Evan Ruechel Named Eagles New Head Coach

Elgin, IL - Evan Ruechel will be the new Head Baseball Coach in 2024 for the Judson Eagles program. He will be the 18th Head Coach in program history. Ruechel is well traveled and well experienced taking on many roles during his coaching tenure. 

As a player, Ruechel was a catcher and infielder becoming a student of the game. His playing career took him through the Midwest with stops at Milwaukee Area Technical College, Rock Valley College, and St. Ambrose University graduating in 2016. 

From there, Ruechel jumped right into the coaching ranks at Indiana Wesleyan as a hitting coach, and working with the catchers and infielders. Under his guidance, the team finished 15th in the NAIA in home runs per game. They also lead the Crossroads League Conference in home runs. 

In 2017, he made the move to Division III at Averett University again leading the hitters and infielders, while also taking on the role of recruiting coordinator. In the one season, there was an immediate uptick in hitters' performances. All of the returning starters had their batting averages increase from the previous season. 

The following season, Ruechel made is way to the University of North Carolina Wilmington as an assistant coach for their softball program. From 2018-2020, his hitters saw the largest increase in team offensive production in all of Division I softball. The team also set multiple program records in many offensive categories. 

In addition, he spent the 2020 season at the University of Buffalo as their softball Director of Hitting Development. During the 2020-2021 campaign, he was the hitting and infield assistant coach for the Syracuse University softball team. Again, under his watch, results were seen immediately and noteworthy as the Orange finished with the program's second highest fielding percentage (.969). 

Ruechel's most recent stop was at Division II Bluefield State University. Back on the baseball diamond, from 2021-2023 he was the Associate Head Coach, Hitting Coach, and Recruiting Coordinator. In those two seasons, Bluefield State broke the school record for wins in back to back seasons, while also making back to back trips to the HBCU World Series. The offense broke a combined 21 program records in those two years. 

A native of Wisconsin, Ruechel returns back to the Midwest to lead the Eagles. "I want to thank AD Rick Williams, Dr. Fennern, and Dr. Crume for the opportunity to be the next head baseball coach at Judson. I look forward to building a culture of excellence both on and off the field." 

This will be Ruechel's first head coaching role. However, in his near decade of assistant coaching, he has shown the ability to produce results instantly. His ability to work with hitters has the Eagles encouraged for this spring. With his knowledge, Ruechel will look to make an impact on the Eagles' program. 

Judson's first games of the season are scheduled for February 3rd against Indiana Southeast.