June 5, 2007

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. - Legendary Lewis University Head Baseball Coach Henry "Irish" O'Reilly has announced his retirement from coaching, effective July 1, to accept the opportunity to serve as Special Assistant to the Vice-President for University Advancement with a focus on major gift / athletic fund raising.

The longest-serving head coach in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, O'Reilly just finished his 29th season at Lewis and his 38th year in coaching overall. Twenty-three of his teams have reached NAIA or NCAA postseason play. A national search will be conducted for a new Head Baseball Coach for the Lewis University Flyers.

Prior to the start of the 2007 season, O'Reilly was honored for his numerous coaching accomplishments and contributions to college baseball by being selected as a candidate for induction into the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Hall of Fame. O'Reilly will be inducted next January. Lewis baseball has had just three head coaches in its history, and two - O'Reilly and Gordie Gillespie - are ABCA Hall of Fame members.

In his 38 years as a head coach at the college, junior college and high school levels, O'Reilly compiled a 1246-916-8 overall record, which translates into a .576 winning percentage. With a 29-year Lewis record of 982-771-8 (.560), he has the most wins of any coach in Lewis baseball history. O'Reilly ranks eighth in victories among all coaches in NCAA Division II history.

O'Reilly has coached 41 All-Americans and has seen 51 of his former players sign professional baseball contracts, with four making it to the majors and one earning a gold medal at the 2000 Olympics. Additionally, more than 50 of O'Reilly's former players have gone on to coach at various levels of baseball.

"Lewis University is extremely appreciative for the highly dedicated service and leadership of Coach Irish O'Reilly in his nearly three decades with the Flyers," said Brother James Gaffney, FSC, President of Lewis University. "Not only has he coached exciting baseball, with 23 of his teams reaching postseason play, but he also has been an excellent role model and mentor to generations of Lewis student athletes."

O'Reilly often has been recognized for his team's success. He earned his sixth GLVC Coach of the Year honor in 1994 (he also won the award in 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990 and 1992) and was named North Central Region Coach of the Year that season, the fifth time he has been voted top coach in the region. All but eight of O'Reilly's teams have enjoyed a winning season.

After joining the NCAA in 1981, the Lewis Flyers established themselves as one of the nation's perennial Division II powers during the early years of O'Reilly's tenure. Lewis has placed among the top five at the NCAA Division II Championship five times, including third place in 1988, 1990 and 1994, and has won six Great Lakes Valley Conference titles.

O'Reilly also had coached Lewis to an NAIA national runner-up finish in 1980 when the Flyers won a school-record 61 games. He was named NAIA Area Coach of the Year.

Before arriving at Lewis in the 1978-79 academic year, O'Reilly served four years as head baseball coach and director of athletics at Kankakee Community College. He amassed a 130-66 record and guided the 1974 team to seventh place at the NJCAA Championship. O'Reilly previously had compiled a 134-79 ledger in five seasons at his high school alma mater, Bishop McNamara (formerly St. Patrick Central).

A 1967 Illinois State University graduate, O'Reilly was a four-year starting pitcher for the Redbirds. He co-captained the 1966 team, and his 10-3 mound record that year helped lead ISU to a 28-4 mark. O'Reilly finished his collegiate career ranked second on the school's career strikeouts list with 286.

Following graduation, O'Reilly signed with the Boston Red Sox and played three seasons in the minor leagues. He was inducted into the Illinois State University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1983, the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Bishop McNamara High School Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2000.

O'Reilly conceived the idea for the ABCA's free clinic which is held annually in conjunction with the Division II Championship in Montgomery, Ala. The "Clinic of Champions" serves 600 participants every year at the national tournament. An ABCA member for 38 years, O'Reilly served as the organization's president in 2005 and has been chairman of the Division II All-America committee. He served nine years on the NCAA Division II National Baseball Championship Committee.

"Irish is a great individual who has had a profound impact on our program and the lives of countless student athletes," said Lewis Athletic Director Dan Schumacher. "His commitment to the student athletes and contributions to the game of baseball will be felt for many years to come. Irish will be missed on the field of play, but he has an opportunity to create another legacy in the Office of University Relations. I am sure Irish will continue to be just as successful in his new development role as he was as a head coach."

"It is with mixed emotions that I announce my retirement from baseball at Lewis University," said O'Reilly. "Baseball has been a very good game for me and my family. Lewis University has given me an opportunity to coach in one of the top baseball programs in the country.

"For the past 29 years," he continued, "Lewis University baseball has been my life and will continue to be, as I am committed to the mission of Lewis University. I want to thank my wife (Pat) and my three daughters for their support at Lewis, Kankakee Community College and Bishop McNamara High School. I have had a great 38 years of coaching baseball at three different levels. I want thank all the parents for their assistance through my career as a baseball coach. Most of all I want thank the players who gave their all and made the Lewis baseball program what it is today.

"I want to thank the Christian Brothers who sponsor Lewis University and special thanks to Paul Ruddy, former Athletic Director who believed in me and supported all our efforts at Lewis as we moved from the NAIA to NCAA Division II. I also am thankful for all the great assistant coaches who have helped me the past 38 years, especially Dan DeCaprio and Cal Meyer.

"As I make the move from baseball coach to fan, I know I will continue to "love the game of baseball" which has played a major role in my life. I am also happy to say I will continue to work for Lewis University and hope I can continue to contribute to the University's success. I believe I have successfully kept and taught my four priorities for all my baseball players over the last 38 years (God, Family, Education and Baseball bats clean-up). My future plans call for paying even more attention to my family, especially my four grandchildren."