Coaching Staff

Head Coach Bill Kurich

Bill Kurich enters his seventh season as Webster University's head baseball coach. Kurich has led the Gorloks to a 193-82 record overall and notched six St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships. In six years, Kurich has produced thirty-seven First Team all conference selections and four All-Americans.  Kurich’s clubs have earned five NCAA Division III National Championships berths and were the Central Regional Champions and finished 5th at the NCAA Division III World Series in 2012, the first in the program’s history.  Coach Kurich was named the 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2012 SLIAC Coach of the Year and honored as the 2008 and 2012 NCAA III Central Region Coach of the Year.
The 2012 Gorloks set the school record for wins (36) as well ranking 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), eleventh nationally in hits allowed per nine innings (7.76).

In the SLIAC, the 2012 Gorloks statistically led most batting and hitting categories, leading the conference in batting average (.307), runs (345), hits (501), homeruns (29), stolen bases per game (3.16), stolen bases (158), and walks (206). The Webster pitching staff led in strikeouts per nine innings (8.1) and total strikeouts  (378). Also, the defense finished second in fielding percentage (.958).

The 2011 squad finished 32-13 and won the SLIAC with a record of 21-3. That team finished second nationally in stolen bases (186) and stolen bases per game (4.13). The 2010 Gorloks posted a school record 35 wins, ranked seventh in total home runs (55), and 24th in runs scored (414) in the NCAA Division III. In 2009, Webster rolled up a 24-0 record in the SLIAC, finishing ninth nationally in home runs per game (1.9). and 22nd in slugging percentage (.524). The 2008 squad made its mark as well, winding up 13th nationally in stolen bases (116), and eighth in runs per game (9.4). Coach Kurich was named the 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2012 SLIAC Coach of the Year and honored as the 2008 and 2012 NCAA III Central Region Coach of the Year.

Kurich came to Webster from St. Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Ind., where he was the head assistant coach, serving as the hitting, infield and third base coach, for four years. While coaching for St. Joseph’s, Kurich led the 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, IL, 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.

Coach Kurich, his wife Stacey, daughters, Abbey and Holly, and son Billy, reside in Saint Louis, MO.