Northwestern University names Ben Greenspan as head baseball coach

EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern University has hired Ben Greenspan to be the next head coach of their baseball team.

The news comes as the university deals with hazing allegations and lawsuits centered around its sports programs.

"We're excited to welcome Ben, Janine, Grayson, and Adalyn to the Wildcats family," Vice President for Athletics & Recreation Derrick Gragg said in a statement on Friday.

Greenspan joins Northwestern after his recent role as the associate head coach and Recruiting Coordinator at the University of Michigan during the 2023 season. Prior to that role, he served as an assistant coach at California Polytechnic State University in 2022.

Greenspan boasts seven seasons as an assistant at Arizona State and six seasons on the coaching staff at Indiana University.

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Recognized as one of NCAA Baseball's Top Assistant Coaches to watch by D1 Baseball, Greenspan has played a pivotal role in recruiting and developing top prospects and MLB stars at every juncture of his coaching career.

"I am honored and humbled to have been chosen as the next Head Baseball Coach at Northwestern," Greenspan said. "My personal and professional principles align with Northwestern University's mission and values, where academically inclined student-athletes aim for excellence both on the field and in the classroom. Having experienced both playing and coaching in the Big Ten, I possess an understanding of the fierce competition and excellence within the Conference. This challenge is one I eagerly embrace."

The news comes a little more than a month after Northwestern fired their former head baseball coach Jim Foster, which followed the termination of head football coach Pat Fitzgerald amid a hazing scandal that has rocked the university.