Levi Petzoldt is entering his fourth season as a member of Lincoln Land Loggers coaching staff. Levi previously spent sixth seasons as a member of the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) baseball coaching staff with two years as the team’s pitching coach.
In 2021, Petzoldt’s second year as the team’s pitching coach, UIS finished with a 3.83 team ERA which allowed the Prairie Stars to be ranked as 13th in NCAA Division II Baseball. The seven shutouts that the pitching staff had was tied for 2nd most in NCAA Division II Baseball. The Prairie Stars pitching staff allowed 328 hits allowed per nine innings and 423 strikeouts in 362.1 innings pitched both of which was 17th best in NCAA Division II Baseball. The pitching staff was first in the GLVC with a .240 opponent batting average. The season ended in the NCAA Midwest Regional.
In 2021, Petzoldt helped three pitchers earn All-GLVC honors, including two First-Team pitchers and one pitcher earning First-Team All-Region in the D2 NCCA All-Midwest Region.
In his first year as the team’s pitching coach, UIS ranked 10th in NCAA Division II with 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings. The Prairie Stars also ranked in the top five in the GLVC with a 4.08 ERA, 8.23 hits allowed per nine innings, and a 1.48 WHIP. Petzoldt’s pitching staff had a 10-4 record in the shortened season. Petzoldt helped develop Jordan Mikel who signed a free agent deal with the White Sox in 2020.
Petzoldt was part of the 2019 coaching staff that helped UIS go 41-17-1, and advanced to the NCAA Division II Super Regionals. UIS finished one game away from winning the GLVC Regular Season Championship, and advanced to the GLVC Tournament Championship game.In his first four years at UIS, the Prairie Stars had a record of 149-70-1. The pitching staff had three of the top four ERA marks in program history, and four of the top five opponent batting average and most strikeouts per inning marks.
Petzoldt has helped nine pitchers earn All-GLVC honors, including five first-team pitchers. In 2019, he played a role in development of Andrew Dean, GLVC Pitcher of the Year, the first All-American pitcher in program history, and the first UIS player to be drafted when he was selected in the 18th round by the San Diego Padres.
In 2018, Petzoldt was part of the best record in program history. The Prairie Stars went 47-9, won the GLVC East Division Championship, hosted the NCAA Division II Midwest Regionals, and were ranked as high as No. 4 in the country.
Five pitchers earned All-GLVC honors, including three First-Team members. UIS led the nation in hits allowed per nine innings (6.80), and led the conference in ERA (3.16), strikeouts per nine innings (10.0), strikeouts-to-walk ratio (2.28), and WHIP (1.24).
In 2017, the UIS staff ranked sixth in the GLVC in ERA (4.84), fourth in strikeouts (341), third in opponent batting average (.272), and second in doubles allowed (72). Two pitchers that season were All-GLVC selections.
In his first season as assisting with the pitchers in 2016, the Prairie Stars ranked seventh in the conference in ERA while leading the league in opposing batting average, holding opponents to a mere .257 average, allowing the second fewest hits in the league. Additionally, the pitching staff ranked second in the league in strikeouts, tallying 379 on the season.
Petzoldt came to UIS from Lincoln College, where he spent the 2012-2014 seasons as an assistant coach. His duties included recruiting and developing position players. Before his time on the Lincoln staff, Petzoldt served as the Head Coach for the eighth grade American Legion team in Jackson, Mo., and as an assistant coach at Perryville High School.
A pitcher in college, Petzoldt spent two years at Lincoln College before transferring to Fontbonne University in St. Louis.
A native of Jackson, Mo., Petzoldt earned a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education with a concentration in History from Fontbonne University. Petzoldt has a Master of Arts in History with a concentration in European History from American Public University.
Levi and his wife Katelyn reside in Rochester and have two kids.
