), four second team honors (Ryan Peltier, Amir Wright, Ty Johnson and Ryan Brown) and two on the All-MAC Defensive Team (Ryan Peltier and Zach Cole) … he guided Amir Wright to a CoSIDA Academic All-District honor for his work in the classroom and on the field.
Maloney led Ball State to 30 wins for the eighth consecutive complete season in 2021 … in his 15 complete BSU seasons, he's coached the Cardinals to 30 wins every year ... the Cardinals went 38-18 (29-11 MAC) in 2021 ... recruited and coached John Baker, Ball State's all-time strikeout leader who was the Division I active leader during the 2021 season ... Baker was third team All-American (CBN), first team all-conference and all-region ... highly-rated draft prospect Chayce McDermott was second team all-conference and all-region.
Ball State went 38-19 (20-5 MAC) in 2019 ... coached three first team All-MAC pitchers (including MAC Pitcher of the Year Drey Jameson) and four second team All-MAC hitters … the Ball State pitching staff set a program record for strikeouts in a season during the 2017, '18, and '19 seasons … the 2019 pitching staff's 628 strikeouts were a school record ... the Cardinals led the nation with 11.1 Ks per 9 innings ... the Cardinals won 14 of their final 18 league games in 2017 to finish in a tie for second in the Mid-American Conference West Division … led Ball State to the 2016 MAC West Division title … helped Alex Call earn the 2016 MAC Player of the Year award … four Cardinals were selected in the 2016 Major League Baseball Draft, the most by any school in the MAC … two players were honored as first team CoSIDA Academic All-Americans in 2016 -- Alex Call and Caleb Stayton… Ball State's 2016 team was one of 30 nationally that achieved a cumulative 3.0 GPA … directed Ball State to the 2015 MAC Tournament championship game … led Ball State to a 39-18 overall record, a 22-4 MAC mark, the MAC regular season championship, a MAC West Division crown and the No. 1 seed in the MAC Tournament in 2014.
Maloney helped Ball State to a 31-24 overall record and a 15-12 MAC mark in 2013 -- his first season back at the helm of the Cardinals … the 31-24 record marked the eighth best turnaround in the NCAA from 2012 to 2013 … tutored current big leaguer Zach Plesac to Collegiate Baseball National Freshman Pitcher of the Year and MAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year honors … coached Ball State to a second-place finish in the MAC West Division in 2013 … guided the Cardinals to an appearance in the 2013 MAC Tournament championship game … helped pitcher Scott Baker win the 2013 Gregg Olson Award as the nation's comeback player of the year … coached six members of the 2013 team to Academic All-MAC recognition … led Ball State to the second 40-win season (42 in 1999) … managed a 256-144-1 (.640) overall record in his first stint as the Ball State head coach, including a 141-60 (.701) ledger in MAC games.
Maloney served as the head baseball coach at Michigan for 10 seasons, guiding the Wolverines to a 341-244 (.583) overall record … led Michigan to three Big Ten Conference titles, two Big Ten Tournament titles and the 2007 NCAA Regional title … named the 2007 and 2008 Big Ten and ABCA Mideast Regional Coach of the Year … guided the Wolverines to Big Ten Tournament berths in seven of his 10 seasons, including a streak of six straight from 2003-08 … his Michigan teams made four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (2005, '06, '07, '08) … over his 23-year career as a collegiate head coach, Maloney has mentored 64 different players who have been drafted a total of 71 times … has coached six first round draft picks, with all six playing at Ball State … in 2002, he helped Bryan Bullington become the only No.1 overall draft pick in both Ball State and MAC history in any sport when he was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates … later the same day, Luke Hagerty was chosen with the 32nd overall pick by the Chicago Cubs in the supplemental first round, giving Maloney two first round draft picks in the same season.
Additional Notes:
Honored with FCA Baseball's Jerry Kindall Award in January 2017 … selected as the American Baseball Coaches Association NCAA Division I representative on the executive committee … served six years as the Division I Chair for the ABCA … served as the President of the ABCA in 2018.
Personal Information:
Born: Sept. 23, 1964
Alma Mater: Western Michigan '86
Family: Married to the former Kelle Lynn Seitz … the couple has two sons -- Alex and Nicholas -- and one daughter, Natalie … Alex played baseball at Ball State and went on to play in the Chicago White Sox organization.
Playing Career:
Third team All-American as a senior shortstop at Western Michigan … three-year letterwinner at WMU (1984-86) and a two-time captain … two-time All-MAC first-team selection and was twice named to the all-district squad … Western's team MVP while hitting .362 as a junior in 1985 … twice named the top defensive player on the team (1984, '86) … set the WMU career record for runs scored (124) as a senior … inducted into WMU's Athletic Hall of Fame in November 2004 … 13th-round draft pick of the Atlanta Braves in 1986 … spent six seasons in the Atlanta Braves organization, earning all-star status in the Appalachian League for the Pulaski Braves and in the South Atlantic League for the Sumter Braves … played for former Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox manager Grady Little and for current Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker … retired from pro baseball following the 1991 season at Greenville (AA) … served as an assistant coach for legendary Fred Decker at Western Michigan from 1992-95 before accepting the head coaching position at Ball State in May 1995.
What Others Are Saying:
"Coach Maloney is a great man who helps boys become men. He is a great leader and a great example to follow. I had an amazing time at Ball State and it was a great place for me to develop and win games."
--Alex Call, 2016 MAC Player of the Year, All-American, Chicago White Sox Draft Pick, Currently in the Washington Nationals system
“From day one, Coach began to change not only me, but the entire culture of the Ball State baseball program. With him, he brought a new mindset and passion to the program. As a player, every moment became an opportunity to not only grow as a player but as a man too. I consider Coach to be my mentor and I attribute much of my success to his teachings. Whether you needed some help with your swing, some motivation, or just someone to talk to, Coach was there for me whenever I needed it. I am very fortunate to have played for Coach Maloney for two years and value our friendship today.”
--Sean Godfrey, 2013 MAC Player of the Year, All-American, Atlanta Braves Draft Pick
“Coach Maloney is the true definition of a coach and leader. His vision for success attracts winners and competitors! He knows the game of baseball and teaches it. He motivates and cares about his players. He has a servant heart and is passionate about life, which is very contagious! With all that being said, he is a better man!”
--Jason Murray, former collegiate baseball coach, Ball State 1996-97, 1st team All-MAC
“Coach Maloney was more than an outstanding baseball coach to me. He was a mentor and a life coach. He believed in me and never allowed me to settle for less than my very best, on or off the field. I am without a doubt biased, but I have not met a greater coach in all of baseball who knows how to truly develop a player and a team, into victory!”
--Jon Kessick, Ball State 1997-99, Third round draft pick Baltimore Orioles
