Mike Vucsko was named fifth head coach in program history on June 30, 2021, after spending the previous seven seasons as an assistant coach. He spent the first four years as an assistant, and he was the associate head coach for the next three seasons. Vucsko will be entering his fifth year as head coach in 2026.
The 2025 season was a memorable one. The Flyers won 37 games and won the GLVC regular season by going 24-6 in league play. It was the first GLVC regular season championship since 2013 and they also qualified for the NCAA Midwest Regional as the overall No. 3 seed. It also was the first time the program had qualified for the NCAA tournament since 2013. The 37 wins was the most wins this century. The Flyers recorded two separate 10 game win streaks and went 20-2 at Brennan Field. Vucsko collected his 100th career win in a 12-11 win vs UMSL to complete a four-game sweep.
George Bilecki, Jackson Bruno, Cain Headrick, Mikey Kocen, Jason Krol, Brendan Lawry, Chris McDevitt, and Cole Nelson all won GLVC honors to make it a program-record eight who received All-GLVC honors. Kocen won GLVC Player of the Year, along with Midwest Region Player of the Year, and won NCBWA, ABCA, D2 Baseball All-American honors. Brendan Lawry won GLVC Pitcher of the Year, along with
FIrst Team All-Region, and Hnorable Mention All American status.
Nelson was Second Team NCBWA All Region for third base. Bilecki won First Team All-Region Honors, and won NCBWA, ABCA, D2 Baseball Second Team All-American honors.
The Flyers offense was one for the ages as they finished first in batting average (.337), runs (460), hits, (605), home runs (87), runs batted in (424), slugging percentage (.561), on base percentage (.423) and total bases (1007) in the GLVC. Nationally the Flyers finished 10
th in batting average, 10
th in slugging percentage, and 13
th in home runs.
On the mound they finished at the top of nearly every major category in the GLVC. The Flyers finished second in ERA (5.76), walks allowed (176), strikeouts (446) and was fourth in batting average against (.280).
The 2024 season saw the Flyers win 29 games including a third-place GLVC tournament finish, making it to the final day of the tournament. The Flyers also had an 11-game win streak.
Jackson Bruno, Thomas Fox, Mikey Kocen, Chris McDevitt and Michael Sclafani all collected All GLVC honors, while George Bilecki collected honor mention All-GLVC on the season.
Mikey Kocen won ABCA All-Region honors, along with ABCA National Gold Glove third base winner, and to cap it off all Kocen collected first team All-American honors. Kocen joined Jake Karaba as the program's first back-to-back All-Americans since the 1995-1996 season.
Offensively, the Flyers blasted 76 home runs in 55 games posting the best offense in the GLVC. They finished second in batting average, fourth in runs, second in hits, second in doubles, fourth in home runs, third in slug percentage, second in least number of strikeouts, second in stole base percentage.
On the mound, the Flyers finished sixth in ERA, third in saves, second in least number of walks allowed. Defensively, Lewis finished fourth in fielding percentage and second in least number of stolen bases allowed.
In his second season as head coach in 2023, the Flyers won 30 games, the most since 2013, which included an 11-game winning streak and 20 GLVC wins. 20 GLVC wins was good enough for a fourth-place finish during the 2023 regular season.
Thomas Fox, Angelo Cantelo, Michael Alt, and Cain Headrick collected All-GLVC honors. Fox, Cantelo, and Alt collected ABCA All-Region honors as well.
Jake Karaba won GLVC pitcher of the year the first in program history. As well as collecting NCBWA, D2CCA, and ABCA Midwest Region Pitcher of the Year honors. Karaba, was also, the first player since 2000 to collect All-American status.
Offensively, the Flyers offense hit the most home runs as a team since the 1997 season, blasting 60 in 53 games. On 3/5/23 vs West Virginia Wesleyan the offense totaled 34 runs, the second most in program history. Also, finished third in batting average, and second in least amount of strikeouts in the conference.
On the mound the pitching staff recorded the program's 11
th no hitter vs Davis & Elkins University. They placed fifth in program history in strikeouts punching out 417 batters. Finished fifth in ERA, third in opponent batting average and fourth in strikeouts in league play.
The Flyers finished second in fielding percentage in the GLVC.
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. At Western Illinois he coached three All-Summit League Players during the 2012 campaign.
He spent two years as an assistant at GLVC rival Quincy where he earned his master's degree in Educational Leadership.
