Steve Eddie, Head Coach

EddieS@bvu.edu

Steve Eddie was named head baseball coach at Buena Vista University in 2000 and will begin his 13th season skippering the Beavers in 2013.  His team's have posted an overall record of 253-219-2, during his tenure, including a 117-81 mark over the last four seasons.

BVU has reached the 30-win plateau in two of the last three seasons under Eddie, while also advanced into the Central Regional Tournament in both years.  In 2011, he guided the program to the regional title, its first-ever NCAA Division III College World Series berth and to a school-record 34 wins.  Eddie was also named Central Region Coach of the Year that season, while the Beavers have also had 10 All-Region selections since 2010.

In 201, Eddie guided the program to its first regular season Iowa Conference Championship since 1980 and its first-ever IIAC Tournament Championship.  He was then tabbed for the second time as IIAC Coach of the Year. The Beavers made their second tournament championship game in three seasons in 2012.

Eddie has been named the State of Iowa's Four-Year College Baseball Coach of the Year during the annual IHSBCA Awards Banquet in both 2011 and 2012.

Overall, his squads have won at least 15 games in 10 of his 12 seasons, and have appeared in the conference tournament eight times, including four straight seasons.  During his tenure, the program has landed 43 all-conference selections, including 23 First Team selections, as well as 30 academic all-conference individuals.  He has also coached an All-American in four different seasons.

Eddie and the Beavers have been tough to beat at home as well, posting an 93-63 all-time mark under his guidance, including a stellar 42-15 mark since the team began playing on its synthetic field turf in 2009.

Eddie notched his 100th career win in 2007, his 150th triumph in 2009 and his 200th in 2011 before surpassing 250 in 2012.

A graduate of Albert City-Truesdale, Eddie went onto a playing career at the University of Iowa where he was an infielder on the Big Ten Championship team in 1990. At the conclusion of his college career, Eddie then spent seven seasons in minor league baseball with the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox. He reached the AAA level for part of the 1999 season with both Indianapolis (Cincinnati) and Charlotte (White Sox) before ending his career with the AA Birmingham Barons (White Sox).

After retiring in September of 1999, Eddie served as an assistant baseball and basketball coach at BVU while finishing his undergraduate degree in Business Management. He later earned his master's degree from Buena Vista.

Steve and his wife Stacey reside in Storm Lake with sons Mark and Jake.

Accomplishments

Career Highlights
University of Iowa 1990-1993
Billings Mustangs (A) 1993
Charleston Alley Cats (A) 1994-1995
Winston-Salem Warthogs (A) 1996
Indianapolis Indians (AAA) 1996
Chattanooga Lookouts (AA) 1997-1998
Indianapolis Indians (AAA) 1999
Chattanooga Lookouts (AA) 1999
Charlotte Knights (AAA) 1999
Birmingham Barons (AA) 1999

Coaching Record
2001 12-17-1 overall, 7-11 in IIAC (10th place)
2002 24-14 overall, 15-6 in IIAC (2nd place)
2003 15-24 overall, 9-10 in IIAC (6th place)
2004 18-21 overall, 6-10 in IIAC (Tied for 6th place)
2005 18-22-1 overall, 8-8 in IIAC (4th place)
2006 14-24 overall, 5-11 in IIAC (Tied for 7th place)
2007 18-16 overall, 11-11 in IIAC (5th place)
2008 17-17 overall, 8-12 in IIAC (7th place)
2009 27-14 overall, 13-10 in IIAC (5th place)
2010 32-13 overall, 20-4 in IIAC (1st place)
2011 34-18 overall, 16-8 in IIAC (2nd place)
2012 24-19 overall, 13-11 in IIAC (5th place)
Overall record at Buena Vista is 253-219-2, record in IIAC is 131-112.

Ryan Dupic, Assistant Coach

dupicr@bvu.edu

Dupic begins his sixth year as a member of the BVU coaching staff in 2013 and fifth as the team's pitching coach.

In just his first year as pitching coach in 2009, the staff's team ERA (5.25) was the program's lowest over the previous 14 years.  The following year, the Beavers lowered their team ERA to 4.33 in all games and 3.36 in conference-only games (both league bests) as the team won the conference championship and advanced to the NCAA Regionals.  The Beavers again lowered their team ERA (3.82) in 2011 and recorded the most strikeouts (341), as well as the third-fewest walks per game in school history, while helping the team win the Central Regional Tournament Championship and advance to the World Series.

Overall, Dupic has helped nine pitchers gain All-Conference honors as well as five who have landed spots on the All-Central Region Teams. During his tenure, his staffs have led the league in ERA and are averaging 257 strikeouts per season, which is the second-best average in the conference over the past four years.

Prior to joining the BVU coaching staff, Dupic turned in a stand-out career himself on the field as a player.  He began his collegiate playing days at the University of Iowa before transferring to Buena Vista in the fall of 2005.  The Emmetsburg, Iowa, native was a two-time First Team All-Conference pitcher for the Beavers, while also earning All-Region honors following his senior campaign. In June of 2007, he continued his playing career by signing a professional contract to play with the Sioux City Explorers.

Steve Sonka, Assistant Coach

Steve Sonka enters his seventh season as an assistant coach for the Beavers in 2013. He spent his first two seasons as the team's pitching coach and is now beginning his fifth season in charge of the team's infielders, catchers, and base runners.

In his first season as pitching coach, he had a pair of pitchers earn all-conference honors, marking the first time since 1982 that BVU has had two pitchers land such recognition.  Since taking over his new role, the program has improved from eighth in the league to tops in fielding percentage.  In 2010, BVU led the league with a .960 percentage, while committing just 64 errors in more than 1,600 total chances.  The team also landed its first individual Gold Glove as selected by the College Baseball News in 2010 before landing its second in 2011.  BVU, which stole only 54 total bases before Sonka moved to his new role, has now ranked first in two of the last four seasons in that department.  The team has also had at least two individuals rank in the top-four in four of the five seasons.

Coach Sonka has an extensive baseball background and is well-known in western Iowa for his work with the Roughrider Baseball Program, an elite traveling little league team.

He compiled over 10 years of high school coaching experience, serving as the pitching coach at Cherokee Washington High School. The Braves qualified for the Iowa State Tournament in each of his final four years, while capturing the 2007 State Championship.  Sonka was named Class 2A Assistant Coach of the Year following the 2010 campaign, which also marked his final season at the high school ranks.

Steve and his wife Vicki reside in Cherokee.