Chris Ramirez was named the sixth head coach in USI Baseball history in July of 2024 and led the Screaming Eagles in their final year of transition to NCAA Division I.
In the inaugural season at USI under Ramirez, the Screaming Eagles tied the program record for overall wins in Division I and set the mark for OVC wins with 15. USI also reached the OVC Championship first round for the third-straight year under Ramirez's tutelage and ranked in the top 25 for batting average nationally (unofficial due to USI being in transition).
Ramirez came to USI with a 351-202-1 record as a head coach in 11 seasons, including three NCAA II Tournament appearances and being named NCBWA National Coach of the Year in 2018. He led Lenoir-Rhyne University to the program's most successful five-seasons in program history with a 152-80 record, reaching the NCAA postseason in 2022. He also posted a record of 199-122-1 in six years at the University of Illinois Springfield, earning trips to the NCAA II Tournament in 2018 and 2019.
Ramirez directed the UIS Prairie Stars into the NCAA II Midwest Regional for the first time in program history in 2018 with a 47-9 record and a Great Lakes Valley Conference regular season championship with a 23-1 conference mark. The Stars and Ramirez followed up with a Midwest Super Regional appearance in 2019 after posting a 41-17 record and a 21-12 GLVC mark.
The UIS program was ranked as high as third and fourth in the nation in both 2018 and 2019, leading the nation in both home runs and slugging percentage.
After moving on to Lenoir-Rhyne, Ramirez built the Bears into a regional contender in 2022 following a 46-13 campaign that included a 17-7 record in the South Atlantic Conference and a tournament championship. The Bears, who had four wins over teams ranked number one in the nation in 2022, finished ranked as high as 11th nationally and finished the year 15th. The 2022 pitching staff set a new NCAA II record for single-season strikeouts with 647 on the year. The Bears also reached a program best in 2023 when they were ranked seventh nationally.
Ramirez served as a Division I assistant coach for six seasons at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi before taking the top spots at UIS and Lenior-Rhyne.
As a student-athlete, Ramirez was a two-time All-Conference centerfielder and closer at Kirkwood Community College before earning a bachelor's degree in business administration from High Point University. He played two seasons for High Point and earned Big South All-Academic honor in 2005.
The Iowa native was born and raised in Fort Madison and won a state championship in 2000.
Ramirez and his wife, Lindsay, have three children: Layla, Mia, and Stryker.
| Ramirez through the Years |
| Teams |
Years |
Overall Record |
Conference Record |
Conference |
| Illinois Springfield |
6 Years |
199-122-1 |
114-73 |
GLVC |
| Lenoir-Rhyne |
5 Years |
152-80 |
71-48 |
SAC |
| USI |
1st Year |
27-29 |
15-12 |
OVC |
| Total Division II |
11 Years |
351-202-1 |
185-121 |
GLVC/SAC |
| Total Division I |
First Year |
27-29 |
15-12 |
OVC |
| TOTAL OVERALL |
11 Years |
376-229-1 |
200-133 |
|
| Year |
Career Accomplishments |
| 2018 |
NCAA II National Coach of the Year (NCBWA; Illinois Springfield)
Led Illinois Springfield to the GLVC regular season championship and appearance in NCAA II Midwest Regional. |
| 2019 |
Led Illinois Springfield to NCAA II Midwest Regional appearance. |
| 2022 |
Led Lenoir-Rhyne to SAC regular season and tournament championship.
Lenoir-Rhyne finished the year ranked 15th nationally. |
| 2025 |
Led USI to the OVC Tournament 1st Round |
Updated: May 29, 2025
