Owner Tom Lenz with 6 year old son Drew (Aug. 2009)
Owner/President
E-Mail: tom@lenzfield.com
Tom Lenz began his coaching career as a little league baseball coach in Fond du Lac, Wi in the summer of 1982. “I became the head coach of my brother Brian’s little league teams in the mid 80’s. At the end of the summer we would form an all-star team and play tournaments in central Wisconsin. We were the first teams to start what is now known as travel team baseball.”
After Lenz finished his carreer as a catcher at Ripon College (1984-87) he began coaching baseball as an assistant at the college level. His first job was as pitching coach at Marian College in Wisconsin during the spring of 1989. “I worked for a coach named Brian Gillogly. Brian really taught me the fundamentals of the game. He is now the head coach at Luther College in IA and has a great division III program.”
The next year Lenz was a graduate assistant at the University of Wisconsin-Stout in Menominee, WI. As a graduate assistant Lenz helped guide WI-Stout to the NAIA College World Series in Lewiston, Idaho.
The following spring Lenz returned to Ripon to assist Bob Gillespie with the Red Hawk baseball program.
After stints coaching high school and college football Lenz became the head baseball coach at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, IL in 1995. Lenz guided the Highlanders to a record of 131-54-1, 3 St. Louis Conference titles, 2 NCAA tournament appearences (96 & 97) and is still the all-time winningest baseball coach in MacMurray baseball history. Lenz’s 1996 and 1997 MacMurray teams finished in the top 20 in NCAA Division III baseball. “Coaching college baseball at MacMurray was a great experience. We had some really great players and teams. Defeating Aurora University and Carthage College back to back in the National NCAA Tournament in 1996 was probably the highlight of my college coaching career.”
Tom lives in Jacksonville with his wife Kim and their three children Morgan age 13, Katie age 9 and Drew age 6.
4 year starting catcher Ripon College 1985-88; Assistant Coach Marion College, WI (1989); Assistant Coach UW WI-Stout (1990); Assistant Coach Ripon College (1991); Head coach MacMurray College IL (1995-98) Record: 131-54-1
Tournament Director: JD Long cell: 217 371 5447
e:mail: jdlong@lenzfield.com
JD Long began his traveling baseball experience at a young age. From ages 9-18 he played on a traveling team based out of Springfield, Illinois. That team played in tournaments from Nebraska to Georgia to Michigan. Long admits that traveling baseball definitely helped him develop into a strong college player. “Travel baseball was a great experience for me. It helped me learn how to compete at a very high level. The friends I made during those years will last a lifetime. I loved it,” explained JD. Long attended Jacksonville High School from 2002-2005, where he was a three year baseball letter winner after sitting out his freshman year with a broken ankle.
After graduating from high school JD signed a full athletic baseball scholarship with Parkland College out of Champaign, IL. Parkland is one of the top Junior College baseball programs in the Nation. After one year in Champaign JD transferred to Springfield College in Springfield, Illinois. At Springfield College JD played for head coach Steve Torricelli, where according to JD he gained the most baseball knowledge of his carrer. “ The coaching staff at SCI was phenomenal, everyday we were on the field, we learned something new that made us better.” In two years at SCI, J.D. was a part of the Region 24 NJCAA champions both years. In Long’s sophomore year he was named Co-Captain, as well as earning Co-MVP honors. That year SCI finished 7th in the nation in batting average, and JD led the team with a .440 average.
JD is currently the Facilities Manager and Tournament Director at Lenz Field and Sports Complex and resides in Jacksonville with his girlfriend Ashton, and son Hunter.
League Director: Bill Strubbe cell: 217 371 5339
e:mail: bill@lenzfield.com
Bill grew up in Jacksonville, IL where he played organized baseball for over 10 years. Bill, a 1987 graduate of Jacksonville High School, was a four year starter at shortstop under former head coach Fred Curtis. He was voted “Best Defensive Player” by his teamates his senior year and was selected to the All-Greater Midwestern Conference team in baseball and football. Bill was a member of the American Legion baseball team that went to the State Tournament in 1985. After graduating from high school Bill played one year at Lincoln Land Community College under former head coach Claude Krasik, before an ankle injury ended his baseball career. Bill has been coaching at Lenz Field and Sports Complex for two years and now is the League Director and Lenz Field Office Manager. Bill lives in rural Jacksonville with his wife Julie and two children, Sabre age 11 and Dalton age 7.
