Building a Championship Culture: Insights from D2 National Champion Coach Tim Huber
Introduction: Learning from a Championship Pedigree
When you think about college baseball success stories, few resumes shine brighter than Tim Huber's. In his 16th season at Augustana University, Coach Huber has compiled an overall record of 547-256 (68.1% win percentage) and an even more impressive 347-127 conference record (73.2% win percentage).
Let that sink in: Under Coach Huber, you win seven out of every ten games.
But the numbers only tell part of the story. Seven NCAA postseason tournament appearances, three conference tournament championships, and the crown jewel—a 2018 National Championship, the first in program history. Add in two National Coach of the Year awards and over 30 professional players developed, and you have a coach who clearly knows how to identify, recruit, and develop championship-caliber players.
In this comprehensive resource, Coach Huber pulls back the curtain on his recruiting philosophy, player development process, and what it really takes to build and sustain a winning culture. Whether you're a D1 prospect, a D2 recruit, or still figuring out where you fit, the wisdom here will transform how you approach the recruiting process.
The Augustana Advantage: More Than Just Baseball
A Campus-Wide Culture of Excellence
Augustana's success extends far beyond baseball:
- Multiple national championships across various sports
- Consistent top rankings in overall athletic performance
- Recently added Division I hockey with a $70 million facility
- National recognition for athletic excellence
Coach Huber notes: "Not just our program, we've had a lot of sports here have success in recent years. There's some national rankings we get put into every year because of overall athletic department success."
Why this matters for recruits: You're not just joining a baseball program; you're becoming part of a championship culture that permeates the entire athletic department.
The Secret Sauce: Coach Huber's Winning Formula
It's All About Process
When asked about the secret to his sustained success, Coach Huber doesn't hesitate: process.
"You just got to put a process in place and trust what that looks like. I've been coaching long enough now... you learn a little bit along the way. You're going to make mistakes, you're going to screw up. It's the same thing for coaches—you have to figure something out from those mistakes."
Key elements of Augustana's process:
- Continuous Evolution - What worked 15 years ago gets refined constantly
- Learning from Mistakes - Every setback becomes a learning opportunity
- Development Over Immediate Impact - Building players over recruiting finished products
- Character-First Recruiting - Finding the right people, not just the best players
- Staff Excellence - Surrounding yourself with coaches who develop talent
The Development Difference
Unlike programs that can simply recruit ready-made D1 transfers or finished products, Augustana thrives on development:
The Augustana Development Model:
- Recruit projectable athletes with high ceilings
- Red-shirt when necessary
- Trust the 2-3 year development window
- Focus on strength and conditioning
- Emphasize skill refinement and baseball IQ
Coach Huber shares a perfect example: "Carter Howell, who got signed by the Giants two years ago, red-shirted his second year—wasn't good enough yet. He's a typical story for us. You come here and three years later people are like, 'Who the heck is that guy?' Nobody knew about him, nobody recruited him, next thing you know they're dudes."
The result: Players who may not have been highly recruited out of high school transform into professional prospects.
Roster Retention: The Real Competitive Advantage
Coach Huber's perspective: "We haven't had a guy leave our program that we've wanted to leave our program. The guys that we want here, they stay here. The guys that have—we've had a ton of professional athletes come through our program now, over 30 just in the last 11-12 years—do you think those guys could have played division one baseball? Yeah, absolutely. But they chose to be part of what we're doing."
Why players stay at Augustana:
- They're valued and developed - Given the opportunity to grow
- The culture is special - "This isn't about you, this is about we"
- They see the path - Former players succeeding as pros
- The fit is right - They chose Augustana for the right reasons
- The process works - They trust the development system
The "We Over Me" Philosophy
Coach Huber challenges recruits with a critical question: "Is this about you or is this about we?"
"For me, that's a big message for our players—this isn't about you, man, this is about all of us. We've been fortunate because of how we go about our business, the type of kid we have here, they like what's going on, they want to stay, they're just not looking to jump ship."
