Bill Kurich

Bill Kurich enters his 17th season as Webster University's head baseball coach in 2023. Kurich has led the Gorloks to a 516-190 overall record and 302-40 mark in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play.

In his time with the Gorloks, Kurich has notched 15 SLIAC Regular Season titles and 10 SLIAC Tournament Championships. Over that period, the Gorloks have produced 80 First Team All-Conference selections, 15 All-Americans, two Rawlings Gold Glove Winners and two D3 National Pitchers of the Year. Additionally, he has had three players go on to play professional baseball during his tenure at Webster. In 2017, Josh Fleming was selected in the 5th round with the 139th overall pick by the Tampa Bay Rays organization. Fleming made his debut for the Rays in August 2020. In addition, Kurich has had two players play for the Gateway Grizzlies including Kyle Uhrich and Matt Mulhearn.

Kurich’s clubs have earned 13 NCAA Tournament berths. They were Central Regional Champs and made Division III National Championship appearances in 2012, 2013, and 2015. In 2019 his team was the Whitewater, Wis., Regional and Midwest Super Regional Champions en route to earning a spot in the NCAA Division III World Series for the fourth time in school history. The 2019 team finished the season ranked sixth in the final ABCA/Collegiate Baseball poll and have now been ranked in the Top 10 nationally six times since 2012. Kurich has been named SLIAC Coach of the Year nine times and honored as ABCA Central Region Coach of the Year in 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2019.

In 2022, Kurich guided his squad to a 38-8 overall record, their 15th straight SLIAC Regular Season Title, and their 10th SLIAC Tournament Championship. He notched his 500th career win against Fontbonne (Mo.) University on April 22nd and led his team to a 13th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Following the conclusion of the season he was named the SLIAC Baseball Coach of the Year for ninth time with the Gorloks.

In the 2021 season, Kurich led his team to a 37-8 overall record and a 25-3 mark in SLIAC play. He led his team to their 12th NCAA Division III tournament appearance where they finished 2-2 in regionals. Following the conclusion of the season, Matt Mulhearn was named a First Team All-American as well as the NCAA DIII National Pitcher of the Year.

During the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, the Gorloks, who were ranked No. 2 in the preseason ABCA/Collegiate Baseball and D3Baseball.com polls, posted an 8-5 overall record before the season ended on in mid-March.

Kurich's 2019 Webster team took home its 13th straight SLIAC title and won its second consecutive SLIAC Tournament title and earned a spot in their 11th NCAA Tournament. The 2019 team won 37 games and finished the season with a 37-13 overall and posted an 18-4 mark in SLIAC play. Webster won both the Whitewater, Wis., Regional and the Midwest Super Regional hosted by Concordia-Chicago to advance to the Division III World Series for the first time since 2015 and fourth time overall in school history. The team also had two All-Americans, four All-Region performers and second baseman Danny Strohm took home the Rawlings Gold Glove Award. Webster finished the season ranked 6th and 7th in the final ABCA/Collegiate Baseball and D3Baseball.com polls.

In 2018, Webster won its 12th straight SLIAC title and earned a spot in their 10th NCAA Tournament, which they hosted for the third consecutive year at GCS Credit Union Ballpark. Kurich's 2018 squad won a school record 38 games and finished the season with a 38-10 overall record and posted a 20-2 record in SLIAC play. Along with winning a school record 38 games, the Gorloks also had a school record and an NCAA-leading 21 game winning streak that stretched from April 11-May 12 and finished the season ranked 13th and 16th in the final Collegiate Baseball and D3Baseball.com polls.

In 2017, the Gorloks won their 11th straight SLIAC title and earned a spot in their ninth NCAA tournament. Pitching paved the way for the Gorloks with a staff that finished in the top five in the country in many categories: 5th in ERA (3.04), 3rd in shutouts (10), 3rd in WHIP (1.16), 2nd in hits allowed per game (7.31) and led the entire country in strikeouts per nine innings (10.1). The 2017 campaign saw the Gorloks reach the postseason at their home field of GCS Ballpark as the hosts of the first round of the NCAA tournament.

