Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Wayne State University Athletics

Ryan Kelley headshot

Ryan Kelley

UPDATED August 31, 2025

- Overall career record of 511-332-1 and 298-175-1 GLIAC mark in 17 seasons (2009-2025).
- Earned his 500th coaching victory at WSU with a win over Roosevelt on April 6, 2025.
- Teams have played in eight NCAA Tournaments and 16 GLIAC Tournaments (most possible with no GLIAC Tournament in 2020).
- GLIAC Coach of the Year in 2010 and 2023.
- Won at least 30 games on nine occasions, including a school-record 42 wins in 2023.
- Twenty-two (22) student-athletes have signed professional contracts during his WSU tenure including Anthony Bass (2008-San Diego), Jared Tobey (2018-Detroit), Hunter Brown (2019-Houston) and Griffin Kilander (2024-Boston).
- Coached eight All-Americans, including Hunter Brown in 2019 and Ryan Korolden in 2022, before both Rudy Ramirez and Karter Fitzpatrick in 2023.
- Mentored 116 All-GLIAC performers (46 First Team, 38 Second Team, 32 Honorable Mention), including six in 2025.
- Guided 72 All-Region performers through 2025, including Mason McGuire for the 2025 campaign.
- Coached 322 Academic All-GLIAC honorees in his 17 years.
- Squad has received the ABCA Team Academic Award all 10 years since its inception in 2016.
- Member of the ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division II All-America & Coach of the Year Committee.

Ryan Kelley, who was named head coach in September of 2008, will begin his 18th year at the helm of the Wayne State University baseball program in the fall of 2025.  The ninth head coach in the 83-year history of WSU baseball, Kelley’s .606 winning percentage (511-332-1) is the best among coaches in program history.

He became the program's all-time winningest coach with two wins on April 23, 2017, passing 14-year head coach Rodger George (1989-2002).  Kelley notched career win No. 400 with WSU's 8-2 triumph over Grand Valley State on April 16, 2022.  Then came win No. 450 with a 7-4 defeat of Davenport on May 6, 2023, the victory that also sealed the GLIAC Regular Season Championship for the Warriors.

He has been with the Warriors for 22 seasons after serving as an assistant coach for six years (2003-08), including three as WSU’s pitching coach.

Despite a 2025 season riddled by injuries to the pitching staff, Kelley's WSU team found a way to win three games and advance to the GLIAC Tournament title game as the No. 3 seed.  However, the Green and Gold lost an 11-inning heartbreaker (7-4) to No. 16-Davenport on championship Sunday.  The Warriors ended the year with a 27-28 record, along with a 12-12 conference ledger.

Kelley's 2024 squad totaled a 29-21 (.580) overall ledger, which was highlighted by Karter Fitzpatrick’s seven-inning perfect game in the first contest of a doubleheader against Purdue Northwest on May 4. It was the first perfect game in program history.

The 2023 edition of Wayne State baseball racked up 42 wins (42-13), five more than the previous program best of 37 recorded in 2022.  The Warriors also accounted for 24 GLIAC victories (24-6), which tied the school record set in 1999.  WSU won both the GLIAC Regular Season and Tournament Championships before appearing in a second consecutive NCAA Tournament.

Twelve Warriors were named to the All-GLIAC Teams for 2023, including six on the First Team, four on the Second Team and two on the Honorable Mention Team.  Kelley was named GLIAC Coach of the Year (second time in his career), Rudy Ramirez was named GLIAC Player of the Year, Karter Fitzpatrick was named GLIAC Pitcher of the Year, and Tony Hatzigeorgiou was named GLIAC Freshman Player of the Year.  Ramirez and Fitzpatrick were joined on the First Team by Brett Zimmerman, Chris Tanderys, Hunter DeLanoy, and Ryan Korolden.  CJ Maury, Ryan Foley, Seth Marano, and Brennan Cox were featured on the second team while Griffin Kilander and Noah Miller earned an Honorable Mention nod.

Then, All-Region wise, Fitzpatrick (2x First Team), Ramirez (2x First Team), Korolden (2x Second Team), Tanderys (First and Second Team), DeLanoy (Honorable Mention), and Foley (Honorable Mention) received honors.

The 2022 Warriors compiled a 37-19 record, winning two games in each the GLIAC Tournament and the NCAA Tournament.  The 37 victories, at the time, were a school record.  WSU then hosted an NCAA Tournament regional on campus for the first time in program history.

