Coaching Staff
Within the athletics program at Indiana Tech you will find only the best coaches with a proven record of success for themselves and their student athletes on and off the field.
Get to know Coach McWilliams
Kip McWilliams has been the Indiana Tech baseball head coach since 2007. Kip is entering his third season as head coach at Indiana Tech. Coach McWilliams' first two seasons at Indiana Tech have produced a combined 60-55 record with two appearances in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Championship game and NAIA national tournament. After winning the 2009 WHAC Championship the Warriors received an automatic bid to the opening round of nationals.
Coach McWilliams has been very fortunate to coach some wonderful athletes at Indiana Tech. In his first two seasons, Indiana Tech has produced eight WHAC All-Conference players, as well as one WHAC Player of the Year (Will Richards), eight WHAC Honorable Mention All-Conference, four WHAC Gold Glove athletes, and five WHAC Players of the Week.
What McWilliams is most proud of is the academic excellence his athletes produce in the classroom. In two seasons, the Warrior baseball teams have had 12 WHAC All-Academic Conference Players and an impressive five Academic All-Americans. The 2009 team produced a team grade point average of 2.99.
Being born and raised in Bloomington, Ind., McWilliams was a two sport athlete at Bloomington South High School in baseball and football. “I had some great influences on my life and played for some excellent coaches.” Even though he was an All-State football player, his love was in the game of baseball.
After graduation, McWilliams played football and baseball at Franklin College for two seasons. Transferring to IUPUI gave him the opportunity to coach at the Division I level for two seasons. During his stint at IUPUI he was in charge of the catchers and recruiting. For eight seasons, Coach McWilliams was the assistant coach for Marian College. Marian won five conference titles, as well as six Regional appearances. “It was a pleasure working at Marian College I learned quite a bit about the game and met some wonderful people there.” His main responsibility was working with the pitching staff, and recruiting.
Over the years McWilliams found himself working with many summer travel teams, coaching the Indy Bulldogs to a National Amateur Baseball Federation World Series Title in 2002. He was head coach for the Lids Indiana Bulls for 4 seasons, giving him the opportunity to coach some of the best players in the country.
“Being a head coach in college baseball is a wonderful goal to have… Becoming the head coach at Indiana Tech is a dream that came true…Indiana Tech is one of the most respected baseball programs in the country, and I am committed to continuing the success that Indiana Tech has had in the past. Indiana Tech does not just bring excellence in athletics, but in the classroom as well. The faculty and staff have worked very hard in the past to get the quality of academics that Indiana Tech has to offer. Indiana Tech has had numerous of Academic All-Americans and we will continue on having more success’s in the classroom.”
Assistant Coaches
Alex Rinearson
Assistant Coach
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Alex Rinearson returns for his 2nd season as assistant coach for the Warriors. Rinearson will assume the role of the infield and hitting coach. Rinearson was born and raised in Fort Wayne, Ind., where he was a three-sport athlete at Northrop High School and was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies.
Rinearson began his collegiate baseball career at Butler University in 2005 where he was a starter at third base. Rinearson was named to the Horizon League All-Newcomer Team and Butler's offensive MVP.
In the fall of 2006, he transferred to Huntington University. Rinearson was Rookie of the Year, All-Region, and All-Conference during his two seasons with the Foresters. He also participated on the 2008 MCC Conference Championship Team.
Currently Rinearson spends his summers coaching for The Lids Indiana Bulls. He has a Special Needs Education degree from Indiana University-Purdue University, Fort Wayne.
Elijah Chee
Assistant Coach
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Elijah Chee enters his first season with the Warrior coaching staff as the head junior varsity coach. Coach Chee hails from Waipahu, Hawaii. He also was a player for the Warriors in the 2008 and 2009 seasons. During his senior season, Chee had a .330 batting average and maintained a solid position at third base for the Warriors. At the conclusion of the 2009 season, Chee won many awards. He was the Warriors' Champion of Character representative, Honorable Mention All-WHAC, All-WHAC Academic, and won the Captain Award for the Warriors. Chee also holds the record for hit by pitches in a season with (30). He is completing his degree in business administration in 2010.
Steve Weigle
Assistant Coach
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Steve Weigle finished his collegiate playing career on the 2009 WHAC Championship team. Coach Weigle is from Naples, Fla., but came to Indiana Tech from Owens Community College in 2008. In Weigle's two seasons with the Warriors he was All-WHAC Outfielder twice, led Tech in stolen bases (27) and runs scored (57), and was Defensive Player of the Year for the Warriors in 2009. Weigle is second all time in hit by pitches in a season with 25. Weigle will assist with outfield play and hitting. He is finishing his degree in business administration/marketing in 2010.
Freddie Austin
Assistant Coach
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Freddie Austin joins the coaching staff after playing one season for the Warriors in 2009. Austin, who hails from Cleveland, Ohio, came to Indiana Tech after transferring from Meyers University. Austin played outfield for the Warriors and won the Ultimate Warrior Award after the 2009 season. Austin also was All-WHAC Academic for the 2009 WHAC Champions. He will help with the junior varsity team this season and work with the outfielders.
Steve Dowding
Assistant Coach
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Steve Dowding patrolled center field for the Warriors the last two seasons. He was Honorable Mention All-WHAC in the 2008 season. Dowding received an All-WHAC Academic nomination his junior year as well. He was born and raised in Toronto, Canada, and attended Muscatine Community College before coming to Indiana Tech in the fall of 2007. Dowding will be working with the outfielders and hitting for the 2010 season.
Shane Tirey
Assistant Coach
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In 2008, Shane Tirey helped lead the Warriors to a Region VIII appearance and a conference runner-up. Tirey joins the coaching staff for the first time in the 2010 season. He will bring great experience to the coaching staff, mainly being responsible for the middle-infielders and assisting with hitting. Tirey also will be in charge of the Warriors' base running this season.
The 2008 season was an outstanding season for Tirey. He led the team in many categories in batting average (.359), hits (65), doubles (17), base on balls (32), on-base percentage (.471), and (9) sacrifice bunts. Tirey was a team captain, WHAC Conference Player of the Week, and All-WHAC Conference second baseman.
Tirey began attending Indiana Tech in the fall of 2006, and he helped the 2007 Warriors win the WHAC Championship. He played a solid second base for the Warriors in two seasons. Tirey hails from Bellbrook, Ohio. Before his two seasons at Indiana Tech, he played at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio.
Tirey received an industrial and manufacturing engineering degree from Indiana Tech in 2009.
Nick Spence
Assistant Coach
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Nick Spence joins the Warrior coaching staff for the first time this spring. Spence hails from Brownsburg, Ind., where he was a two-sport athlete in soccer and baseball. After graduation, Spence played baseball at Olney Central, Danville College and Indiana University -Southeast. When Spence's playing days were over he began coaching at his alma mater Brownsburg High School for two seasons. From there he was fortunate enough to land a coaching position at Clarendon Community College in Texas before his stop in Fort Wayne.
Nick and his wife, Tanille, have two lovely children, Madison and Easton.