In 2016, the Gorloks won their 10th straight SLIAC title. The offense contributed 34 home runs finishing 19th in the country as well as swiping 87 bags for 32nd in the country. The pitching staff led the country with the best strikeout-to-walk ratio of 3.35 and finished first across NCAA Division III in WHIP.

The 2015 Gorloks made the program’s third NCAA Division III World Series appearance. The team was led by a potent offense and pitching staff that finished near the top of the nation in numerous categories. Kurich’s offense finished fifth in the nation in doubles (110), sixth in home runs (38), and 18th in stolen bases (102). The pitching staff finished fourth nationally in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.17) and helped lead to the eight most double plays turned (44) in the nation as well as giving up the eighth fewest hits in the country. On the conference level, Webster's offense led the league in runs, hits, doubles, home runs, RBI, batting average, and slugging percentage. Defensively, Webster led the conference in strikeouts, ERA, and fielding percentage.

In 2014, the Webster baseball program spent two weeks ranked 1st in the D3baseball.com poll. Defensively Webster finished the season first nationally in overall fielding percentage (.975) and 12th in double plays (43), while the pitching staff was ranked ninth in WHIP (1.16) and 13th in ERA (2.76). The Gorloks tied the school record for wins (37) in a season while going undefeated in conference play (25-0). The team led the SLIAC offensively in runs, hits, batting average, RBIs, home runs, and finished second in doubles. On the mound, Webster led in ERA, fewest home runs allowed, hits allowed and strikeouts and was second in fewest hits allowed.

The 2013 Webster squad set the then school record for wins (37). The team led the SLIAC offensively in runs, hits, batting average, triples, RBIs, walks, stolen bases, and finished second in doubles and home runs. On the mound, Webster led in ERA, fewest home runs allowed, fewest walks per inning, and was second in strikeouts.

In 2012, the team ranked sixth nationally in stolen bases per game (3.16) and second in total stolen bases (158). Webster’s pitching staff ranked eighth nationally in strikeouts per nine innings (8.1), and eleventh in hits allowed per nine innings (7.76).

The 2011 Gorloks finished 32-13 and won the SLIAC with a record of 21-3. They finished second nationally in stolen bases (186) and stolen bases per game (4.13). The 2010 team broke the school record for wins (35), ranked seventh in total home runs (55), and 24th in runs scored (414) in the NCAA Division III.

In 2009, Webster rolled up a perfect 24-0 record in the SLIAC, finished ninth nationally in home runs per game (1.9), and 22nd in slugging percentage (.524). The 2008 team made its mark as well, winding up 13th nationally in stolen bases (116), and eighth in runs per game (9.4).

Kurich came to Webster from St. Joseph’s College (Ind.). As the head assistant coach, he served as the hitting, infield and third base coach for four years. While coaching there, Kurich led the St. Joseph's offense to a top two finish in team batting average, runs, hits, and walks in the Great Lakes Valley Conference in 2005 and 2006. St. Joseph’s defense led in the GLVC in fielding percentage and finished third nationally in the NCAA II in 2005. While at Saint Joseph’s, Kurich had the opportunity to coach infielder Garrett Guest, a 49th round selection by the Chicago White Sox in the 2004 MLB Amateur Draft

Previous to St. Joseph’s, Kurich was the head assistant and hitting coach at Concordia University in Chicago for three years. While at Concordia, Kurich’s first recruiting class produced Jim Paduch, a 12th round selection by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2003 MLB Amateur Draft. He served as Head Coach of the Rome Indians of the New York Collegiate Summer League in 2001 and 2002. The 2001 team won the NYCBL Championship and broke the league record for stolen bases and wins in a season. In his two years in Rome, NY, Kurich had the opportunity to coach 10 players who went on to sign professional contracts.

The Brookfield, Ill., native and son of Bill and Alice Kurich, enjoyed a successful college career at both Quincy University and Wartburg College. At Wartburg, he was a two-time, 1st team All-Iowa Conference selection. Kurich was also named to the All-Central Region Team at second base. Kurich was fortunate enough to be a part of three conference championships while at Wartburg.

Kurich graduated from Wartburg with a degree in Business Administration, and completed his Master’s Degree in Education from Concordia University in May of 2002.