In addition, the squad posted the highest fielding percentage (.975) in program history with the seventh-most assists (508).  The 379 strikeouts recorded by WSU hurlers in 2022 were the third-most in school history, while the ERA of 4.37 is the sixth best (at least 115 IP).

Offensively, the 2022 Warriors shattered the school records for walks (281), RBI (388), and runs (446), while the 794 total bases rank second all-time.  The 41 home runs were the most in 12 years (third all-time), while the 104 doubles rank fourth all-time.

WSU finished 23-16 overall and 14-10 in the GLIAC in 2021.  The Warriors had to fight schedule adjustments due to the pandemic but found ways to win games, including an 8-4 road record.  Coach Kelley led the Green and Gold to the GLIAC Tournament again, this time as the fifth seed, and the Warriors lost to GVSU before beating SVSU.  The playoff run ended with a second loss to GVSU.  Graduate student starting pitcher Dillon McInerney and redshirt junior outfielder Hunter DeLanoy were voted to the All-GLIAC First Team, while junior outfielder Rudy Ramirez was an All-GLIAC Second Team selection.  Senior shortstop Jacob Finkbeiner and senior relief pitcher Jack Schmidt were named to the All-GLIAC Honorable Mention Team.  The program had a school-record 24 GLIAC All-Academic recipients for the 2021 season (previous mark was 21 in 2019), which ranked second in the conference and marked the eighth straight year the Warriors had at least 17 student-athletes receive All-Academic accolades.  WSU had 15 All-Academic Excellence honorees, which eclipses the 2020 school record total of 14.  In addition, the baseball squad earned the ABCA Team Academic Award for the sixth consecutive year since the program's inception in 2016.

During the COVID-19 shortened season of 2020, WSU compiled an 11-4 record, which included wins over Winona State and Minnesota Duluth.  The baseball program had a then school-record 14 GLIAC All-Academic Excellence recipients for the 2020 season, which led the conference.  WSU had 19 total All-Academic honorees (14 Excellence, 5 Academic).

The Warriors won 35 games in 2019, which was the second most all-time and played in the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time under Kelley.  WSU finished the season ranked 25th in the nation.  Wayne State went 17-10 in the GLIAC during the regular season and entered the playoffs as the second seed.  A highlight of the season was WSU beating the last two national champions (Augustana and West Chester) on March 11th in Florida.  Kelley helped lead Hunter Brown to consensus All-American status and being selected by the Houston Astros in the fifth round after Brown swept the regional Pitcher of the Year awards.  Kelley helped the 2019 squad set the program record for strikeouts (440) and fielding percentage (.972).

Wayne State went 27-21 in 2018 and secured the fourth seed in the GLIAC Tournament.  Kelley helped senior starting pitcher Jared Tobey to First Team All-GLIAC accolades, Midwest Regional honors and a 30th round draft pick by the Detroit Tigers.  JT Conti also collected All-Region recognition, while Justin Kelly and Brad Baldwin received First Team All-League honors.  During the summer, Kelley was named 2018 Coach of the Year by the Detroit Tigers in an on-field presentation prior to the game on July 5th.

In 2017, he led WSU to its ninth 30-win season in program history and sixth in Kelley's time in Detroit.  The Warriors played in the GLIAC Tournament for the 10th straight season and were selected for the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time in the last 12 seasons and first time since 2014.  WSU won three NCAA Tournament games, which matches the most in the program's history since 2011.

Kelley coached his 400th game at Wayne State in 2016 and led the Warriors to their ninth straight GLIAC Tournament.  WSU finished 28-24 overall and 19-13 in the league.  WSU continued to protect its home field, going 14-7 in Detroit.  The 2016 season produced one of the better offenses in the league and in program history.  WSU notched the most doubles (127) and extra-base hits (167), and the second-most total bases (752) in program history, while scoring 329 runs, which ranks eighth all-time.  In addition, Wayne State recorded 296 RBI, which is the fifth-most in school history.  

The Green and Gold also ranked 12th nationally in doubles and seventh in doubles per game (2.44).  On the mound, WSU led the league in ERA at 4.41.  Six Warriors collected All-GLIAC honors as Josh Arndt was awarded the Troy Berry Award, Alex Kinch, Brad Baldwin and Griffin Harms were First Team all-league honorees, and JT Conti and Ryan Mergener were named to the All-GLIAC Honorable Mention Team.  Mergener was also named to the GLIAC All-Tournament Team.  Harms and Kinch earned D2CCA All-Region honors with Kinch also being a Midwest Region Gold Glove nominee.  Harms collected ABCA/Rawlings First Team All-Region accolades.

