Wheaton College Baseball has always been synonymous with Eric Podbelski. In 1996, Podbelski was hired by legendary Wheaton Director of Athletics, Chad Yowell, to start a baseball program from the ground up in Norton. For 29 seasons, every pitch, every swing and every putout occurred under Podbelski's watchful eye. When it comes to the game, it's always always been about the baseball and not the other aspects of the game. With Podbelski in the dugout for the Lyons, somehow, Wheaton was able to win 817 games without any walk-up music.
The NEWMAC celebrated 25 years as a co-educational athletic conference by naming its greatest student-athletes and coaches to a 25-Year Anniversary Team in 2023. In one of the biggest "no-brainer" announcements of all time, Podbelski was named the skipper of that team. Anyone who knows Podbelski would tell you that being named the Head Coach of this team wasn't his greatest source of pride. It was the conference-high 12 Wheaton players named to the squad that made him proud.
Podbelski has been named the NEWMAC Coach of the Year 12 times — more than any other mentor in the league and it's not even close. He has been tabbed the Region Coach of the Year in five different seasons and the NEIBA Coach of the Year on six occasions. You will never hear that from the man himself, who shies away from any personal accolades. When his Wheaton team won for the 700th time with him in the dugout at Bridgewater State early in the 2022 campaign, it was just another day. The instagram post to acknowledge the milestone racked up more views than any other Wheaton Athletics post that year, which was a true testament to how much he has meant to so many throughout his tenure at Wheaton. His former players are steadfast in their allegiance to a man and a coach, who has taught them how to play the game the right way and how to respect others and treat them the right way in every aspect of their lives. When a parent sends their kid to school, you hope to have a mentor like Podbelski to ingrain core values and a toolkit that allows them to succeed away from the ballfield. Knowing that Podbelski would not be looking for the acknowledgement with relation to his 800th career victory, which came at home against Nichols during the 2025 season, the public address announcer made sure not to announce Podbelski's 800th career victory, but to recognize the program's 800th winning tally, since they were one in the same.
Podbelski is the greatest winner in school annals and there's no disputing that. He is also among the best to fill out a lineup card in NCAA history as well, ranking 12th among active coaches for victories in Division III. He is second only to Saint Joseph College's (Maine) longtime leader, Will Sanborn, among New England coaches on that list and there are only three other coaches who are on the list with fewer years spent at their respective schools. Podbelski is 35th all-time in career wins.
In 2023, the Lyons fell to No. 4 Eastern Connecticut State to snap a 29-game home win streak, which was the longest of any school among all three divisions. It was Wheaton's first loss at Sidell Stadium since 2019, which meant that after every game for four years, Bruce Springsteen's "Glory Days" was played over the loudspeaker to signify another win for the Lyons. If you ask any player, coach or fan what song plays after any win, they will all – without hesitation – give you the obvious answer.
Under Podbelski Wheaton made four trips to the College World Series, earned 18 NCAA Tournament berths and appeared in all 26 NEWMAC post-season tournaments. Wheaton won 21 or more games in every full season that Podbelski coached, including three campaigns with 40 or more wins and 14 seasons with 30-plus victories. The Lyons never turned in a losing season under Podbelski's watch and finished lower than second just twice in the NEWMAC standings, while winning 17 league flags. In fact, in 26 NEWMAC Championship seasons, Wheaton either won the regular-season or conference championship in 22 of them. Remarkably, after Wheaton didn't even have a baseball team, it took Podbelski just nine seasons to guide the Lyons to the NCAA Championship game in 2006.
You can point to all of the great players that he has helped to develop, which include 21 All-Americans, 131 All-Region honorees, 114 All-Conference selections, seven NEWMAC Pitcher of the Year selections, seven Rookie of the Years and 16 conference Player of the Year honorees, including in his final slate at Wheaton, as well as 10 players who have played professional baseball after their time at Wheaton was up, as evidence of his prowess as talent evaluator and teacher of the game. If that wasn't enough, you can point to the number of former Wheaton baseball players, who have moved on to direct their own successful baseball programs as a head coach. If you watch those teams play, there might be something familiar to you. They all seem to be playing some form of Wheaton Baseball. That's a tribute to their mentor.
For 29 years, Podbelski established what it was to be a Wheaton baseball player. To look at him on the diamond is to see this stoic legendary coach, who has never taken credit for his victories and has always been quick to credit his players. In the same vein, he has never made an excuse for a loss. He will always tell you that he could have done something different to prepare his team. Players from the 1998 squad share the same lessons that were handed down to the 2025 team. Over 300 players have benefitted from his tutelage. They were all taught to do the little things correctly and to be ready for any situation that may come up in a game. One thing has always been true. An Eric Podbelski team was always prepared. Fundamentally, the Lyons have never been lacking and their effort was never questioned. In 2024, the team finished lower than second in the conference standing for the first time. The Lyons rolled through the play-in game to get into the NEWMAC's double-elimination tournament. They took on league newcomer and recent baseball powerhouse, Salve Regina, and came away with a win behind a rookie pitcher on a Friday afternoon in Newport, R.I. They were ready, because they always seem to be ready. The following day they won both games to catapult them into the final day without a blemish on their record. During the balance of the conference tournament when the question was posed, "Who do you think will win the tournament?" The answer, "Don't count out Wheaton" was uttered more times than you could count. It was out of respect for a program and a coach that had proved itself time and time again. Wheaton Baseball had become a brand name and whether he will own up to it or not, it was because of Eric Podbelski.
The Podbelski Era will officially come to an end today.
For the first time in school history, there will be a new leader in that clubhouse on Clark Recreation Drive. But the legacy that Podelski has left behind will resonate for generations and stand the test of time.
One last time.
Oh, yeah. Come on. Whoa. Huh.
I had a friend, was a big baseball player
Back in high school. He could throw that speedball by you
Make you look like a fool, boy. Saw him the other night at this roadside bar
I was walking in, he was walking out. We went back inside, sat down, had a few drinks
But all he kept talking about was Glory days. Well, they'll pass you by, glory days.
In the wink of a young girl's eye, glory days. Glory days.
Alright.
Well, there's a girl that lives up the block Back in school, she could turn all the boy's heads.
Sometimes on a Friday I'll stop by and have a few drinks After she put her kids to bed.
Her and her husband Bobby, well, they split up I guess it's two years gone by now.
We just sit around talking about the old times She says when she feels like crying
She starts laughing thinking 'bout.
Glory days. They'll pass you by, glory days.
In the wink of a young girl's eye, glory days. Glory days
rock it now
Think I'm going down to the well tonight And I'm gonna drink 'til I get my fill.
And I hope when I get old, I don't sit around thinking about it But I probably will.
Yeah, just sitting back Trying to recapture a little of the glory of.
Well, the time slips away Leaves you with nothing, mister, but boring stories of
Glory days. Yeah, they'll pass you by, glory days. In the wink of a young girl's eye, glory days.
Glory days. Well, they'll pass you by, glory days
In the wink of a young girl's eye, glory days. Glory days
Well, alright, ooh yeah. Well, alright (alright). Come on now (oh, yeah)
Well, alright (it's alright). Ooh, yeah (oh, yeah). Alright (alright).
Come on now (oh, yeah). Woo-hoo (alright). Woo-hoo (oh, yeah). Woo-hoo (alright). Woo-hoo (alright).
Alright, boys, keep it rockin' now. Keep on goin'. We're goin' for home now. Bring it home, yeah.
Bring it home, oh, oh-oh. Alright, well, alright. Well alright, well alright. Well alright, well alright.
Alright, alright, let's go.