The red flag approach: When Coach Huber hears recruits or parents say, "I'll just go to this school and if I get better along the way, I'll go to a better school," he knows it's not the right fit. That transactional mentality destroys team culture.
The Recruiting Timeline: Junior Year Focus
Freshman/Sophomore Year:
- Augustana rarely actively recruits this age group
- Players this young are still developing physically and mentally
- Too early to project who they'll become
- Focus on skill development, not recruiting
Junior Summer (Rising Junior):
- This is when Augustana begins identifying prospects
- Initial contact may be made
- Players added to recruiting database
- Evaluation process begins
Junior Fall/Winter:
- More serious evaluation and communication
- Campus visits begin
- Relationship building intensifies
- But still no offers extended
Why the patience?
Coach Huber explains: "If we really like that kid, chances are they're going to have some division one opportunities, whether that division one's any good or not is a whole other story. They're going to have some opportunities come up in front of them, so we just need to give those kids a little bit more time."
The Strategic Advantage of Waiting
Benefits of not making early offers:
- Players have time to explore - See what opportunities exist at all levels
- Reality sets in - Many D1 offers don't materialize as expected
- Mutual fit assessment - Both sides can evaluate thoroughly
- No pressure tactics - Players choose Augustana because they want to be there
- Higher commitment rate - Players who commit later are more likely to stay
Coach Huber on offer timing: "There's no point for me to make an offer to a kid in the junior class right now—they're just going to sit on it for months. Why is that? Because that 16-17 year old kid is not looking for the number after the D to be a two, they're looking for it to be a one. That's just the reality, and it's okay, I understand that."
Physical Traits: Looking Beyond the Radar Gun
Projection Over Production
One of the biggest differentiators in Augustana's recruiting philosophy is prioritizing projection over current production:
What Augustana looks for:
- How a player moves athletically
- Body type and room for physical development
- Mechanics and fluidity of movement
- Baseball IQ and instincts
- Arm action and looseness (for pitchers)
What matters less:
- Current velocity or exit velo numbers
- 60-yard dash times
- Spin rate metrics
- Current statistics
The Velocity Example
Coach Huber uses pitching velocity as the perfect example:
"I've heard it so many times when we're recruiting pitchers—'What is school A or school B doing with you? What are they telling you?' And the answer is usually: 'They like me but they want to see me one more time.' A lot of times you know what the answer is—they're looking for a little more velocity. 'If you throw 88-89 instead of 84-85, we'd probably be recruiting you.' I'm like, who gives a crap if you can't project out two years from now, you got some problems."
The 6'6" pitcher example:
Coach Huber shares: "We've taken guys that have been at 80 mph and they've been monsters for us two three years later. The example I use—we've got a kid on our roster right now, 6-foot-6, was 83 to 85 when we saw him in high school. He just threw a live pen yesterday, he was 90 to 92."
Position Player Evaluation
For position players, the approach is similar:
What scouts well:
- Raw athleticism and body control
- Bat speed and swing mechanics
- Defensive actions and footwork
- Baseball instincts and IQ
- Competitive response to failure
What's projectable:
- Current strength can be built
- Swing planes can be adjusted
- Defensive techniques can be refined
- Pitch recognition improves with reps
The key question: What will this player look like in 2-3 years with elite strength training and quality coaching?
Intangibles: The Non-Negotiables
The Qualities That Matter Most
As Coach Huber has gained experience, he's shifted focus dramatically toward intangibles:
"The older I get, I tell our assistant coaches, my graduate assistant who's in charge of anybody that reaches out to us: 'Talk to the coaches. Find out from the club coaches, the high school coaches, find out about more than just what you see on the baseball field.' I want to know more about this kid."
Critical intangible questions:
- What's his work ethic? - Will he put in the unseen hours?
- What's he like as a teammate? - Does he elevate those around him?
- What's his personality? - How does he handle adversity?
- What's his character? - Can we trust him off the field?
- How coachable is he? - Will he buy into our process?
