Ryan Strain

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Hometown: Denver, Colo. Position: Assistant Coach Experience: 2nd Season

Alma Mater: Nevada, 2003

Last updated on Nov. 17, 2011

Ryan Strain enters his second season as an assistant coach at SIU after he was hired on Feb. 7, 2011. His main responsibilities with the Salukis include coaching hitting and infield defense while also assisting with all recruiting efforts and the day-to-day operation of the program.

In his first season at Southern, Strain helped rejuvenate several players at the plate. Outfielder Jordan Sivertsen hit .230 in his first two seasons, but after one year working with Strain, Sivertsen hit .302 and received second team All-Missouri Valley Conference accolades. Sivertsen led the team with nine home runs and 48 RBIs and ranked in the top 10 in the MVC in sacrifice flies (second) doubles (tied fourth), home runs (tied sixth), RBIs (seventh), slugging percentage (eighth) and walks (ninth).

Nick Johnson upped his RBI total by 16 with Strain's guidance and Wes Neece, who only had four hits in 21 at-bats in 2010, finished with 56 hits and 13 doubles under Strain in 2011.

Southern Illinois as a team hit 107 doubles, which was the fifth time in the last seven years that SIU posted 100 or more doubles. Strain's offense featured six different hitters that had 10 or more doubles on the year. That is the most since the 2006 team featured seven players with two or more doubles.

Strain joined SIU after serving three seasons as an assistant coach at Northern Colorado. At UNC from 2008-10, Strain was in charge of coaching the UNC hitters and infield defense while also serving as the recruiting and camp coordinators.

In his time at Northern Colorado, Strain led the club that set 28 new school records. The 2010 season was a monster one for UNC, as the Bears finished with a 34-24 overall record and 22-6 mark in the Great West Conference. Along the way, UNC set new school records in runs scored (510), hits (740), doubles (142), home runs (80) and runs driven in (478). Northern Colorado also turned a school record 62 double plays in 2010 under his guidance.

Strain was instrumental in leading utility player Mark Shannon to freshman All-America honors, as Shannon became UNC's first freshman All-American. Shannon hit .326 on the year and was the Great West Conference Newcomer of the Year.

Prior to his time at Northern Colorado, Strain spent two years as the graduate manager with the Nebraska Cornhuskers. While with the Huskers, he assisted the coaching staff with on-field duties, including helping with batting practice, while overseeing the undergraduate managers and helping with team video. He also assisted in on-campus recruiting and helped in the day-to-day operations of the program. Strain was also an instructor in the Nebraska Baseball Academy, giving hitting lessons and running camps.

In the summer of 2006, Strain was an assistant coach for the St. Cloud Riverbats in the Northwoods League. There he served as the hitting and infield coach, helping St. Cloud lead the Northwoods League in hitting during the 2006 campaign.

Strain began his career playing at North Carolina State before transferring to Nevada. Following his collegiate career, he played two seasons in the San Francisco Giants organization and one year for the Rockford Riverhawks in the independent professional Frontier League.

Strain was a three-sport standout at Cherry Creek High School in Greenwood Village, Colo., earning All-State honors as a senior in baseball. He led Cherry Creek to three straight state titles in 1997, 1998 and 1999 and was inducted into the Cherry Creek Hall of Fame in 2011. He earned his undergraduate degree in secondary education/history from Nevada in 2003 and his master's degree in educational administration from Nebraska in 2007. He and his wife, Katie, married in 2008.This past July, they welcomed the birth of their daughter Addison, who is their first child.