In 2015, WSU qualified for the GLIAC Tournament for the 11th time in the last 12 years.  At the conference postseason tournament, the Warriors won back-to-back elimination games over Malone (5/8) and Ohio Dominican (5/9) to advance to a semifinal meeting against Ashland.  Kelley led his roster to a 9-5 record at home.  Four Warriors collected league honors as Christian Bilkovic won the inaugural Troy Berry Award, Jeff Sorenson was selected to the All-GLIAC Second Team, while Jared Tobey and Brad Baldwin were named to the All-GLIAC Honorable Mention Team.  Nate Manis and Kyle Zimmerman were named to the All-GLIAC Tournament Team.  Zimmerman was also named to the Daktronics All-Midwest Region Team as a utility player.

Kelley won his 200th game at Wayne State on March 16, 2015, with a 10-1 win over Minnesota Duluth.

In 2014, Wayne State reached the 30-win plateau for the eighth time in school history and for the sixth time in a seven-year span.  The 34 regular-season victories in 2014 was a then school record and the 10-game winning streak early in the campaign was also a school best.  The Warriors finished 15-1 at home, which is the best winning percentage in program history and matched the second most wins all-time at home.

Kelley led the Warriors to, what was then, the most wins in a season in program history (36) in 2014, the second-best winning percentage and its fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in five years.  The Warriors knocked off #18 Drury, 1-0, to begin the regional tournament.  Six Warriors earned All-GLIAC honors including Jeremy Carrell, Alex Kinch and Kyle Zimmerman being named to the All-GLIAC First Team.  Four student-athletes were named Daktronics All-Midwest Region including Eric Cunningham being a First Team selection.  Zimmerman was an NCBWA All-Midwest Region Gold Glove recipient while Carrell and Zimmerman were CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team selections.

The Warriors collected 468 hits in 2014, which ranks eighth all-time and hit 95 doubles, which is tied for fourth all-time.  The pitching staff posted the seventh best ERA in program history (3.52) in the third-most innings pitched (406.0).  Defensively, WSU notched one of their better seasons - finishing with a .966 fielding percentage, which is tied for second all-time.

In 2013, Wayne State won 30+ games for the fourth consecutive season and Coach Kelley aided in the development of a senior class that won 134 games over its four seasons.  Brad Guenther was named GLIAC Player of the Year, which was the first such honor for a Warrior since 2005.  WSU had four All-GLIAC First Team selections (Guenther, Alex Pierse, Kenny Davis and Kasey Koster).  Guenther was also a Tino Martinez Award semifinalist, which is given to the top DII baseball player in the country.  In addition, Pierse, Guenther and Koster all collected NCBWA, Daktronics and ABCA/Rawlings All-Midwest Region honors.

Coach Kelley has led WSU’s community outreach program.  Josh Arndt received the Michigan Campus Compact Commitment to Service Award in April 2016 for his work in Uganda.  His team and student-athlete, Christian Bilkovic, were honored on June 20, 2013, by The Children’s Center of Detroit for its commitment to bettering the surrounding region.  Nominees in this category must be a community or civic group that demonstrates exceptional organizational initiative, member participation and commitment through volunteerism and service during the last fiscal year.  The Salvation Army also recognized the Warrior baseball program with the “Doing the Most Good” Award on October 23, 2013.  In the last nine seasons, WSU baseball has accumulated over 10,000 community service hours, including weekly visits to The Children’s Center and working with the Detroit Tigers Youth Foundation.  In 2009, student-athlete Caleb Dalman received the distinguished WSU Service Leader Award.

Wayne State won 34 games in 2012 and qualified for the NCAA Regional for the third straight year.  In 2011, the Warriors set a then school record for wins (35) and advanced to the championship game of the NCAA Midwest Regional for the second time in program history.  

Kelley was chosen as the 2010 GLIAC Coach of the Year as his squad won 32 games and earned the GLIAC regular-season and tournament championships.  In 2009, Kelley guided the team to 25 victories, as he broke his predecessor Jay Alexander’s record for most wins by a first-year head coach in program history.

Since Kelley was named head coach, Wayne State has established several new offensive team records and produced numerous top-10 pitching records.  His success at Wayne State also earned him an invitation to coach at the Team USA 2011 Tournament of Stars in Cary, N.C., where he assisted in evaluating and selecting members of the 18U National Team which went on to win Gold at the Pan American Games.