The Seth Miller Example
Coach Huber references one of his greatest pitchers, Seth Miller, who recently concluded his career:
"If you could picture what Seth Miller would look like from a physicality standpoint on the Mount Rushmore of people that have played for me, you'd be way off. Seth will probably chuckle at this—he just doesn't look the part. He's kind of that round mound of a guy, but he was really physical, he worked his tail off, he had way more strength than people realized, and he had the ability to translate that on the mound in a really impressive way."
The lesson: Seth's mental makeup, personality, and work ethic far outweighed any physical "limitations." Those intangibles made him elite.
Intangibles Over Tools
Coach Huber shares a revealing example from his current recruiting class:
"We took a kid in this recruiting class that I think has some of the best intangibles that we've seen, where maybe his skill set was lesser than some other guys at his position that we could have recruited. I just think those things rise to the top. If you're in a good program and the process works, you get the right type of person that really buys in and wants to be here—those intangibles might be... this kid's not a bad player, he's still solid, but we maybe had the opportunity to pick somebody else in his class at his spot, and we picked him because he had all these other things we were looking for."
And yes, they tell the player: "I'm a no-BS kind of guy. I say it all the time—this is what you got to work on, you're struggling here."
The Academic Standard: Why GPA Matters
What GPA Tells Coaches
Coach Huber is crystal clear on why GPA matters beyond just admissions:
GPA reveals:
- Work ethic - Do you put in the effort consistently?
- Care factor - Do you value excellence?
- Discipline - Can you manage multiple responsibilities?
- Maturity - Do you understand long-term consequences?
- Coachability - Can you learn and adapt?
The High Test Score, Low GPA Red Flag
One of Coach Huber's most important evaluations:
"I've always said if you're a 28 ACT and you have a 2.8 GPA, it tells me you don't care very much about school, you're not working very hard. You're pretty smart, but you're not applying yourself."
The implications for baseball:
- If you don't work hard in school, you won't work hard in baseball
- If you're okay with mediocrity academically, you'll be okay with it athletically
- Character and work ethic are revealed through GPA
Augustana's GPA Standards
Minimum requirements:
- Below 3.0 GPA = Not having the conversation
- 3.2-3.3 GPA = Considered if exceptional baseball talent
- 3.5+ GPA = Target range
- 3.8-4.0 GPA = Ideal student-athlete profile
The transcript evaluation:
For lower-GPA players, Coach Huber digs deeper:
- Looks at sophomore and junior year specifically
- Checks for upward trend
- Requires continued improvement during recruiting process
- Asks for updated transcripts after fall and spring semesters
"If we're going to recruit you and you're in that lower GPA range, I just tell them flat out: If we're going to recruit you, I want to see progress. I want to see that GPA rise a little bit. At the end of fall semester and end of spring, I want to see their transcript and just see progress. Because if there's not progress, that tells us something—they probably just don't care."
The Recruiting Process: How to Get Augustana's Attention
The Waiting Game Doesn't Work
Coach Huber's biggest frustration with modern recruiting:
"Most families, whether it's the recruit or the parent, they're waiting for someone to reach out to them. They're just waiting for contact. It can't be that way. We're not everywhere, we don't know everything. People have to reach out to us."
Reality check:
- College coaches can't watch every player
- Resources limit scouting territories
- Hidden talent exists everywhere
- Proactivity separates serious recruits from dreamers
How to Stand Out in Game Settings
When coaches do watch games, they're evaluating far more than just performance:
What coaches notice:
- ✅ Hustle - Running out every ground ball, sprinting on and off field
- ✅ Composure - Handling failure with maturity
- ✅ Teammate behavior - Supporting others, positive dugout presence
- ✅ Body language - Staying engaged even during struggles
- ✅ Competitiveness - Controlled fire and intensity
What coaches hate:
- ❌ Pouting after mistakes
- ❌ Throwing equipment
- ❌ Negative body language
- ❌ Isolating from teammates
- ❌ Arguing with umpires
Coach Huber explains: "Your physical traits are your physical traits—you can't do anything about them. The weird thing with baseball, everybody knows this, but basketball or football, for the most part you're going to stand out even if you have your worst game. Baseball, it's a lot harder to do that. So you have to do all the other stuff so that if I go watch a kid and only get to see him one time in a game setting and he just has a crappy game but he did all the other things right—handled failure well, was a good teammate—when I circle back with the coach, 'Yeah, he had a crappy game, but that's not what he normally is,' okay great, then I'll make sure I see another game."
