Baseball and Softball Coaches Clinics

Bucky Lindow has dedicated nearly 40 years to coaching baseball, including more than two decades as head coach of the Cannon Falls baseball program. Throughout his career, he has compiled a record of 435-320, leading teams to numerous conference and section championships and three state appearances. Lindow was inducted into the Minnesota Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019 and was recently named a National High School Athletic Coaches Association (NHSACA) Top 8 Finalist for National Coach of the Year in 2026. Before coaching, Lindow played baseball at North Dakota State University, where he served as team captain.

Dave Hieb currently works as a clinician for the Minnesota Twins Community Fund but retired as the University of Northwestern St. Paul's longest-tenured athletic staff member. This included 28 years as the head coach of the baseball program and 34 years as an athletic trainer. Hieb finished his coaching career with a program record of 505 wins and 1,034 games coached. This also included nine 20-win seasons, two 30-win seasons, and nine of the top ten winning percentages in school history. His time at the university also includes three UMAC Championships, two NCCAA National Tournament Appearances, and an appearance in the 2021 NCAA National Tournament.

Seth Wing is entering his fourth season as head baseball coach at Winona State University and his 14th year as an NCAA baseball coach. In 2026, Wing led the Warriors to a 27-26 record, their most wins during his tenure, and an NSIC Tournament appearance. Prior to Winona State, Wing spent 10 seasons as head coach at Cornell College, where he became the program’s all-time wins leader with 176 victories. Wing previously spent eight seasons as an assistant coach at Winona State, helping the Warriors reach the NCAA Division II World Series in 2011.

Andy Johnson is entering his 20th season as head coach of the Norwegian National Baseball Team. A former college and international player and coach, Johnson’s career has taken him to all levels of baseball around the globe. He played and managed in Sweden, Australia, and Germany before beginning a 15-year international scouting career with the Minnesota Twins in 2004. Primarily focused on Europe; Johnson signed several players professionally and was the lead scout in the Twins’ acquisition of Major League standout Max Kepler in 2009.

Mike Kingery is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and the founder of Solid Foundation Baseball School. During a 17-year professional baseball career, Kingery played for six Major League organizations. He enjoyed one of his finest seasons in 1994, batting .349 before the strike-shortened season and emerging as one of the National League's top hitters. Following his playing career, Kingery founded Solid Foundation Baseball School in 1997 and has spent nearly three decades developing players and training coaches throughout the Midwest. Through his leadership in the Minnesota SWAT program, he has helped thousands of athletes grow both on and off the field.

Tyler Wells is the Executive Director of the Minnesota Twins Baseball Camps. The Twins Camps program provides weeklong summer camps for youth ages 6-14 across Minnesota. Wells also runs camps for the Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians, Detroit Tigers, and Milwaukee Brewers. Before his current role, Wells was a four-year starter at Ohio University, 3x Academic All-MAC Selection, 2015 MAC Tournament Champion, draft selection by the Boston Red Sox in 2011. He has also worked for USA Baseball as their Midwest Associate Director and the Director of Player Development for Game Day USA.

Coach Hucke enters his 20th year as a college head coach, 31st year in college coaching, and 41st year overall. Currently, he leads Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte (NC), where he has been the head coach since the program's inception two years ago. Previously, Hucke served as an assistant coach at Brevard College (NC) serving as the third base, hitting, and defensive coach. He spent 17 years as head coach at Rochester Community and Technical College, compiling a 339-282-1 record, three 30-win seasons, an NJCAA DIII World Series appearance, and Region Champion and Runner-up finishes. A five-time MCAC Southern Division Coach of the Year, he coached 11 NJCAA All-Americans and five professional players while helping 100+ athletes transfer to higher levels of NCAA competition. Hucke scouts for USA NTIS and previously spent 20 years as a Twins clinician while coaching at Gustavus and UW-River Falls. An Iowa native, he began coaching at Iowa high schools before his college career.

Dean Schwirtz is entering his 27th year as head coach of the Glencoe-Silver Lake baseball program. During his tenure, he has amassed a career record of 408-191 and has led the Panthers to numerous Class AA state tournaments, including four state championship appearances, and a state championship in 2021. A frequent coach of the year in his section, Schwirtz was also named the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association (MSHSBCA) Coach of the Year in 2021 and is a member of the MSHSBCA Hall of Fame. Schwirtz played collegiate baseball at Bethany Lutheran College, where he served as team captain, and later played at Huron College.

