Danny Schmitz Hometown: Ferndale, Mich. High School: Hazel Park Birthdate: 03/01/1955 Experience: 18th season Alma Mater: Eastern Michigan '79

Head coach Danny Schmitz begins his 18th season guiding the fortunes of the Bowling Green State University baseball program. The 10th skipper in the 80-year history of the sport at BGSU, and just the fifth since 1928, Schmitz has already left his mark not only with the Brown and Orange, but in the Mid-American Conference and beyond.

Schmitz recorded his 400th career victory on April. 29, 2005, vs. IPFW (6-1 victory) and his 300th collegiate coaching victory on Feb. 17, 2002, at Tennessee (15-11 win). He enters the 2008 season at 457-421-4 (.528 pct.) overall. During Schmitz's tenure, the Falcons have won four MAC East Division Championships, two MAC Tournament titles and advanced to the NCAA Regional twice.

Over half of those career victories, 259, have come in the last nine seasons at Bowling Green, including four 30-plus win seasons, along with nine .500-plus campaigns over the last 13 years.

Included in that stretch have been four Mid-American Conference Division Championships (over the last nine years), two MAC Regular Season Championships, two MAC Tournament titles and two NCAA Tournament appearances.

Over the past six seasons, Schmitz has had four All-Americans, two MAC Players of the Year, and six draft picks. Nolan Reimold was selected in the 2nd round of the 2005 MLB Draft by Baltimore while Corey Loomis was drafted in the 21st round in the 2002 MLB Draft by Detroit. Kelly Hunt was drafted in the 29th round of the 2003 MLB Draft by Detroit, and Burke Badenhop was also nabbed by Detroit in the 2005 MLB Draft. Last season's pitching ace, Alan Brech, was snatched by the Cleveland Indians in the 35th round.

In 17 years at the helm, Schmitz has had 25 players drafted or sign professional contracts, including former major-leaguer Andy Tracy who is currrently member of the New York Mets organization (Montreal, Colorado, Cleveland, Baltimore). Reimold and Badenop, a pair of Falcon who played under the tutelage of Schmitz, are currently on the fast track to the big leagues. Reimold played in the 2006 All-Star Futures Game while Badenhop was named the Detroit Tigers Minor League Pitcher of the Year last season.

In 2002, BGSU captured its fourth East Divsision crown and won the MAC Regular-Season Championship for the second time in Schmitz's tenure. Schmitz came to BG with an abundance of baseball experience from almost every conceivable level. His primary goal upon arriving on campus in August of 1990 was to reinstate Falcon baseball's winning tradition. He and his staff have done just that.

In just five short years after his arrival on campus, Schmitz lifted Bowling Green from the depths of the Mid-American Conference standings to the penthouse of the loop.

The Falcons made school history in 1994 when they qualified for the league tournament for the first time after placing third during the regular season. BG's conference mark of 16-10 marked the school's best since 1980 (not including divisional play in 1982 and 1983). The Falcons ended the year with an overall ledger of 29-18, the team's highest victory total in five years. The Brown and Orange improved six spots in the league standings from the year before and advanced to postseason play of any kind for the first time since 1972. For his efforts, Schmitz became the school's first-ever MAC "Coach of the Year" honoree.

BGSU not only returned to the MAC tournament in 1995, but recorded its first conference title in 23 seasons, as the team posted an impressive league mark of 22-8 and were 34-20 overall. It was the second-highest win total ever in school history while BGSU earned the right to host the MAC Tournament. And for the second-consecutive season, Schmitz was named MAC "Coach of the Year."

In 1998, the Falcons took yet another step forward as it won the MAC East Division title, captured the MAC Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for just the second time in school history. BGSU's first appearance was in 1972. BGSU finished 34-21 in 1998, including 17-10 in the conference.

The 1999 squad repeated its performance from the previous year by claiming the MAC East Division title, winning the conference tournament and qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. The Falcons set several team marks and tied a school record with 36 victories overall and 22 wins in league play. The 2000 season saw BGSU's power surge continue when many team season records were broken, including the marks for doubles (121) and homers (46). Many individual season batting records were also challenged in the 2000 campaign. Bowling Green finished 19-5 at Steller Field.

Bowling Green tied a school record with 36 victories in 2001 en route to the MAC East Division title. Most notably, the Falcons led the nation in team batting average (.360 avg.) and team slugging percentage (.599 pct.). BGSU broke a staggering seven school records in 2001, including runs scored (534), home runs (104), total bases (1,187), RBIs (492), doubles (135), batting average (.360) and hits (712).

A 1973 graduate of Hazel Park High, Schmitz earned four letters as a second baseman at Eastern Michigan between 1974-77. During his career at EMU, he played a big role in the Hurons (now Eagles) winning back-to-back MAC titles in 1975 and 1976, thus earning the right to host the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships.

On both occasions, the Green and White, which had future big-league pitchers Bob Welch and Bob Owchinko on its staff, won the regional tournament to advance to the College World Series. In 1975, the Hurons won their first game in the CWS (2-1 over Florida State in 10 innings), but were eliminated when they fell in their next two contests.

The following year, EMU became one of only two MAC teams to advance to the CWS final. Schmitz and the Hurons won their first three games in the series before losing to Arizona twice - including a 7-1 decision in the title contest - to fall just short of the championship trophy. For his outstanding play, Schmitz was named to the all-tournament squad. He was also an honorable mention All-MAC pick his junior season. EMU was ranked third in the final Collegiate Baseball poll, up five spots from its final rating from the year before.

Following the CWS, Schmitz played with Team USA, serving as captain of the squad which went to Korea and Taiwan.

At the conclusion of his senior campaign, during which he was co-captain, earned team "Most Valuable Player" honors, and hit a career-high .339, Schmitz was drafted in the 20th round by the New York Yankees. He joined the Yankee rookie team in Oneonta right after the draft and helped his new club to a league crown - the first of five teams in a six-year span that would earn titles with the assistance of Schmitz.

The Ferndale, Mich., native then made the big jump to AAA for the 1978 season playing for Tacoma before spending the 1979 year in Columbus under manager Gene Michael. In 1980, Schmitz played in Nashville for former Yankee manager Stump Merrill prior to going back to Columbus for both the 1981 and 1982 seasons.

He completed his eight-year minor league career with a stop in Tidewater (Mets affiliate) in 1983 before spending the 1984 campaign in Toledo (then Twins affiliate) where he also began his instructional career serving as player-coach.

In 1985, the Minnesota Twins hired Schmitz to manage their Class A affiliate, Visalia, in the California League. In his second year at the helm, he led Visalia to the second-half Northern Division pennant and a spot in the championship series.

After his stint at Visalia, Schmitz returned to his alma mater, where he spent three campaigns as an assistant coach under Roger Coryell. During that time the Hurons finished second in both the 1988 and 1990 MAC races. In his final year as an assistant, EMU won more league contests (20) than any other team, but finished one game behind league champion Central Michigan.

Born March 1, 1955, Schmitz played Little League, high school, and college baseball with Welch, who captured the American League's Cy Young Award in 1990. The BGSU field boss earned his undergraduate degree from EMU in 1979 in physical education. He also started work toward his graduate degree in physical education while coaching at EMU.

Schmitz, 53, and his wife, Cindy, have been married 29 years and are the parents of two children: Spencer, 26, is a volunter assistant baseball and hockey coach at BGSU and Jamie Lynn, 22, a senior at BGSU. Schmitz, one of seven children, is the son of Ann and the late Hubert Schmitz.