Reaching Out: The Right Way
DO:
✅ Research the program thoroughly before contacting
✅ Personalize your email to show genuine interest
✅ Include specific reasons you're interested in that school
✅ Mention any connections to the area or program
✅ Keep initial emails concise and professional
✅ Include link to video
✅ Be patient but persistent with follow-up
DON'T:
❌ Send obvious mass emails
❌ Write novels in your initial contact
❌ Lead with stats without context
❌ Spam coaches with daily emails
❌ Have parents do all the communicating
❌ Demand immediate responses
The Connection Factor
Coach Huber specifically asks: "Do you have a connection to Augustana, to Sioux Falls, or to South Dakota?"
If you don't have a connection, explain why you're interested anyway:
- Watched them play and loved the style
- Researched their academic programs
- Talked to current/former players
- Value their development track record
- Respect their championship culture
Standing Out in the Email Pile
Coach Huber receives hundreds of emails weekly. Make yours stand out:
Example of generic email (don't do this):
"Dear Coach, I've been playing baseball my whole life and I'm interested in your program. Please review my video. Thanks."
Example of effective email:
"Coach Huber, I'm a 2025 RHP from Minnesota throwing 84-86. I've followed Augustana's success and was impressed watching your regional run last season. Your player development track record with pitchers like [name a recent player] is exactly what I'm looking for. I also plan to major in business, and Augustana's academic reputation stands out. I'd love to learn more about your program. Here's my recent video: [link]. Would it be possible to attend one of your camps this summer? Thanks for your time."
What makes this better:
- Shows program-specific research
- Demonstrates genuine interest
- Mentions academics (Coach Huber cares!)
- Clear call-to-action
- Professional but authentic tone
Camps and Tryouts: Critical Opportunities
The Power of the Camp Setting
Coach Huber considers camps one of the most important recruiting tools:
"When someone gets in front of us in person at a camp, it's so different than if I go to a prospect camp at somebody else's place. If I go to a PBR event, I can't have contact with the kids, I can't talk to them, I can't tell them 'Hey, try this, work on this.' But if you come to one of our camps, we can just talk to you, we can see you in person."
The Catcher Who Became a Pitcher
Coach Huber shares a perfect example of camp value:
"One of the kids we signed in this class came to our camp to be a catcher and a first baseman—big physical kid. I had seen him in a game, and I was probably a no on him. He wasn't going to pitch at camp. But because he was at our camp, I could talk to him. I said, 'Hey, you should maybe pitch today.' He was clearly interested in us, he ended up signing with us.
He gets up there—86 to 88, touched 89, good slider, 6'3", 6'4". I'm like, 'Yeah, we're for sure gonna move on you now.'
The lesson: In a camp setting, coaches can interact with you, give you opportunities to showcase different skills, and see things they'd never see at a tournament.
The D2 Tryout Advantage
Here's something most recruits don't know: Division II schools can conduct individual tryouts.
Coach Huber explains: "This is way different than Division III—they can't do it. Division I can't do it. We can bring one individual person in and do a workout with them, which I love doing."
The Drey Dirksen Story:
"Our catcher, he's a pro guy, a slam-dunk pro guy. Some scouts missed on him this past year. Drey's senior summer, he came to our camp. He went to another school in our conference's camp, and they told him absolutely not. He was 6'4", physical, good catch and throw, but his swing was jacked up—it was a mess.
After our camp, I told Drey, 'Hey, let's come back.' Him and his dad came back to campus, we did a one-on-one tryout with all the paperwork and everything. I wanted to see if we could make this correction in that kind of setting. I felt really good that over a couple years in our program, he'd be able to make this correction.
