One of college baseball’s all-time winningest coaches, John Ostrowski begins his 43rd season at Benedictine University in 2014-15. After taking over for the 1975 season, Ostrowski has built the program into a perennial conference title contender and one of the most respected programs in the Midwest.
Ostrowski’s teams have gone 971-718-16 (a .562 winning percentage) during his tenure, winning at least 20 games 32 times, including the last four years, and more than 25 on 16 occasions. The Eagles have won 16 conference titles and have finished among the top two in the conference standings 33 times under Ostrowski’s leadership. The most recent conference title came in 2008. Benedictine has also made eight NCAA Tournament appearances (1980, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2003 and 2013) and finished in the top three in regional play three times (1991, 1995 and 2003).
Since joining the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference in 2007, Ostrowski has claimed 116 career wins in conference play. Benedictine has finished in the top two of the conference every year since 2012. The Eagles have missed the conference tournament just twice since the inception of the conference and never under the current six-team format.
Ostrowski’s 971 career wins rank fifth among active NCAA Division III coaches and 11th all-time. Ostrowski is one of only 12 NCAA Division III coaches to win 800 games at the same institution.
Ostrowski began his coaching career as a student assistant at Lewis University under the legendary Gordie Gillespie, who is college baseball’s all-time leaders in wins. Ostrowski then served as a graduate assistant at Nebraska State University (now Chadron State) before he was named head varsity coach at the now-defunct Driscoll Catholic High School in Addison.
Ostrowski took over the Benedictine baseball program prior to the 1973 season and led the Eagles to eight consecutive conference titles. His 2000 team won a school-record 32 games and qualified for the NCAA tournament. The mark was matched in 2013 with another NCAA qualifying club. He has coached a number of standout players including nearly 50 American Baseball Coaches Association All-Region honorees and eight All-Americans.
Ostrowski was inducted into the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association (IHSBCA) Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Lewis College Hall of Fame in 2007.
In addition to his baseball duties, Ostrowski served as an assistant football coach at Benedictine for many years and also held the positions of assistant athletic director and acting director of athletics.
Ostrowski earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Lewis and a master’s degree from Nebraska State in 1971. He and his wife, Mary, have five children and reside in Palos Park.
| OSTROWSKI COACHING RECORDS |
| YEARS |
OVERALL RECORD |
NACC RECORD |
| 2015 |
19-24 (.442) |
11-9 (.550) |
| 2014 |
23-18 (.561) |
16-4 (.800) |
| 2013 |
32-12 (.727) |
17-5 (.773) |
| 2012 |
28-16 (.636) |
17-5 (.773) |
| 2011 |
24-18 (.571) |
13-9 (.591) |
| 2010 |
17-23 (.425) |
12-10 (.545) |
| 2009 |
22-20 (.524) |
14-8 (.636) |
| 2008 |
26-17 (.605) |
17-5 (.773) |
| 2007 |
16-21 (.434) |
10-10 (.500) |
| 2006 |
19-21-1 (.476) |
|
| 2005 |
17-23 (.425) |
|
| 2004 |
28-14 (.667) |
|
| 2003 |
27-17-2 (.609) |
|
| 2002 |
25-17 (.595) |
|
| 2001 |
26-13-2 (.659) |
|
| 2000 |
32-14 (.696) |
|
| 1999 |
21-17-1 (.551) |
|
| 1998 |
24-15 (.615) |
|
| 1997 |
29-16 (.644) |
|
| 1996 |
20-19-2 (.512) |
|
| 1995 |
30-14 (.681) |
|
| 1994 |
21-12-1 (.632) |
|
| 1993 |
24-12 (.692) |
|
| 1992 |
25-11 (.743) |
|
| 1991 |
31-9-1 (.768) |
|
| 1990 |
20-13 (.606) |
|
| 1989 |
29-11 (.725) |
|
| 1988 |
21-17 (.575) |
|
| 1987 |
22-18 (.550) |
|
| 1986 |
14-24-1 (.378) |
|
| 1985 |
14-25-1 (.352) |
|
| 1984 |
15-28 (.349) |
|
| 1983 |
18-25-1 (.420) |
|
| 1982 |
23-20 (.534) |
|
| 1981 |
24-27-1 (.471) |
|
| 1980 |
26-20 (.565) |
|
| 1979 |
22-27 (.449) |
|
| 1978 |
26-26 (.500) |
|
| 1977 |
19-29-1 (.397) |
|
| 1976 |
23-16 (.590) |
|
| 1975 |
25-23-1 (.520) |
|
| 1974 |
21-13 (.618) |
|
| 1973 |
19-13 (.594) |
|
| TOTAL |
990-778-16 (.559) |
127-65 (.661) |
