Head Coach - Michael McDonald

Mike McDonald, a former Morton High School coach and recent baseball coach at Illinois Central College, is in his first year leading the Red Devils baseball program.

As a high school coaching veteran, Coach McDonald compiled an impressive 452-313-4 record with ten 20-win season.  His teams made two IHSA Class AA state championship appearances, winning the title in 1984 and claiming runner-up in 1994.  Following his high school coaching career, McDonald was an assistant coach as Illinois Central College where he worked with the infielders and hitters.

Coach McDonald played his collegiate baseball at Canton Community College in Canton, IL and Bradley University where he was an All-Missouri Valley Conference third baseman.  Following his college career, McDonald signed as a catcher with the St. Louis Cardinals, and played two years under the direction of former major league players Joe Cunningham and Ken Boyer.  Coach McDonald has been inducted into the Illinois High School Coaches Hall of Fame and the Bradley University Hall of Fame.  McDonald was an associate scout for the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals.

McDonald graduated from Bradley University with a Bachelors Degree in physical education and earned a Master Degree from Illinois State University.

Assistant Coach - Eric Joop

Eric Joop is entering his third year as the assistant baseball coach after having played at Eureka College.

A native of Wenona, IL, Eric was a four-year letter winner at Fieldcrest High School, an all-conference infielder as both a junior and senior.  During his senior year, he was a News Tribune
all-area selection while leading his team to the conference championship and school record for wins in a season. 

After high school,  Eric attended Eureka College and was a four-year starting first baseman, team captain both his junior and senior years and pitched during his senior year.  During that year, Joop led the Red Devils in fielding percentage and earned run average as a pitcher.  He was also third on the team in runs scored and fourth in runs batted in.  Joop was also a member of the football team during his junior and senior years.  As a senior, he was the team’s starting fullback. 

Eric has earned valuable experience coaching various levels of sport.  While in college, he was a student assistant for Eureka College Men’s basketball.  This was follow, after college, with experience in coaching middle school baseball and high school football.

One of the distinctions that Eric holds is serving as the Eureka College Student Advisory Committee President during his
junior year.

Assistant Coach - Brad Bouris

A 1998 graduate of El Paso High School, Brad was a three-time unanimous 1st team Mid-State All-Conference catcher.  Hit over .430 all four years of varsity baseball and had an average of .477 as a senior and was 1 RBI short of the all time career record.  He had a 50 game hitting streak spanning the last 20 games of the high school season and the first 30 games of the summer legion season.   Coach Bouris played football and was a 1st team
all-state selection in 1997.  He held a state record for pass attempts (187) without an interception.  

After graduating from El Paso, Brad attended Kishwaukee Junior College to play baseball. During his freshmen season, his team won the NJCAA National Championship with a 50 –17 record. During his sophomore year, he was named 1st team all conference catcher and second team all region DH.  His baseball career continued at Oklahoma State University.  Only playing one season after shoulder surgery and batting .320, he transferred back home to Illinois State University and finished his senior year for the Redbirds.  He hit .380 his senior year and ranked 4th nationally in batting average (.434).  He holds the on base percentage record for ISU with a .505 average, earning him 2nd Team All-Missouri Valley Conference DH.

As a first year coach on the Red Devil baseball staff, he will be in working with the hitters and infielders.