He hit 17 home runs last year, 16 the year before. He looks different, he's a division one player. The point is, we recruited him because I got to see him a second time in an individual workout, and I thought he could make adjustments—and he has."
Camp Strategy for Recruits
When to attend camps:
✅ Schools you're genuinely interested in
✅ Programs that have shown interest in you
✅ Schools you want to get in front of
✅ If you have something new to show (velocity increase, swing changes, etc.)
When NOT to attend camps:
❌ Every camp invitation you receive
❌ Schools you have zero interest in
❌ Programs clearly out of your range (or below it)
❌ Just to add camps to your resume
Coach Huber's advice: "Don't go to every camp out there. Don't go to every one that sends you an invite. Make sure it's a school you're really interested in."
The D1 vs. D2 Decision: Critical Perspective
Don't Get Caught Up in the Number
Coach Huber's final piece of recruiting advice might be his most important:
"Don't get caught up in the number after the D. It can be a three, a two, a one, a NAIA—look at fit for you and enjoy the process."
The Reality of Division Lines
The gap between D1, D2, D3, and NAIA is not as clear-cut as many think:
Consider:
- Top D2 programs regularly beat D1 teams
- D2 players get drafted into professional baseball
- Development matters more than division classification
- Playing time trumps sitting at a "higher" level
- Academic fit impacts your entire future
The 16-17 Year Old Perspective Problem
Coach Huber acknowledges the challenge:
"When someone is 16-17 years old, they're not looking for the number after the D to be a two, they're looking for it to be a one. That's just the reality, and it's okay. I understand that. Those kids have no idea how good we are. They have no idea how talented the players in our program are. That's okay, there's nothing wrong with that."
The education process:
- Visit D2 programs playing high-level baseball
- Watch games and see the quality of play
- Meet players who could have played D1
- Understand development tracks to pro ball
- Consider playing time and experience
The Group A vs. Group B Philosophy
Coach Huber is refreshingly honest about recruiting tiers:
"There's a Group A, and you're doing what you can to show those guys what you've got going on. But if Group A says no to you, I always tell Group A, 'That's okay, for whatever reason you want to look at something else.'
Group B still has some talent. They show up here, and we're still going to be good with Group B. Because Group B, that dude wants to be here. Group A is like, 'Why the hell am I here? I want to be somewhere else.' That doesn't work."
Questions to Ask Yourself
Before dismissing a D2 program like Augustana, ask:
- Would I rather play and develop at a top D2, or sit at a lower-tier D1?
- Which path gives me the best chance to reach my potential?
- Where will I get quality coaching and development?
- Which program culture fits my personality and goals?
- What does success look like for me beyond just the division label?
Red Flags for Parents: Walking the Fine Line
The Delicate Balance
Coach Huber offers nuanced advice for parents:
DO get involved:
✅ Help educate yourself about different programs
✅ Research schools and opportunities
✅ Ask thoughtful questions on visits
✅ Help your son process information
✅ Be a sounding board for decisions
✅ Use your life experience to provide perspective
DON'T overdo it:
❌ Make the decision for your son
❌ Do all the communicating with coaches
❌ Ask more questions than your son on visits
❌ Live vicariously through his recruiting
❌ Push your agenda over his preferences
The Parent Paradox
Coach Huber identifies a common contradiction:
"I hear a lot: 'Oh, we want this to be their decision, we want them to make the decision.' Fine, fair—they're going to be grown men here soon, they should do that. But you're the parent. You're the parent.
Help your kid with the process. Help them understand some things you're hearing from different places. Don't just throw it on them: 'You make the decision, you live with it, you go there.' A 45-year-old or 50-year-old person should have more life experience than a 17 or 18-year-old, so help them with the process."
The "Too Involved" Red Flag
From a coach's perspective, overly involved parents can signal problems:
Warning signs:
- Parents doing all email communication
- Mom or Dad asking every question on visits
- Player barely speaks during recruiting meetings
- Parents negotiating scholarships and playing time
- Family dynamics that suggest player isn't driving process
Coach Huber's approach: "I've got to get to know the person I'm spending a ton of time with, and that's that 17-year-old."
