Bio Blast: Western Michigan Broncos

Western Michigan (32-21, 19-11) finished the regular season as runner-ups in the Mid-American (MAC) Conference, five games behind Bowling Green (33-20, 24-6). WMU hasn’t won a MAC Regular Season Championship since 1989.

The Broncos were the No. 2 seed in the MAC Tournament, where they would eventually get their revenge on the Falcons. No. 2 seed Western Michigan and No. 3 seed Ball State knocked off the No. 1 seeded Falcons to set up the MAC Championship. The Broncos downed the Cardinals 10-3 in the MAC title game, winning their second MAC Tournament title in program history (2016).

Western Michigan received an automatic bid and will be the No. 4 seed in the Lexington Regional.

The Road To Omaha Starts Now! 🐎

The Broncos (32-21) are headed to the Lexington Regional and will open up against the Kentucky Wildcats (40-14) at Kentucky Proud Park this Friday! @WMUBaseball | #MACtion pic.twitter.com/3nXgxHbWnj

— #MACtion (@MACSports) May 27, 2024

Western Michigan will meet Kentucky in the first game of the Lexington Regional Friday afternoon, where the winner will face the winner of Indiana State/Illinois on Saturday. The losers of their respective games will play in an eliminator on Saturday, with the loser heading home.

Season Stats:

OFFENSE:

• .316 BA (T-10th in NCAA, 1st in MAC)
• .483 SLG% (80th in NCAA, 3rd in MAC)
• .418 OBP (T-20th in NCAA, 2nd in MAC)
• 581 Hits (52nd in NCAA, 2nd in MAC)
• 93 Doubles (T-180th in NCAA, 5th in MAC)
• 64 Home Runs (T-132nd in NCAA, 5th in MAC)
• 45 Stolen Bases (T-211th in NCAA, T-7th in MAC)

PITCHING:

• 5.50 ERA (T-95 in NCAA, 1st in MAC)
• 1.52 WHIP (T-89th in NCAA)
• 8.4 K/9 (T-124th in NCAA)
• 3.87 BB/9 (44th in NCAA)

Players to Know:

• 1B Cade Sullivan: After earning Second Team All-MAC honors in 2022 and 2023, Sullivan was finally named First Team All-MAC in 2024. The first baseman hit for a .397 batting average, which ranked first in the conference and 19th in the country. He also slugged 15 doubles, 10 home runs, and brought home 52 RBI. Sullivan’s 38 career home runs are the most in Western Michigan program history.
• DH CJ Richmond: Richmond made an immediate impact in his first season at WMU, hitting for a .384 average with 16 doubles, 13 home runs, and 64 RBI en route to a First Team All-MAC selection. His .384 average ranks second in the MAC, just behind teammate Cade Sullivan.
• OF Dylan Nevar: Nevar started his career on a high note, as he was named MAC Freshman of the Year in 2022. After a down year in 2023, Nevar bounced back in a big way in 2024. The Wisconsin native was named Second Team All-MAC after batting .344 with 15 home runs and 68 RBI.
• RHP Nolan VIcek: Vlcek was WMU’s lone pitching representation on the All-MAC teams. Vlcek sported a 5-3 record with a 4.15 ERA over 82 1/3 innings pitched. His 90 strikeouts ranked third in the MAC.
• RHP Brady Miller: Miller started 15 games for the Broncos in 2024, boasting a 6-5 record with a 6.48 ERA in 83 1/3 innings pitched. He was named Second Team All-MAC in 2023.

Head Coach: Billy Gernon

Billy Gernon just completed his 14th season at Western Michigan, where he boasts a 305-398 (43.4 W%) record.

After spending 1996-1998 as an assistant at Indiana and Purdue Fort Wayne, Gernon was hired as the head coach at IPFW in 2000. He remained there from 2000-2008, until he headed to Michigan State as an assistant from 2009-10.

After two seasons in East Lansing, Gernon was hired on as the head coach at Western Michigan in 2011.

The 2024 NCAA Tournament will mark Western Michigan’s second under Gernon. Western Michigan was knocked out of the 2016 Louisville Regional in just two games.

Gernon has won two MAC Tournament Championships (2016, 2024).

🎥: Western Michigan HC Billy Gernon shares the pride he has in his group & how it feels to be a MAC Champion again! 🐎@WMUBaseball | #MACtion pic.twitter.com/lShKtg84T2

— #MACtion (@MACSports) May 26, 2024

Wins over Top-100 RPI teams

Western Michigan (32-21) finished at No. 128 in RPI Rankings.

Q1 Record: 0-1
Q2 Record: 3-4
Q3 Record: 6-6
Q4 Record: 22-10

84. Michigan (32-28) x3

Wins over NCAA Tournament teams

None

History

The 2024 NCAA Tournament will mark the 12th in Western Michigan program history. The Broncos have made six appearances in the College World Series, although all six appearances came from the span of 1952-1963. They finished as College World Series runner-ups in 1955.

Kentucky is 16-4 all-time against Western Michigan. The teams last met in 2022, where the Cats swept the Broncos in Lexington.