In the more than 150 years that baseball has been played at Mansfield University, no head coach has won as many games as Harry Hillson. Hillson retired in 2019 as one of the most successful coaches in NCAA Division II history.
In 33 seasons at the Mountaineers' helm, Hillson recorded his 200th, 300th, 350th, 400th, 500th, 600th, 700th and 800th victories faster than any collegiate coach in Pennsylvania history. Hillson's overall record of 892-701-2 ranks among the coaching elite in Division II. Hillson has the top seven single-season marks in MU history and is the only coach to win more than 30 games in a season, a feat he has accomplished 15 times, including a 44-win season in 1994. Hillson is currently the 31st all-time winningest coach in NCAA Division II history.
In 2013, Hillson was named to the NCAA Division II National Baseball Committee.
Since 1992, Hillson has directed his Mountaineers to five Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships, three North Atlantic Regional Championships and three trips to the NCAA Division II World Series.
Hillson guided Mansfield to back-to-back PSAC playoff berths during the 2009 and 2010 seasons, marking the 14th and 15th appearances for the Mounties under his tutelage, and the eighth NCAA regional appearance in 2010.
In 2006, the Mountaineers made their 13th trip to the PSAC playoffs under his tutelage after posting a 31-24 overall record. The previous season, Hillson became the fastest coach in Pennsylvania collegiate baseball history to reach the 600 win milestone.
In 2004, Hillson guided his Mountaineers to their 9th PSAC East crown in the his first 18 years at the helm. It also marked the 11th time his teams have won 30 or more games in a season.
During the 1990s, the Mountaineers were the seventh-winningest program in Division II, winning 69.5% of their games, and ranked eighth in wins with 354.
In 1997, the Mountaineers earned a PSAC record eighth crown in their history by capturing their fifth conference title in six seasons and advanced to the North Atlantic Regional for the fifth time in Hillson's tenure. His teams had won 30 or more games for a PSAC record six straight seasons.
In 1995, Hillson directed the Mountaineers to record fourth straight PSAC titles along with a fourth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Division II National Championship tournament. Hillson's explosive offense not only helped to post a 41-16 record, but led the nation with a school record 97 home runs to finish 15th in the final national poll.
The 1995 finish marked the fourth-straight year that MU finished in the top twenty and the fifth time in Hillson's first nine seasons. Mansfield was the first school north of the Mason-Dixon Line to earn No. 1 status when they were voted the top team in the 1995 NCAA Division II preseason baseball poll. Voted the 1994 the NCAA Division II North Atlantic Regional Coach of the Year for the third consecutive season, Hillson directed the Mountaineers to a school-record 44-10 mark and back-to-back-to-back PSAC and North Atlantic Regional Championships to earn a third straight trip to the Division II World Series. A fifth-place finish at the World Series earned the Mountaineers a No. 4 ranking in the final Division II poll.
In 1992, Hillson guided the Mounties to their then-best record in school history with a 39-12 mark and came within one swing of the bat for a national championship in an 11-8 setback to the University of Tampa in the Division II World Series championship game. The Mountaineers were the first Pennsylvania team ever to advance to the final game of the Division II World Series and led the nation in fielding while finishing second in batting average.
In his tenure, Hillson's teams have made 15 trips to the PSAC Championship Tournament. Nine times under his direction, the Mountaineers have been PSAC East Champions while advancing to Division II regional play eight times. Hillson has posted an 21-17 mark in NCAA tournament play.
Prior to his arrival at Mansfield, Hillson attended Cortland State University where he was named to the All-SUNYAC team for three consecutive years. As a first baseman and outfielder, he recorded a career batting average of .400, topped by a .469 average his junior season.
In 1983 Hillson was a candidate for the Pan-American games representing the Northeast Region. Upon graduation, he signed a professional contract with the New York Yankees and played one season of minor league ball.
In the fall of 1983, Hillson was named assistant coach at Mansfield and served in that position until promoted to the head coaching job in 1987.
Hillson has served as the president of the PSAC Baseball Coaches Committee and chairman of the Baseball Coaches Association State Clinic. He also was a member of the NCAA Division II Regional Selections Committee from 1987-88 and 2009-12 and currently is a member of the Division II All American Committee. Hillson previously served as the North Atlantic Regional representative for the American Baseball Coaches Association from 2007-11.
A nationally recognized authority on hitting, six of Hillson's teams have ranked among the top five hitting teams in Division II season-ending statistics. The Mountaineers won the Division II batting title in 1994 with a .371 team average. Hillson was requested by the NCAA to act as a hitting expert at the NCAA Youth Education Through Sports clinic held in conjunction with the 1990-92 NCAA Division II World Series.
Since arriving at Mansfield, Hillson has coached 21 post-season All-Americans, 55 All-Region players, 2 Gold Glove recipients, and 120 All-PSAC East selections. In addition, 33 of his players have entered the professional ranks.
Prior to reestablishing the Mansfield University Baseball Camp and Clinic program in 1987, Coach Hillson served as a Camp Director for Williamsport Little League International for five Years. He also acts as the president of Southern Tioga Little League.
Hillson and his wife, Erin Marie, reside in Mansfield and have four adult children in twins Jacqualyne and Taylor along with younger daughter Alison and son Kipp.
Click here for Hillson's record setting game-by-game victories
Hillson File
| 1987 |
22-24 |
PSAC East Champion |
| 1988 |
37-18 |
PSAC Championship Tournament, Northeast Regional Tournament |
| 1989 |
23-24 |
| 1990 |
38-15 |
PSAC East Champion |
| 1991 |
27-14 |
| 1992 |
39-12 |
PSAC East Champion, PSAC Champion, North Atlantic Regional Champion, Division II National Runner-up |
| 1993 |
38-15 |
PSAC East Champion, PSAC Champion, North Atlantic Regional Champion, Division II World Series 5th place |
| 1994 |
44-10 |
PSAC East Champion, PSAC Champion, North Atlantic Regional Champion, Division II World Series 5th place |
| 1995 |
41-16 |
PSAC East Champion, PSAC Champion, North Atlantic Regional Runner-up |
| 1996 |
31-14 |
PSAC East Champion |
| 1997 |
35-23-1 |
PSAC Champion, North Atlantic Regional Tournament |
| 1998 |
29-18 |
| 1999 |
32-18 |
| 2000 |
25-22 |
| 2001 |
29-17 |
| 2002 |
41-14 |
PSAC East Champion, North Atlantic Regional Tournament |
| 2003 |
24-21 |
| 2004 |
31-19 |
PSAC East Champion |
| 2005 |
28-18 |
PSAC Championship Tournament |
| 2006 |
31-24 |
PSAC Championship Tournament |
| 2007 |
16-22 |
| 2008 |
31-20 |
| 2009 |
23-20 |
PSAC Championship Tournament |
| 2010 |
32-20 |
PSAC Championship Tournament, NCAA Division II Regionals |
| 2011 |
21-18 |
|
| 2012 |
14-35 |
|
| 2013 |
23-27 |
|
| 2014 |
20-23 |
|
| 2015 |
14-26 |
|
| 2016 |
18-27-1 |
|
| 2017 |
20-30 |
|
| 2018 |
9-32 |
|
| 2019 |
6-34 |
|
| 33 Seasons |
892-701-2 |
