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06/08/2013
Three Illini, One Signee Picked on Final Day of MLB Draft
Jordan Parr to Diamondbacks, Lindauer to Astros, Johnson to Athletics, Signee Greer to Reds
05/14/2013
Illinois to Play Final Big Ten Series at Minnesota
Illini Look to Qualify for Big Ten Tournament to Remain in Minneapolis
03/28/2013
Illinois to Host Four-Game Series against Oakland
Illini to Play Doubleheader Saturday, Single Games Friday & Sunday
03/21/2013
Illini Open Big Ten Play vs. Nebraska at Illinois Field
Illinois Starts Conference Season at Home after Two-Straight Sweeps
03/15/2013
Johnson Sits Down Salukis 4-1 in Carbondale
Senior Tosses 8 Scoreless Innings for Third Win of Season
04/02/2013
Illinois vs. Missouri at Busch Stadium (4/2/13)
Photos of the Illini playing Mizzou at Busch Stadium in St. Louis
Drew Dickinson is in his second year as Illinois' pitching coach, after serving two stints as a volunteer assistant coach in 2009 and 2011. Dickinson oversees the development of the pitching staff and is instrumental in recruiting for the Fighting Illini.
Dickinson was a part of Illinois' magical run to the 2011 Big Ten regular-season and tournament championships, serving as a volunteer assistant and first-base coach. In 2010, he served as the pitching coach for the Schaumburg Flyers of the independent Northern League. Dickinson was Illinois' volunteer assistant coach in 2009 while he finished his degree after a seven-year professional playing career.
Dickinson hit the recruiting trail and found immediate success after his hiring in August 2011, landing a pair of top-30 pitchers in the state of Illinois in lefty Kevin Duchene and right-hander Nick Blackburn, as well as projectable lefties Tyler Jay and J.D. Nielsen. He added depth with the 2013 class, including top-30 pitcher/outfielder Cody Sedlock and two-way players Ryne Roper and Matthew James.
In 2012, Dickinson guided the Illini pitching staff to its best ERA since 2005 with a 4.77 mark, 0.20 lower than in 2011. Illinois also posted a 1:1 hits to innings pitched ratio (464:464), compared to 533 hits in 499 2/3 innings in 2011. Before last season, the last time an Illinois staff had a 1:1 or better ratio in those categories was in 2000, when Dickinson and volunteer assistant coach Jason Anderson were part of the staff.
He tutored junior Matt Milroy in 2011, guiding the right-hander to a 3.88 ERA in 20 appearances with 65 strikeouts in 53 1/3 innings. Milroy parlayed that into an 11th-round selection by the Miami Marlins in the 2012 MLB Draft, becoming Illinois' highest-drafted pitcher since Matt Vorwald in 2001. Kevin Johnson and freshman John Kravetz teamed up to become one of the top starting duos in the Big Ten, combining for a 15-8 record and 176 innings pitched. Johnson also broke the school record for career innings pitched in Big Ten play in his final start of 2012, with 153 2/3.
Drew Dickinson, Kelly Norris-Jones and Brian de la Torriente |
Starting pitcher Kevin Johnson was Illinois' No. 1 starter in 2011, pitching 103.0 innings, the most by an Illini pitcher since Dickinson threw 114.2 in 2002 and the eighth-most in school history. Reliever Wes Braun also earned All-Big Ten third-team honors after going 2-0 with a 1.47 ERA and six saves. And reliever Chris Pack was lights-out, tying for the team lead with eight wins as he went 8-1 with a 4.70 ERA in 51 2/3 innings of work.
Following Dickinson's professional career, he served as Illinois' volunteer assistant coach in 2009, helping guide the Illini pitching staff to its lowest ERA since 2005. He then served as pitching coach for the Northern League's Schaumburg Flyers in 2010, leading them to the third-best ERA in the league after finishing last the three previous years. He also helped guide freshman hurler Will Strack to third-team All-Big Ten honors as he went 6-1 with a 3.84 ERA.
A 2009 graduate of Illinois, Dickinson holds a B.S. in communication. He was selected in the 28th round by the Oakland Athletics in the 2002 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft Dickinson is one of the best pitchers in Illinois history, earning third-team All-American honors by Collegiate Baseball and Big Ten Pitcher of the Year honors in 2001, and third-team Collegiate Baseball All-American laurels again in 2002. He shares the school records for career wins and wins in a Big Ten season, and holds the UI record for innings pitched in a Big Ten season.
In addition, he ranks third in career innings pitched and career strikeouts, and his 53 strikeouts in Big Ten play in both 2001 and 2002 are tied for the school record. Dickinson also holds the record for innings pitched in a Big Ten season with 63 in 2002, and his 148 Big Ten innings rank second in school history. He pitched 115 1/3 innings in 2001 - third-most in school history - and 114 2/3 in 2002 - fourth-most in school history.
Dickinson was a two-time All-Big Ten first-team selection and reached the double-A level with the Oakland A's. He was a 2003 Midwest League all-star and was named a Top 25 Prospect in the A's system in 2004.
The Drew Dickinson File
Born: Dec. 13, 1979
Hometown: Freeport, Ill.
Hired: Aug. 3, 2011
Education
2009 B.S. in communication, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Coaching Experience
2012-present Assistant coach, University of Illinois
2011 Volunteer assistant coach, University of Illinois
2010 Pitching coach, Schaumburg Flyers
2009 Volunteer assistant coach, University of Illinois
Playing Experience
2008 Gary SouthShore Railcats, Northern League
2007 Schaumburg Flyers, Northern League
2005 Midland RockHounds, Texas League (AA)
2005 Stockton Ports, California League (advanced-A)
2004 Midland RockHounds, Texas League (AA)
2003 Kane County Cougars, Midwest League (low-A)
2002 Visalia Oaks, California League (advanced-A)
2002 Vancouver Canadians, Northwest League (short-season A)