During his time at Quincy (2012-2014) the Hawks made the GLVC Tournament both seasons he was on the staff and advanced to the GLVC Tournament Championship in 2014. He coached 16 All-GLVC players, four All-Region players, and two All-Region Gold Glove winners, as well as GLVC Pitcher of the Year.
During the summer of 2013 Vucsko spent a season coaching in the prestigious Northwoods League as the hitting coach of the Eau Claire Express. That team produced 13 future MLB draft picks. Which included current big leaguers Sam Haggerty who made his debut in 2019 with the Seattle Mariners and Alex Call who made his debut in 2022 with the Cleveland Indians.
Vucsko returned to Lewis in 2014. During his time as an assistant/associate head coach he has been primarily responsible for the last seven recruiting classes as well as being the pitching coach and running the defense at Lewis.
The 2015 season saw the Flyers produce a team ERA of 4.76. Eann Cox had a career year posting a 2.80 ERA in 61 innings pitch. Mike Barajas, Neal Tyrell and Ethan Bloom all earned All-GLVC selections.
In 2016, Lewis won 26 games which included a 10-game winning streak. Under Vucsko, Neal Tyrell, Austin Mastela, Sam Cybulski, Brandon Collins, and Joe Sparacio all made All-GLVC.
The 2017 season saw Vucsko be briefly named the interim Head Coach. During his time as interim Head Coach the Flyers went 11-10, including going 6-4 vs NCAA tournament participants from that season. Peter Hamot earned GLVC pitcher of the week honors. Brandon Collins earned All-GLVC and All-Region honors and Connor Rutherford was named to the All-GLVC team.
In 2018, Peter Hamot finished the season ninth in the country in strikeout to walk ratio and first in the GLVC. And Blake Marks finished 3
rd in the GLVC in ERA. Connor Rutherford and Peter Hamot both earned All-GLVC honors.
2019, Vucsko helped produce four All-GLVC selections in route to a GLVC tournament berth. Connor Rutherford, Brandon Post, Ryan Schefske, and Peter Hamot. Post, also earned All-Region honors.
In 2021 Vucsko helped guide the Flyers to 26 wins and a GLVC tournament berth. Lewis picked up its first GLVC tournament win since 2014. Jake Karaba won GLVC Freshman of the Year. Karaba, Austin Tittle, and Michael O’Brien earned All-GLVC status. O’Brien, Anthony Rios, and Karaba all earned All-Region honors in 2021.e Flyers pitching staff finished 3
rd in team ERA and fielding percentage
During his time as an assistant coach Vucsko coached 19 All-GLVC players and 5 All-Region players.
In his 1
st season as head coach, Vucsko’s Flyers produced a 13-11 GLVC record which was good for 3
rd in the GLVC Blue Division. The Flyer’s ended the season finishing 3
rd in the GLVC Tournament making it the final day of the tournament. The Flyers collected 3 wins during the GLVC tournament the most since 1997 and advancing to Sunday was the farthest Lewis has made it since the 1997 season.
Offensively, they lead the league in least amount of strikeouts & stolen base percentage. On the mound they finish 4
th in team ERA, and 2
nd in opponent batting against. Defensively, they finished 4
th in team fielding percentage.
Vucsko started 160 games for the Flyers from 2008-11 hitting .286 and recorded a .389 on-base percentage. As a freshman, he hit .341 with a .419 OBP. As a senior, he was named to the All-GLVC 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. Vucsko ranks third in runs score, fifth in at bats, seventh in games started, seventh in most hits, third in stolen bases, and first in most walks from 2000 thru the 2022 season.
His family is no stranger to Lewis. His sister Michelle played softball for the Flyers from 2010-13 and holds the school record for career RBI’s and doubles. His wife Stephanie played softball at Lewis from 2008-11and holds the school record for home runs. His father Kirk played basketball and baseball at Lewis from 1980-1982. He is third in career pitching victories and second in single season pitching victories. He was part the 1980 team who holds the single season school record for wins in a single season at 63 and National Runner-Up team. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers and is a member of the Lewis Athletics Hall of Fame.
Vucsko and his wife have sons named Jaxson and Grayson.
Lewis Record
| Year |
Record |
Pct. |
| 2022 |
22-25-1 |
.469 |
| 2023 |
30-23 |
.566 |
| 2024 |
29-26 |
.527 |
| Total |
81-74-1 |
.524 |