Owner/President – Tom Lenz / Cell/text 217 370 5122
E-Mail: tom@lenzfield.com
Tom Lenz began his coaching career as a little league baseball coach in Fond du Lac, Wi in the summer of 1982. “I became the head coach of my brother Brian’s little league teams in the mid 80’s. At the end of the summer we would form an all-star team and play tournaments in central Wisconsin. We were one of the first teams to start what is now known as travel team baseball.”
After Lenz finished his playing career as the four year starting catcher at Ripon College (1984-87; All Midwest Conference selection 1987) he began coaching baseball as an assistant at the college level. His first job was as pitching coach at Marian College in Wisconsin during the spring of 1989. “I worked for a coach named Brian Gillogly. Brian really taught me the fundamentals of the game. He is now the head coach at Luther College in IA and has a great division III program.”
The next year Lenz was a graduate assistant at the University of Wisconsin-Stout in Menominee, WI. As a graduate assistant Lenz helped guide WI-Stout to the NAIA College World Series in Lewiston, Idaho.
The following spring Lenz returned to Ripon to assist Bob Gillespie with the Ripon College Red Hawk baseball program for one season.
After stints coaching high school and college football Lenz became the head baseball coach at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, IL in 1995. In just four seasons Lenz guided the Highlanders to a record of 131-54-1, three St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles, two NCAA National tournament appearences (96 & 97) and is currently the all-time winningest baseball coach in MacMurray baseball history. Lenz’s 1996 and 1997 MacMurray teams finished in the top 20 in NCAA Division III baseball. “Coaching college baseball at MacMurray was a great experience. Our staff worked extremely hard to recruit top level players to a small school. We had some really great players and teams. Defeating Aurora University and Carthage College back to back in the 1996 National NCAA Tournament was probably the highlight of my college coaching career.”
Tom lives in Jacksonville with his wife Kim and their three children Morgan age 15, Katie age 12 and Drew age 9. He is also the owner and president of Lenz Sales & Dist., Inc., which sits adjacent to Lenz Field & Sports Complex.
HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE COACHING EXPERIENCE:
*LACONIA HIGH SCHOOL ROSENDALE WI
-HEAD JV/ASSISTANT VARSITY FOOTBALL COACH 1985, 1986
*BERLIN HIGH SCHOOL BERLIN, WI
-HEAD FRESHMAN BASKETBALL COACH: 1985/86 & 1986/87
*WAUPON HIGH SCHOOL WAUPON, WI
-ASSISTANT VARSITY FOOTBALL COACH: 1988
*RIPON COLLEGE RIPON, WI
-ASSISTANT BASKETBALL COACH: 1988/89
*MARIAN COLLEGE FOND DU LAC, WI
-ASSISTANT BASEBALL COACH 1989 (Great Lakes Conference Championship)
*UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-STOUT MENOMONIE, WI
-ASSISTANT FOOTBALL COACH FALL 1989
*BOYCEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL BOYCEVILLE, WI
-HEAD JV BASKETBALL COACH 1989/1990
*UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-STOUT MENOMONIE, WI
-ASSISTANT BASEBALL COACH 1990 (NAIA National Tournament appearance)
*NORTH GREENE HS WHITE HALL, IL
-HEAD FOOTBALL COACH 1991 (2-7 varsity record. Team was 0-23 before Coach Lenz arrived)
*RIPON COLLEGE RIPON, WI
-ASSISTANT BASEBALL COACH SPRING 1992 (Northern Division Champions, 12-0 conference record)
*MACMURRAY COLLEGE JACKSONVILLE, IL
-ASSISTANT FOOTBALL COACH/OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR 1992,93,94,95
-ASSISTANT BASKETBALL COACH 1992/93, 1993/94, 1994/95 (93/94 team holds record for most wins in a season at 20)
-HEAD MENS BASEBALL COACH 1995-1998 (*see above for accomplishments)
Tournament Director: Steve Brannan cell/text: 217 371 5447
email: sbrannan@lenzfield.com
Steve joined the Lenz Field Staff in December of 2010. He has been involved in area sports in west central Illinois for over 20 years. Personal profile coming soon.
League Director: Alex Totura cell/text: 217 371 5339
E-Mail: alex@lenzfield.com
Alex joined Lenz Field Staff in January of 2012. He has most recently served as the Stadium Operations Director for the Normal CornBelters in Normal, IL. Personal profile coming soon.
