Casey Klunder

Casey Klunder
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamWartburg
ConferenceARC
Record23–19 (.548)
Biographical details
BornAllison, Iowa, U.S.
Playing career
2003–2007Waldorf
Position(s)First baseman
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2006–2021Waverly-Shell Rock HS (IA)
2007–2008Wartburg (assistant)
2022–2023Central IA
2024–presentWartburg
Head coaching record
Overall54–66 (.450) (college)
386–185 (.676) (high school)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
IHSAA 3A (2015)
Awards
IHSBCA State Coach of the Year (2015)

Casey Klunder is an American baseball coach. He is the current head baseball coach at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, a position he has held since the May of 2023. Klunder played college baseball at Waldorf College—now known as Waldorf University—in Forest City, Iowa.

Coaching career

Waverly-Shell Rock High School

In 2006, Klunder took over as head baseball coach at Waverly-Shell Rock Senior High School (WSR) in Waverly, Iowa. He compiled an overall record of 386–185 as a Go-Hawk and led them to the schools first ever state baseball championship in 2015.[1] During his tenure they also were ranked in the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association (IHSBCA) rankings for 14 straight years and reached as high as No. 1 on multiple occasions.[2] After their state championship in 2015, Klunder was named the 2015 IHSBCA Coach of the year, and he had coached in the IHSBCA All-Star game in both 2010 and 2016.[3] In his time with WSR they qualified for the state tournament four times, the last coming in his final season in 2021.[4]

Central College

On August 3, 2021, Klunder became the 22nd head baseball coach at Central College in Pella, Iowa.[5][6] The 2022 baseball season was his first at Central and first as a collegiate head coach. He started his tenure off with a 9–3 win over Wisconsin–Superior on March 8, 2023.[7] They finished the 2022 season with a 16–23 record.[8] In his second season with the Dutch, the team finished seventh in the American Rivers Conference (ARC), two places ahead of the 2022 season, with overall record of 15–24.[9] Klunder resigned from his position as head coach on May 18, 2023, to become the new head coach at Wartburg College.[10]

Wartburg College

On May 18, 2023, Klunder was named the 5th head baseball coach in program history at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa.[11][12] He began his tenure at Wartburg with a 12-4 win over Grove City, with a 3-0 start to the year.[13]

Head coaching record

College

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Central Dutch (American Rivers Conference) (2022–2023)
2022 Central 16–23 4–20 9th
2023 Central 15–24 8–16 7th
Central: 31–47 (.397) 12–36 (.250)
Wartburg Knights (American Rivers Conference) (2024–Present)
2024 Wartburg 23–19 12–12 6th
2025 Wartburg 0–0 0–0
Wartburg: 23–19 (.548) 12–12 (.500)
Total: 54–66 (.450)

References

  1. ^ Birch, Tommy (August 1, 2015). "Class 3-A: Waverly-Shell Rock turns nail-biter into late parade". Des Moines Register. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  2. ^ Murken, Ryan (July 29, 2014). "State baseball: No. 1 Waverly-Shell Rock opens with win over Solon". Des Moines Register. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  3. ^ Bell, Perry (August 3, 2016). "Three are put on All Star Teams". The Oskaloosa Herald. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  4. ^ Sesker, Craig (July 28, 2021). "Go-Hawks fall in state opener". The Courier. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  5. ^ Central College Sports Information Department (August 5, 2021). "Waverly's Klunder ready to lead Central baseball resurgence". The Oskaloosa Herald. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  6. ^ Poslosky, Tyler (September 13, 2021). "BJ Hermsen is new Waverly-Shell Rock baseball coach". The Gazette. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  7. ^ Flaherty, Joe (March 9, 2022). "Dutch open baseball season by rallying for victory". Oskaloosa Herald.
  8. ^ "2022 Baseball Schedule". Central College Athletics.
  9. ^ "2023 Baseball Schedule". Central College Athletics.
  10. ^ "Klunder leaving Central baseball post". athletics.central.edu. Central College Athletics. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  11. ^ Coleman, Rick (May 17, 2023). "Casey Klunder to become Wartburg College Head Baseball Coach". KWWL. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  12. ^ Woods, Ben. "Casey Klunder named head baseball coach". go-knights.net. Wartburg Athletics. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  13. ^ Woods, Ben. "Baseball Opens 2024 Season With 12-4 Win". go-knights.net. Wartburg Athletics. Retrieved 6 March 2024.