Questions to Ask on Your Campus Visit
When you visit Augustana or any program, come prepared:
About Development
- What does your player development process look like?
- How many players have gone to the next level?
- What's your red-shirt philosophy?
- How do you handle freshmen?
- What does strength and conditioning look like?
About Culture
- How do you build team culture?
- What values matter most in your program?
- How do you handle adversity as a team?
- What makes your program special?
- Why do players stay and not transfer out?
About Academics
- What majors are your players pursuing?
- What academic support is available?
- What's your team GPA?
- What's your graduation rate?
- How do you balance baseball and academics?
About Playing Time
- How do freshmen typically fit into the lineup?
- What's your approach to playing time?
- How many position players do you typically carry?
- What does the depth chart look like at my position?
- How do you communicate with players about their roles?
About Expectations
- What are your expectations for recruits?
- What does a typical week look like in-season?
- What's the off-season training like?
- What do you expect from players academically?
- How do you measure success?
Red Flags to Watch For
Program Red Flags
Be cautious of programs that:
- Make early offers with immediate decision pressure
- Promise starting spots before you're on campus
- Have high transfer rates (check the portal)
- Have low graduation rates
- Have high coaching turnover
- Make guarantees about pro opportunities
- Don't emphasize academics
Coach Red Flags
Question coaches who:
- Only talk about winning, not development
- Don't ask about you as a person
- Aren't transparent about your fit
- Pressure you into quick decisions
- Bad-mouth other programs
- Make promises that sound too good to be true
Your Own Red Flags
Be honest with yourself about:
- Choosing solely based on division label
- Not visiting campus before committing
- Letting parents make your decision
- Ignoring academic fit for baseball
- Choosing prestige over development
- Not asking tough questions
- Making emotional rather than informed decisions
Key Takeaways
For Student-Athletes
- Be proactive - Don't wait for coaches to find you
- GPA matters tremendously - It reveals work ethic and character
- Intangibles trump tools - Character, competitiveness, coachability
- Don't chase labels - Fit matters more than division number
- Trust development - The best programs build players over 3-4 years
- Handle failure well - Coaches watch how you respond to adversity
- Be a great teammate - Culture matters more than talent
- Choose "we" over "me" - Championship programs are team-first
- Camps are critical - Get in front of coaches in person
- Enjoy the process - This is an exciting journey
For Parents
- Be involved but not overbearing - Help guide, don't dominate
- Use your life experience - You have perspective they don't
- Let your son lead - He needs to own the process
- Ask tough questions - Help him evaluate thoroughly
- Look beyond baseball - Education and character development matter
- Be realistic - Help him understand where he truly fits
- Trust the process - The right fit will emerge
- Support the dream - While keeping perspective
- Value development - Choose programs that build players
- Remember the big picture - Four years that set up a lifetime
The Championship Formula
Coach Huber's success isn't magic—it's a proven formula:
Culture + Development + Character + Fit = Sustained Excellence
- Culture - Team-first, championship mentality
- Development - Proven track record of improving players
- Character - High-quality people who work hard and care
- Fit - Players who choose the program for the right reasons
About Baseball Forward
At Baseball Forward, we're dedicated to helping student-athletes and families navigate the college baseball recruiting process with expert guidance and comprehensive resources. Our platform connects recruits with programs at all levels—D1, D2, D3, NAIA, and JUCO—helping you find the right fit for your baseball career and academic future.
Whether you're just starting your recruiting journey or narrowing down your final choices, Baseball Forward provides:
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Visit recruiting.baseballforward.com to take the next step in your recruiting journey.
This resource was created from a conversation with Tim Huber, Head Baseball Coach at Augustana University. Coach Huber's insights reflect his 16 seasons building a championship program and are intended to provide guidance for student-athletes navigating the college baseball recruiting process.