Coach Oakes is entering his eighth season as head coach of the New Prague baseball program. Prior to becoming head coach in 2019, Oakes spent three seasons as a varsity assistant coach. Under his leadership, the Trojans have established themselves as one of the state’s premier programs, finishing as the Class AAA State Tournament runner-up in 2019 and capturing the Class AAA State Championship in 2023 with a 23-3 overall record. Before coaching, Oakes played collegiately at Augsburg College, where he served as captain of the baseball team.

Bob Madison currently serves as Associate Director of the Minnesota State High School League, where he oversees football, dance, boys’ basketball, and baseball. Prior to this role, he served as Activities Director for Mounds View Public Schools from 2002 to 2017. Madison has worked as a valued community member for many years and helped to influence thousands of kids throughout the state of Minnesota.

Dr. Barry Davis has joined the Princeton baseball program as an assistant coach following a distinguished 35-year head coaching career. He spent 20 seasons leading Rider University from 2004–2024, earning more than 480 wins and guiding the Broncs to four Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament titles and two regular-season championships. In 2023, he led Rider to a notable opening-round victory over No. 10 Coastal Carolina in the Conway Regional. Throughout his career, Davis has amassed 1,026 victories and helped numerous players advance to professional baseball.

Dr. Jeremy Alland is a board-certified sports medicine physician at Midwest Orthopedics at Rush and an Assistant Professor at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. He serves as a team physician for the Chicago Bulls and White Sox and previously pitched at DePauw University. Passionate about youth athlete health, Dr. Alland emphasizes injury prevention, rest and recovery, avoiding early specialization, and promoting long-term athletic development. As a nationally recognized sports medicine educator, he shares practical guidance with athletes, parents, and coaches to help young athletes stay healthy and enjoy sports for years to come.

Graig Weber has served as the pitching coach at Macalester College since the summer of 2020. In 2026, his pitching staff set team records with 384 innings pitched and 323 strikeouts, propelling the Scots to an NCAA Tournament appearance. Before joining Macalester, Weber coached multiple age groups with Minnesota Blizzard and served as a coach at Roseville High School. He pitched collegiately at Bradley University, earning honors in the Missouri Valley Conference, and played baseball in leagues across Kansas and Massachusetts leagues.

Ben Livorsi is a former collegiate catcher who played at Saint Louis University and Minnesota State University, Mankato. His career was highlighted by game-winning extra-base hits in both the semifinal and championship games of the 2022 NSIC Tournament. Following his playing career, Livorsi joined MASH Athletics, where he currently serves as Lead Catching Instructor. In this role, he develops comprehensive offseason training programs for catchers ages 9–18, emphasizing skill development, discipline, strong relationships, and performance through modern teaching tools.

Kristi Villar is an assistant coach for the University of St. Thomas. Villar brings nearly two decades of softball coaching experience to the Tommies staff. She began her coaching career as a graduate assistant at Southwest Minnesota State University, followed by seven seasons as head coach for Northern State University, where she compiled 160 wins. She also served as an assistant coach at South Dakota State University and Santa Clara University before joining St. Thomas. During her playing career at Augustana College, Villar was a four-time all-conference selection, the NCC freshman of the Year, two-time all-region honoree, and two-time team leader in batting average.

Jim Rubbelke is the head coach for Hamline University. He has built an outstanding coaching career, completing 20 seasons as head coach and compiling a program record of 342 victories. Rubbelke has also led the Pipers to the MIAC Playoff Tournament nine times and has also taken home a MIAC Coach of the Year award. In addition to coaching at Hamline, Rubbelke coaches at Minnesota Magic, leading his 16u team to a USSSA National Championship in 2019. Before his time with the Pipers, Rubbelke was an assistant coach at Concordia University, St. Paul and a clinic instructor for Stanford University.

