ST. PAUL, Minn.- The University of Northwestern Baseball team will travel to play a doubleheader with St. John's this afternoon and as the Eagles make the trip to Collegeville, they will be led by the same man who has led them throughout the last 26 seasons. Head coach Dave Hieb, who is in his 27^th season as the head coach of UNW Baseball, will coach the Eagles and it is unlikely that the veteran will encounter anything on the field today that he has not seen before. The first game of the double header will mark Coach Hieb's 999^th game as the Eagles' head coach, and as the first pitch of the second game is thrown Coach Hieb will reach the 1,000 games coached milestone.

It is impossible to look through the Eagle record books and not see Coach Hieb's name. The head coach, who has also served as an athletic trainer at Northwestern for 33 years, holds the program record for wins, games coached, and seasons coached. Coach Hieb has eight 20 win seasons, two 30 win seasons, and has been the coach for nine of the ten best seasons in Northwestern Baseball history, including 2021 when the Eagles advanced to the NCAA Regional Championship game.

Despite all the victories and successes on the diamond, Coach Hieb's greatest impact has come off the field where he has positively impacted countless Eagle players and coaches. One of Coach Hieb's best qualities as a coach is his genuine care for every single person in the program, regardless of their role on the team. Current assistant coach and former player Gabe Eikum said this is what sticks out to him about Coach Hieb. "The thing that sticks out to me the most about Coach Hieb is that he cares a lot about every single player that he has had as a coach on a personal level". Eikum has seen Coach Hieb's intentionality with his players from both a player's and fellow coach's perspective.

Another assistant coach on Coach Hieb's staff spoke about his relationship with everybody in his program as well. "The thing I appreciate the most about Coach Hieb is his inclusiveness" said assistant coach Luke Widbin. "He truly believes everyone has a role on the team regardless of baseball ability, and he treats each player with equal importance. His care for our student-athletes is unmatched. He views the sport of baseball as a mission field and each game as an opportunity to preach the Gospel. That's what makes this milestone so special- 1,000 acts of worship in a fantastic career."

Coach Hieb has been an incredible testimony to loving Christ and worshipping Him through sport throughout his entire career. This testimony has had a strong impact on his players in their faith journeys throughout the years. Former player and current assistant coach Max Barthel (Farmington, Minn./Farmington) said "Coach Hieb has had an incredible impact on my life and faith. His consistency and collaboration make him a players' coach. Coach Hieb would do anything for his guys and pushes others to grow in their faith".

Coach Hieb's baseball knowledge and leadership skills are superb, but it is his spiritual guidance that continues to be a theme when you ask the people around him to describe him as a coach. "Coach Hieb is a man of God who has helped shape young Christian men on the baseball field over the many years" said former player and current assistant coach Jesse Eikum. "He has been consistent in all his years of coaching giving glory to God whether we've won or lost a game. He has taught the Christian student-athletes and coaches how to continue to look at Jesus for guidance in our lives and has used baseball as an avenue to do that".

Nobody defines Northwestern athletics and specifically Northwestern baseball like Coach Dave Hieb. His accomplishments on the field speak for themselves, but the best way to define Coach Hieb's legacy is what he and Northwestern baseball represent. Coach Hieb is known around Northwestern athletics as a spiritual leader and somebody who always leaves people in a better mood than they were before they spoke to him. Whether it is a dad joke, one liner, or funny story, it is impossible to interact with Coach Hieb and not leave without a smile on your face. During his near three decades leading UNW baseball, the Eagles have been a program that have pursued excellence on and off the field. UNW baseball is respected around Minnesota for being a high class program, and Coach Hieb deserves a lot of credit for that.

Former player and assistant coach Tyler Sage was able to sum up what Coach Hieb means to Northwestern baseball: "Coach Hieb has been a steady rock for Northwestern baseball. He has been stable from a coaching perspective and even more so from a Christ-like perspective. He has exemplified to all players and coaches what it means to be a man of God. You will not find a coach that is more servant hearted for his team than Coach Hieb."

Thank you Coach Hieb for leading Northwestern baseball for 1,000 games and counting!