In the summer of 2004, Kelley became a community director within the WSU Office of Housing & Residential Life, a position he held until taking over as the athletic department’s academic coordinator in February 2006.  A responsibility he held for two years until his promotion to head baseball coach.

Originally from Northville, Kelley was a four-year pitcher at Michigan (1996-1999).  He would help the Wolverines win the 1997 Big Ten Championship and the 1999 Big Ten Tournament Championship.  Following the 1997 season, Kelley was a pitcher in the Alaskan Central Collegiate baseball league for the Mat-Su Minors.  He served as the WTKA 1050 radio analyst for Michigan baseball across the 2000-2001 seasons.

Kelley played high school ball at Dearborn Divine Child where he earned all-state and honorable mention preseason All-America honors.

He also completed a graduate assistant position with the Detroit Lions and has worked in Wayne State’s sports information department.  In addition, he completed a graduate assistantship with Stanford University’s athletic department.

In his six seasons as an assistant coach at WSU, the Warriors compiled a 161-148 record (.521 winning percentage), won two GLIAC regular-season titles, made four GLIAC tournament appearances, and advanced to the NCAA Regional twice.

The 2008 squad set the WSU record for wins (34, since broken five times), while coming within one win of advancing to the NCAA Division II Championship round.

In 2008, Anthony Bass and Adam Kaminski became the first WSU baseball All-Americans in 30 years, and three years later Michael Wiseman followed suit as an All-American.  In 2012, Andrew Ciennik was named to the CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-America First Team, the first WSU baseball student-athlete to receive Academic All-America honors since 1995.  Hunter Brown was an athletic and academic All-American in 2019.  
In addition, 10 players under Kelley’s watch have signed professional contracts with Major League Baseball organizations - Griffin Kilander (Boston Red Sox - 2024), Hunter Brown (Houston Astros - 2019), Jared Tobey (Detroit Tigers, 2018), Brad Guenther (Los Angeles Angels, 2013), Brett Shankin (Seattle Mariners, 2011), Ryan LaPensee (Arizona Diamondbacks, 2010), Justin Mazur (Kansas City Royals, 2010), Bass (San Diego Padres, 2008), Steve Squires (Chicago White Sox, 2005), and Randy Surratt (Chicago White Sox, 2004).

Kelley and his wife Devon have two daughters, Kayline and Grayson.  Kelley’s wife Devon played softball and graduated from The University of Detroit Mercy.  Coach Kelley’s mother, Virginia, was the first woman in the state of Michigan to compete as a Harness Horse Jockey.  Coach Kelley has run the Detroit Marathon on three occasions.  The first effort in 2002 was with his Grandfather Bill Kelley who was 75 at the time, then with his wife Devon, and later with WSU Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Frank Jeney.  His father-in-law, Dennis Brisky was an NCAA football student-athlete and graduated from The University of Buffalo, where he played defense under legendary coach Buddy Ryan.
 

RYAN KELLEY'S COACHING RECORD
Year Games Wins Losses Ties Pct. GLIAC Wins GLIAC Losses GLIAC Ties Pct. GLIAC Finish^
2009 51 25 26 0 .490 18 15 0 .545 4th*
2010 #^% 52 32 20 0 .615 23 8 0 .742 1st*
2011 # 56 35 21 0 .625 22 13 0 .629 2nd*
2012 # 55 34 21 0 .618 21 13 0 .618 2nd*
2013 50 32 18 0 .640 21 10 0 .677 2nd*
2014 # 53 36 17 0 .679 22 9 0 .709 2nd*
2015 50 24 25 1 .490 16 15 1 .516 6th*
2016 52 28 24 0 .594 19 13 0 .594 4th*
2017 # 55 34 21 0 .618 20 10 0 .666 2nd*
2018 48 27 21 0 .562 15 12 0 .556 4th*
2019 # 52 35 17 0 .673 17 10 0 .630 2nd*
2020 & 15 11 4 0 .733 -- -- 0 --- ----
2021 39 23 16 0 .590 14 10 0 .583 5th*
2022 # 56 37 19 0 .661 16 7 0 .696 2nd*
2023 #% 55 42 13 0 .764 24 6 0 .800 1st^
2024 50 29 21 0 .580 18 12 0 .600 T-2nd*
2025 55 27 28 0 .491 12 12 0 .500 T-3rd*
Career Totals  844 511 332 1 .606 298 175 1 .630 --

# - NCAA Tournament Participant.
* - GLIAC Tournament Participant.
^ - GLIAC Regular-Season Champions.
% - GLIAC Tournament Champions.
& - 2020 Season Cut Short Due to COVID-19.