Owner Tom Lenz with 6 year old son Drew (Aug. 2009)

Owner Tom Lenz with 6 year old son Drew (Aug. 2009)

Owner/President

E-Mail: tom@lenzfieldhistory.com
Tom Lenz began his coaching career as a little league baseball coach in Fond du Lac, Wi in the summer of 1982. “I became the head coach of my brother Brian’s little league teams in the mid 80’s. At the end of the summer we would form an all-star team and play tournaments in central Wisconsin. We were the first teams to start what is now known as travel team baseball.”
After Lenz finished his carreer as a catcher at Ripon College (1984-87) he began coaching baseball as an assistant at the college level. His first job was as pitching coach at Marian College in Wisconsin during the spring of 1989. “I worked for a coach named Brian Gillogly. Brian really taught me the fundamentals of the game. He is now the head coach at Luther College in IA and has a great division III program.”
The next year Lenz was a graduate assistant at the University of Wisconsin-Stout in Menominee, WI. As a graduate assistant Lenz helped guide WI-Stout to the NAIA College World Series in Lewiston, Idaho.
The following spring Lenz returned to Ripon to assist Bob Gillespie with the Red Hawk baseball program.
After stints coaching high school and college football Lenz became the head baseball coach at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, IL in 1995. Lenz guided the Highlanders to a record of 131-54-1, 3 St. Louis Conference titles, 2 NCAA tournament appearences (96 & 97) and is still the all-time winningest baseball coach in MacMurray baseball history. Lenz’s 1996 and 1997 MacMurray teams finished in the top 20 in NCAA Division III baseball. “Coaching college baseball at MacMurray was a great experience. We had some really great players and teams. Defeating Aurora University and Carthage College back to back in the National NCAA Tournament in 1996 was probably the highlight of my college coaching career.”
Tom lives in Jacksonville with his wife Kim and their three children Morgan age 13, Katie age 9 and Drew age 6.
4 year starting catcher Ripon College 1985-88; Assistant Coach Marion College, WI (1989); Assistant Coach UW WI-Stout (1990); Assistant Coach Ripon College (1991); Head coach MacMurray College IL (1995-98) Record: 131-54-1
Tournament Director: JD Long cell: 217 371 5447
e:mail: jdlong@lenzfieldhistory.com
JD Long began his traveling baseball experience at a young age. From ages 9-18 he played on a traveling team based out of Springfield, Illinois.  That team played in tournaments from Nebraska to Georgia to Michigan. Long admits that traveling baseball definitely helped him develop into a strong college player. “Travel baseball was a great experience for me. It helped me learn how to compete at a very high level. The friends I made during those years will last a lifetime. I loved it,” explained JD. Long attended Jacksonville High School from 2002-2005, where he was a three year baseball letter winner after sitting out his freshman year with a broken ankle.
After graduating from high school JD signed a full athletic baseball scholarship with Parkland College out of Champaign, IL. Parkland is one of the top Junior College baseball programs in the Nation. After one year in Champaign JD transferred to Springfield College in Springfield, Illinois.  At Springfield College JD played for head coach Steve Torricelli, where according to JD he gained  the most baseball knowledge of his carrer. “ The coaching staff at SCI was phenomenal, everyday we were on the field, we learned something new that made us better.” In two years at SCI,  J.D.  was a part of the Region 24 NJCAA champions both years. In Long’s sophomore year he was named Co-Captain, as well as earning Co-MVP honors.   That year SCI finished 7th in the nation in batting average, and JD led the team with a .440 average.
JD is currently the Facilities Manager and Tournament Director at Lenz Field and Sports Complex  and resides in Jacksonville with his girlfriend Ashton, and son Hunter.
League Director: Bill Strubbe cell: 217 371 5339
e:mail: bill@lenzfieldhistory.com
Bill grew up in Jacksonville, IL where he played organized baseball for over 10 years. Bill, a 1987 graduate of Jacksonville High School, was a four year starter at shortstop under former head coach Fred Curtis. He was voted “Best Defensive Player” by his teamates his senior year and was selected to the All-Greater Midwestern Conference team in baseball and football. Bill was a member of the American Legion baseball team that went to the State Tournament in 1985. After graduating from high school Bill played one year at Lincoln Land Community College under former head coach Claude Krasik, before an ankle injury ended his baseball career. Bill has been coaching at Lenz Field and Sports Complex for two years and now is the League Director and Lenz Field Office Manager. Bill lives in rural Jacksonville with his wife Julie and two children, Sabre age 11 and Dalton age 7.

Lenz Field Staff

Owner / President:  Tom Lenz  (Ripon College 1988: BA History and Secondary Education. Masters University of WI-Stout 1990: Secondary Education)

Tom Lenz has been coaching sports for 30+ years.  He began his coaching career as a little league baseball coach in Fond du Lac, Wi in the summer of 1982. Since then he has coached several sports at the youth, high school and college levels.

As a high school athlete Tom participated in all three sports (football, basketball & baseball) at St. Mary Springs HS in Fond du Lac, WI.  In 1983 Tom played for legendary and current SMS coach Bob Hyland, and he quarterbacked the school to their first football state championship, finishing the season with a perfect 13-0 record. In basketball, Lenz was named first team all-conference in his junior and senior seasons. In baseball he started at catcher three years, earning first team all conference in his junior and senior seasons. In the spring of 1984 he was selected to the state all star baseball games.