Nat Wagner is an assistant coach for the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities and is entering his first season with the program. Before joining the Gophers, he led the University of Minnesota Duluth softball team to 69 wins over two seasons as head coach, including an appearance in the NSIC Tournament semifinals. Wagner also spent time at the University of St. Thomas, where he helped transition the program to Division l. Prior to St. Thomas, Wagner served as head coach at Minot State University and as an assistant coach at Augustana University, where won 2019 NFCA Assistant Coach of the Year while helping the Vikings to a NCAA Division ll National Championship. A Minnesota Native, Wagner brings a wealth of additional coaching experience from across the Midwest.

Kelsey Thompson is the associate head coach for the University of Minnesota –Twins Cities and is entering her first season with the Gophers. Previously, Thompson spent eight seasons as an assistant and pitching coach at Augustana University, helping the Vikings earn a 2019 National Championship, six NSIC regular-season titles, and a 481-141 record. She was also named the 2024 NFCA Division ll Assistant Coach of the Year. Thompson also spent five seasons as head coach at Sioux Falls, leading the Cougars to five consecutive winning seasons. As a player at Minnesota State University, Mankato and St. Cloud, she earned 2010 NSIC Player of the year honors and multiple All-American, All-Region, and All-NSIC First Team selections.

Kristle Wolcott has served as head coach at Minnesota State University, Mankato, since 2025, following more than a decade as the Mavericks’ associate head coach. Her many accolades with the program include leading the program to its first NCAA Division ll National Championship in 2017, multiple NCAA tournament appearances, and numerous NSIC regular-season and tournament championships. Wolcott was also honored as part of the NFCA National Coaching Staff of the Year in 2017. Before joining Minnesota State University, Mankato, she was the head coach at Waldorf College, where she led the Warriors to a conference championship and an NAIA Tournament appearance.

Dana Sorensen serves as the General Manager for the Carolina Blaze of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL). Sorensen was a three-time NFCA All-American pitcher at Stanford University, where she recorded 105 wins, more than 1,150 strikeouts, and two Women’s College World Series appearances. Her accomplishments also earned her induction into Stanford’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Following her collegiate career, she competed professionally in the National Pro Fastpitch League and earned a spot on the USA Elite Softball Team. She later transitioned into coaching, working with UC Davis and Oregon State before establishing her own pitching school.

Penny Foore has served as head coach at Bethel University since 2015, leading the Royals to three MIAC regular-season championships, two MIAC playoff titles, two NCAA Regional championships, consecutive NCAA Super Regional appearances, and a 254-148 record. She was named MIAC Coach of the Year in consecutive seasons in 2022 and 2023. Prior to joining Bethel, she coached professionally with the Texas Charge, Scrap Yard Fast Pitch, and USSSA Pride. She also served as a volunteer assistant coach at Appalachian State University and as a head coach at Bloomington Jefferson High School. As a player, Foore spent four seasons at Concordia University-St. Paul, where she served as team captain for two years.

Jamie Mueller has served 11 seasons as head coach at Wartburg College, leading the Knights to eight conference titles and an overall record of 222-150. Under her leadership, Wartburg has also earned five NCAA Tournament bids since 2018. Before joining Wartburg, Mueller served as an assistant coach and strength and conditioning coach at DePauw University, where she helped the Tigers to three NCAC regular-season championships, two NCAC tournament titles, and two NCAA Regional appearances, including a Regional Championship and an NCAA Super Regional Championship. In recognition of her contributions, Mueller was named to the 2015 NFCA Central Coaching Staff of the Year. She also spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Aurora University, her alma mater, where she played collegiately.

Nicole Newman joined the University of Minnesota - Twins Cities in 2026 as an assistant/pitching coach after spending four seasons as an assistant coach at Florida Atlantic University. Newman helped the Owls earn back-to-back AAC regular-season championships in 2024 and 2025 and was part of the AAC Coaching Staff of the Year in both seasons. She also helped develop some of the conference’s top pitching staffs, including a 2025 unit that posted a 2.70 ERA. Prior to Florida Atlantic, Newman spent one season on the Creighton coaching staff and two seasons as a graduate manager at Minnesota. As a player at Drake University, she was a 2019 NFCA First Team All-American, set the NCAA Division I record with five perfect games in a season, and finished her career with 1,223 strikeouts.