K-State wins record an achievement for more than just coach Brad Hill

Immediately after Kansas State baseball coach Brad Hill broke the Wildcats’ victories record, he found Mike Clark and shook his hand.

Hill shook a lot of hands while celebrating his milestone achievement nearly two weeks ago at Tointon Family Stadium. It all still feels like a blur.

“It’s been a neat deal. I’m not going to say it hasn’t been,” Hill said. “There have been a lot of congratulatory notes from former players and friends, too many to keep track of.”

But he will never forget that moment he shared with Clark, the former coach who had held the record since he retired in 2003.

Clark piled up 435 victories in 17 seasons. Hill has reached 440 in 14 seasons. But there was nothing competitive about his march to the record book.

When the coaches met in front of home plate it was to celebrate as friends, and to pass a metaphorical torch. Clark told Hill congratulations. Hill thanked Clark for helping him along the way.

“I am so proud of Brad,” Clark said. “It is great that K-State baseball fans have had so many reasons to celebrate with him as coach. It’s been a thrill to watch him continue the success we had and to take it to another level. At the end of this season K-State baseball will have gone 31 years with just two coaches. That is pretty special.”

That type of succession is rare in college baseball. Then again, so is the friendship and admiration Clark and Hill share.

“He has been very supportive,” Hill said of Clark. “For every accomplishment he has been the first one to come out and shake my hand – our first regional, hosting a regional, obviously he was on the field after breaking his record.

“He has been there every step of the way. It was kind of rough at the start, but he was here and kept encouraging me. When things got going good he was there again. I just appreciate him and all he has done for me.”

It was easy for Clark to support the man who replaced him. Clark, now a senior director of development for K-State athletic fundraising, has been a fan of Hill’s since the Wildcats hired him from Central Missouri State.

Clark thinks he recruits the right type of players, ones with talents that go overlooked by the best teams but have a lot to offer.

When K-State made its first NCAA regional in 2009, Clark was ecstatic. He held back tears when it won the Big 12 in 2013, advancing to a Super Regional and within one game of the College World Series.

Hill’s best years occurred during that stretch, when he led K-State to the NCAA Tournament four times. The Wildcats haven’t advanced beyond the Big 12 Tournament since, but this season could be a step in the right direction.

K-State opened with victories over South Carolina, Ohio State and Pittsburgh and is now coming off a weekend sweep of Abilene Christian. The Wildcats (24-20) are within reach of 30 victories for the first time in four years.

Up next is a Tuesday clash with Wichita State. Then it’s back to the Big 12, where K-State is fighting to improve on its 4-11 league record and make the conference tournament.

Hill has loved coaching this group. They kept fighting after a string of losses at the start of Big 12 play and that attitude is starting to pay off. The Wildcats, in the Big 12 cellar, have won seven of their past nine games since rallying from an 8-1 deficit to beat New Mexico on April 18.

“There is no quit in these kids,” Hill said. “I will never back track on what I told them at our winter banquet that this was one of the best falls we have ever had. The kids came out and listened and wanted to be coached. They are such a fun group to be around because of their work ethic.”

It’s been a fun season for Hill, with or without his milestone achievement.

The same can be said for Clark. K-State has increased its baseball budget and improved its facilities considerably from the basic high-school style field the team used to call home when he was coach. Hill has taken advantage.

“Every step of the way has been reinforcement that I made the right decision to get out when I did,” Clark said. “We got the right guy to build the program and do so many great things.

“It is not easy being the baseball coach at Kansas State University in the Big 12 Conference. I’m telling you, it is not. It’s tough, it wears on you. It wore on me when we went to the Big 12. We were so not ready to compete when we added those Texas schools. But we are now. We have what it takes to compete and to win in the Big 12. We have done it. Brad led us there.”

This story was originally published May 1, 2017 at 2:46 PM with the headline "K-State wins record an achievement for more than just coach Brad Hill."