Q/A with Notre Dame Baseball Coach Shawn Stiffler | Part II

Shawn Stiffler spoke one-on-one with ISD as he prepares for his first season as the head baseball coach at Notre Dame. 

ISD: Health. Is anyone out for opening day or long term? 

Stiffler: We feel very healthy right now. We're dealing with what every team is dealing with, as every morning, I'm hearing someone is throwing up. 24 hours later, they come back. Every team in the country - it gets in your locker room and it goes one at a time. 

Knock on wood, we're actually at the point where we're coming back from some injuries. We're getting (Matt) Bedford back. He might see innings that first weekend, but he'll be very protected. Will Mercer is coming back from his surgery. To get those two back with their experience, it'd be a nice shot in the arm. 

ISD: Recruits have raved about Seth Voltz's competition and how he gets his guys competing in the offseason for reps in practice. Logan Robbins has been praised for his energy and organization. What have you seen from those guys over the last six months? 

Stiffler: I walk in every day and I can't believe I'm in the room with those three guys. That's how blessed I feel. Logan has energized Midwest recruiting for us. (Ryan) Munger, Logan and Voltz are the exact vision that I wanted them to be for the program. 

Voltz has competition to him on the pitching side that just promotes buy-in, unselfishness and the things we can control. Logan has an aggression and is detailed in that. Munger has the ability to communicate and the ability to organize those catchers and be o the same page with the catchers. Those guys are unbelievable recruiters and they're all going to be head coaches and stars in this profession. 

I'm thrilled with the development, process and where recruiting is. Now, we just have to be patient. This is not a plug-and-play program. We're still at 8 degrees outside and there is still a lot of snow on the field. Omaha in June seems like it might as well be on the moon. We're getting to the point with this program, which is my goal above all else, yes, we want to win a national championship and go to Omaha, but I want to get the program back to where there is sustainability and it's constantly in the talk of the top 25. Constantly in the talk of top 40 recruiting classes and hosting a regional. We want to continue to build on that and I'm sure that's where Coach Jarrett's vision was and success happened probably even quicker than he thought it would happen. When he took the job, he was probably looking to build that and he did a great job. 

And because of the last two years and going to Omaha last year, we have to get focused on getting better every year. I think this year, the ACC is the deepest it has been in the last 10 years. We have our work cut out for us.

ISD: In-state recruiting has been a priority for you and your staff since you arrived seven months ago. Is that something you made a point of, or is it something you needed to do to catch up following a late start in recruiting? 

Stiffler: It's conscious. When we first got the job, we were catching up a little bit. Recruiting at this end is so far out. It's a national brand, but if you view it as a national brand, it can become overwhelming to you. What are the pockets for us? It starts with basically Minneapolis to Cincinnati. We just want to make sure we get the best players that have the type of academics to go to Notre Dame in that area. Then you go to New England, a pocket of Florida, a pocket of Texas and a pocket in California. 

We're trying to control those areas, but you can win a national championship with Midwest kids. I believe that. We just have to get the right ones. Every time you turn on the College World Series, Vanderbilt has a pitcher from the Midwest. If the kids are academic enough to go to school here and good enough to help you win a national championship, I want them to come to school here. I want them to think about Notre Dame first. That is a priority for us. 

ISD: What have you learned about Notre Dame since you arrived on campus? 

Stiffler: It's something every day. You can tell people how special it is, but I cannot believe and I get slapped in the face with how people who have been here, worked here, went to school here - how much they not only love this place, but are willing to help the people who are currently involved in the place. It's one of those things that until you experience that type of warmth and connection, you can't help but want to be a part of it. 

There are a couple times a week where I'm involved in a scenario, whether it be with my family at church at the Basilica or with my team or an interaction I see among student-athletes or something student-athletes have created on their own - it's hard not to get emotional about it. 

This is truly the place if you want to impact and believe in being a transformational person and coach. College athletics is so transactional now. This place sticks to the transformational piece. That resonates with me, so that's the biggest thing because of how much people love this place and how much they care about the people who go here.

Q/A with Notre Dame Baseball Coach Shawn Stiffler | Part I

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