After graduating from High School in 1984 Lenz went on to play baseball at Ripon College (Ripon, WI) for then head coach Bob Gillespie. Lenz finished his college playing career as a four year starting catcher at Ripon College (1984-87; All Midwest Conference selection 1987). After graduating from Ripon (’88) he began coaching baseball as an assistant at the college level in 1989. His first job was as pitching coach at Marian College in Wisconsin during the spring of 1989. “I worked for a coach named Brian Gillogly. Brian really taught me the fundamentals of the game. I still use many of these same fundamental techniques with the players I work with today”, stated Lenz

The next year Lenz was hired as as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin-Stout in Menominee, WI for both football and baseball. In 1989 Lenz helped guide WI-Stout to the NAIA College Baseball World Series in Lewiston, Idaho and a national NAIA top 10 ranking. (https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/1989_NAIA_College_World_Series)

The following spring Lenz returned to his alma mater to assist then head coach Bob Gillespie with the Ripon College Red Hawk baseball program.  That spring the team finished with a perfect 12-0 conference record, a first in school history.  Lenz feels grateful for his days at Ripon, and still stays in close contact with his college coach.

After stints coaching high school (North Greene, IL 1990) and college football (MacMurray College 92-95), Lenz became the head baseball coach at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, IL in 1995. In just four seasons Lenz guided the Highlanders to a record of 131-54-1, three St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles, two NCAA National Tournament appearances (96 & 97) and is currently the all-time winningest baseball coach in MacMurray baseball history. Lenz’s 1996 and 1997 MacMurray teams finished in the top 20 in NCAA Division III baseball. “Coaching college baseball at MacMurray was a great experience. At Mac I worked extremely hard to recruit top level players to a small school. We had some really great players and teams, many of who have returned to Lenz Field over the years with their son’s and daughter’s. Defeating Aurora University and Carthage College back to back in the 1996 National NCAA Tournament was probably the highlight of my college coaching career.”

Tom was the general manager of the Lenz Field Warriors 2018 15u team that won the CABA National Tournament and finished with an overall record of 35-9-2.  His 2014 11u team was 53-9,  won the 12u AA USSSA State Championship and was ranked #1 in the Nation for AAA 11u USSSA teams. His 2015 12u team was 68-6 and won the USSSA Illinois 12u major State Championship.  His 2016 13u team was 57-19-1, and won the USSSA Global World Series in Gulf Shores, AL and his 2017 14u team finished with an overall record of 66-14-3.

Tom lives in Rochester, IL with his wife Kim.  The have three children Morgan, Katie, and Drew.  He is also the owner and president of Lenz Sales & Dist., Inc., which sits adjacent to Lenz Field & Sports Complex.

HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE COACHING EXPERIENCE:

*LACONIA HIGH SCHOOL ROSENDALE WI
-HEAD JV/ASSISTANT VARSITY FOOTBALL COACH 1985, 1986

*BERLIN HIGH SCHOOL BERLIN, WI
-HEAD FRESHMAN BASKETBALL COACH: 1985/86 & 1986/87

*WAUPON HIGH SCHOOL WAUPON, WI
-ASSISTANT VARSITY FOOTBALL COACH: 1988

*RIPON COLLEGE RIPON, WI
-ASSISTANT BASKETBALL COACH: 1988/89

*MARIAN COLLEGE FOND DU LAC, WI
-ASSISTANT BASEBALL COACH 1989 (Great Lakes Conference Championship)

*UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-STOUT MENOMONIE, WI
-ASSISTANT FOOTBALL COACH FALL 1989

*BOYCEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL BOYCEVILLE, WI
-HEAD JV BASKETBALL COACH 1989/1990

*UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-STOUT MENOMONIE, WI
-ASSISTANT BASEBALL COACH 1990 (NAIA National Tournament appearance)

*NORTH GREENE HS WHITE HALL, IL
-HEAD FOOTBALL COACH 1991 (2-7 varsity record. Team was 0-23 before Coach Lenz arrived)

*RIPON COLLEGE RIPON, WI
-ASSISTANT BASEBALL COACH SPRING 1992 (Northern Division Champions, 12-0 conference record)

*MACMURRAY COLLEGE JACKSONVILLE, IL
-ASSISTANT FOOTBALL COACH/OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR 1992,93,94,95
-ASSISTANT BASKETBALL COACH 1992/93, 1993/94, 1994/95 (93/94 team holds record for most wins in a season at 20)
-HEAD MENS BASEBALL COACH 1995-1998 (*see above for accomplishments)

* HEAD COACH LENZ FIELD WARRIORS JACKSONVILLE, IL 2010-2017 – For complete Warriors results click here)

  • Tom’s 2014 11u Lenz Field Warriors won the 12u AA USSSA Illinois State Title and finished the season as the #1 ranked AAA team in the nation with USSSA baseball.
  • Tom’s 2015 12u Lenz Field Warriors won the IL USSSA 12u Major State Title held in Crystal Lake, IL.
  • Tom’s 2016 13u Lenz Field Warriors won the USSSA Global World Series in Alabama.
  • Tom’s 2017 14u Lenz Field Warriors team finished their season with a 66-14-3 overall record.

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Tournament Director:  Tim Culbertson   Cell/Text: 309-868-5324

Tim joined the Lenz Staff in October of 2013. He has ran the Pre-Season Classic Tourney and the St. Jude Brad Wallin Memorial Tournament in Chillicothe for many years.  Since it’s inception, the Brad Wallin Memorial Tournament has raised over $892,000 for the St. Jude Children’s Hospital.  Tim will continue to oversee these two events as well as being the full-time tournament director for Lenz Field & Sports Complex. Owner and president of Lenz Field & Sports Complex Tom Lenz is very excited about this new addition. “We could not be more excited that Tim has joined our staff. His reputation in the tournament business is absolutely second to none.  He brings to us a wealth of knowledge, experience, and contacts that are also second to none.”

E-Mail: director2@lenzfieldhistory.com