ROMEOVILLE, Ill. –
Lewis University Director of Athletics Dr. John Planek announced on Wednesday (June 30) that Mike Vucsko has been named the next head baseball coach at Lewis. Vucsko becomes just the fifth head coach in the program's 70-year history. He succeeds Tim McDonough who resigned to pursue other professional interests.
"I am excited to announce that Mike Vucsko has been named the next head baseball coach at Lewis University," Dr. Planek said. "Mike will provide great leadership to our historic program and follow in the footsteps of the many legendary coaches as he leads the Flyers on the diamond."
"I would like to thank Dr. Planek, President Livingston, and Provost Sindt for this amazing opportunity to become the next head baseball coach at Lewis University," Vucsko said. "This university is truly a special place, and my family and I are blessed to continue calling it home.
"I would also like to thank Mike Villano for giving me my first opportunity to coach at the collegiate level at Western Illinois, Josh Rabe for giving me the opportunity to pursue a Master's degree while coaching at Quincy University, and Tim McDonough for giving me the opportunity to come back to Lewis and coach alongside him for the past seven seasons. All three have helped me grow into the man I am today," Vucsko said.
"Lastly, I want to thank my Mom, Dad, and wife Stephanie. Being able to lean on them through all of the ups and downs that coaching brings has made everything easier," he said. "My mom still tells the story of when she and my dad took me to a Lewis basketball game when I was five years old. When we were walking back out to the car I told them, "I'm going to Lewis, this place is awesome!" five-year old me had no idea just how much this place would eventually mean to me."
Vucsko returned to Lewis in August 2014 and has spent the last seven years as assistant coach including the last three as associate head coach. He has been primarily responsible for the last three recruiting classes at Lewis which included GLVC Freshman of the Year Jake Karaba in 2021.
Vucsko began his coaching career at Western Illinois where he spent the 2012 season working primarily with infielders and handled travel operations and arrangements for the Leathernecks.
He then spent two years at GLVC rival Quincy where he earned his master's degree in Educational Leadership. The Hawks made the GLVC Tournament both seasons he was on the staff and advanced to the GLVC Tournament Championship in 2014.
Vucsko started 160 games for the Flyers from 2008-11 hitting .286 and recorded a .389 on-base percentage. As a senior, he was named to the All-GLVC Third Team and earned American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Midwest Region Gold Glove honors after committing just two errors in 170 chances for a team-best .988 fielding percentage. Vucsko's 2011 squad won Lewis' first GLVC Tournament game since 2002.
His family is no stranger to Lewis. His sister Michelle played softball for the Flyers from 2010-13, his wife Stephanie played softball at Lewis from 2008-11 and his father Kirk played basketball and baseball at Lewis in the 1980s and is a member of the Lewis Athletics Hall of Fame.
He and his wife have a son named Jaxson.