BELOIT, Wis. - Today, head baseball coach Dave DeGeorge announced he will retire at the end of the 2026 season. A 1989 graduate of Beloit College, DeGeorge has been at the helm of the Buccaneer Baseball Program since 1991.

With 585 wins, DeGeorge is the winningest coach in Midwest Conference baseball history. He already holds the most wins for a single sport at the college. With just 6 more victories, DeGeorge will surpass Bill Knapton as the winningest coach in the history of Beloit College Athletics.

"Dave's contributions to Beloit College have been profound," stated Beloit College President Eric Boynton. "His impact is evident in his coaching achievements, his strong administrative leadership, and his unwavering dedication to our student-athletes. He leaves an extraordinary legacy, both for Buccaneer Baseball and for the entire athletic program. We will miss him greatly and wish him every happiness, good health, and well-earned relaxation in this new chapter of retirement."

Over the past 20 years, the Bucs have won more games than any other team in the MWC. Beloit has claimed three MWC Championships ('09, '16 & '23), three MWC North Division Titles ('11, '16 & '21) and five MWC Tournament Titles ('09, '16,'23, '24, '25). DeGeorge has been named MWC Coach of the Year five times ('09, '11, '16, '21 & '23) and in 2009, was honored by the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association as the College Coach of the Year. "I am extremely proud of our record over the past twenty years. The pinnacle has been our three-straight championship seasons and NCAA Tournament appearances in 2023, 2024 and 2025."

Head Track and Field coach Brian Bliese has had the privilege of working alongside Dave for the past 26 years. He had this to say about Dave, "Dave has been an awesome mentor and leader for the Beloit College Athletic Department. It is sad to lose someone of his character. He has been a great role model for the young coaches who have joined our staff in the last few years, and it has been a great opportunity for them to learn from the best." He finished by saying, "Beloit College Athletics will miss Dave, but we are excited to see where this next chapter takes him."

Former Beloit College Director of Athletics and Head Men's Soccer coach Tim Schmiechen praised Dave for his time as Athletic Director as well as Head Baseball Coach. Tim stated, "Dave was an outstanding AD and led the department through some very difficult times. Not only has he worked very hard to manage an amazing group of coaches and manage the day-to-day activities of a department with 18 teams, while also being the Head Coach of Baseball, but he also did all of this while leading the department through a pandemic where everything from games to practices to recruiting was uncertain." 

As for his accomplishments in coaching, Tim had this to say, "Dave's accomplishments as a coach speak for themselves. He is one of the winningest coaches in our history. All of his success is built on the foundation of his love for Beloit College and the impact we can have on our students' lives. His experiences as a kid watching his father coach, as a student at Beloit, and as a coach have allowed him to build a program and culture on his team that fits hand-in-glove with the college's culture and mission. From how he recruits to how he teaches and what he teaches, he not only mirrors what is happening in the classrooms of the college, but he has enhanced the experiences of the students who are involved with his program."

Coach DeGeorge and his wife Jacque have been married for 35 years. Jacque retired in 2025 following a 35-year teaching career in Beloit. Their son, Jordan '10, was an all-conference and all-region pitcher for the Bucs and the winning pitcher in the 2009 MWC championship game. Jordan served as an assistant baseball coach at Wheaton College, Central College, and Aurora University. Today, he is the Head Strength Coach at Niles North High School. DeGeorge's Daughter-in-Law, Nicole, is a Beloit College graduate, played softball for the Bucs, and today is a Doctor of Physical Therapy.

Coaching runs deep in the DeGeorge family. His father, Ed (a member of the baseball staff), was the head football coach at Beloit for 29 years. Coach's brother, Joe was the head football coach at North Central College before entering a career as a teacher. DeGeorge's brother, Mike, is the basketball coach at Cal Poly.

When asked about his career highlights, DeGeorge said, "Coaching at Beloit College has allowed me to pursue my passion and work with so many great people. It was special to coach with my Dad and have the opportunity to coach my son. Winning a conference title with Jordan on the mound and my father in the dugout was an amazing experience. All the championship teams stand out. I have been lucky to coach so many terrific student-athletes. The program's success is a result of the amazing assistant coaches I've had the privilege to work with. People like Kerry Michaels, Mike McClellan, Whitey Gilbertson, Jeff Peterson, Steve Mrizek, Mike Gulve, Jim Winter and Ryan Kaveney have enriched my life and helped our players grow, develop and perform at a very high level." 

For more than half of his career, DeGeorge also served as an assistant football coach for the Buccaneers. He had many roles, including defensive coordinator. "Some of my best memories are coaching football on my Dad's staff. We had an amazing group of coaches and some very talented players that helped us claim four MWC North Division Titles", DeGeorge said. 

Beloit College and Beloit College Athletics would like to thank Dave for everything he has given to Beloit College. He will be greatly missed.