Baseball Coaches
HEAD COACH – Dave Garcia
David Garcia (pronounced “GARSH – shuh”) enters into his fourth year as the Head Baseball Coach at Southwestern Illinois College.
He was named to the position in July 2021 after spending the previous two years Western Carolina University as the team’s hitting coach.
During his time at SWIC, the team has seen a steady increase in winning each of the first three seasons, totaling an overall record of 102-68.
During his third season, Garcia broke the 300-win mark for his career and finishing the season with an overall career record of 316-156-3.
He has continued his success with moving players on to the next level. In his three seasons, he has moved 17 players onto DI schools and 12 players to DII schools.
Garsh’s junior college roots run deep. Prior to his time at SWIC, he was the head coach at Parkland College in Champaign, Illinois.
Over five seasons at Parkland, Garcia compiled a record of 214-88-2, guiding the Cobras to three-straight appearances in the NJCAA Division 2 World Series including a National Championship Runner-Up finish in 2018.
In 2017, Parkland finished with a 53-8 overall record, placing third nationally. Over his final two seasons, Parkland won a combined 98 games.
He also moved 47 players to NCAA Division I programs from the junior college level.
Garcia is a two-time Mid-West Athletic Conference (MWAC) Coach of the Year selection in 2016 and 2017 and collected Region 24 Coach of the Year three-straight seasons from 2016 to 2018. He mentored five NJCAA All-America selections while at Parkland with four players taken in the MLB Draft.
Garcia also has eight years of professional baseball coaching experience. He spent four years with the independent Frontier League-member River City Rascals in O’Fallon, Missouri, where he was the bench coach for the 2010 squad that won the league championship. He was also a part of setting a league record with 68 regular season wins in 2011, again as the bench coach while adding assistant hitting coach duties.
Garcia spent a season with the Joliet (Ill.) Slammers as the hitting coach and working with the catchers, as well as working a couple seasons with the Normal (Ill.) Cornbelters as an assistant and hitting coach, both of the Frontier League. He was scheduled to serve as the Windy City Thunderbolts Pitching coach for the COVID season of 2020.
From 2017-2018, Garcia worked as an associate scout with the Los Angeles Dodgers, providing reports on potential prospects from his region that included the Big 10, Missouri Valley Conference, and junior college teams.
All told, 23 of the players he mentored over eight seasons in the independent league went on to sign with an MLB affiliated team.
A Granville, Ill., native, Garcia played collegiate baseball at Parkland College from 1998-2000 before venturing to Northern Illinois for baseball. Following his senior season, he signed a professional contract to play in the Frontier League with the Rockford (Ill.) Riverhawks.
Baseball Office: 618-235-2700, ext. 5371
Email Address: david.garcia@swic.edu
Casey Fair – Associate Head Coach
Coach Fair is in his third season with the Blue Storm pitching staff. Fair splits time between SWIC and Extreme Elite Baseball Club where he was promoted to Director of Pitching after overseeing their youth programs for years.
Casey’s baseball coaching experience has traveled across multiple levels. He was an assistant coach at Collinsville High School for three years and a head coach for multiple Extreme Elite teams over the last five years.
Fair was also a left-handed pitcher at Illinois College.
From Bethalto, IL, Casey attended Civic Memorial High School. He is now a resident in Collinsville, Illinois
Sam Bonaldi – Assistant Coach
Sam is a local product out of Columbia, IL. Sam was one of Coach Garcia’s first recruits at SWIC and played OF for the Blue Storm in 2022 and 2023. Same is an education major at SIUE and will graduate in 2025.
Adam Donachie – 3rd Base Coach/Catching Coach
Adam Donachie’s playing career consisted of 15 professional seasons as a catcher, first baseman, and third baseman.
He was drafted in 2002 in the second round by the Kansas City Royals.
Over his nine seasons in affiliated baseball, he progressed to AAA in the Baltimore Orioles organization (3 Big League Spring Training Invites) and up to AA with the Kansas City Royals organization (5 Big League Spring Training Invites).
In 2012, he signed with the Somerset Patriots of the Atlantic League (Independent) and played 5 seasons with them.
In 2017 he shifted to a player-coach role with the team, thus beginning his coaching career.
Since 2017 he has coached at Chicago State University and has been the catching coordinator for the Nexen Heroes of the Korean Baseball Organization.
Donnie currently is an assistant coach for the Lincoln Salt Dogs. It is his second season in that role.
Trevor Minder – Infield Coach
The Springfield, Illinois native is in his second year coaching collegiate baseball. He was a 2017 graduate of Springfield High and went on to play baseball at Parkland College.
Following this stint in Champaign, he attended Tulane as a member of the baseball program. After three years in New Orleans, he received a degree in health and wellness but ultimately decided to continue his career in baseball.
Formerly the shortstop for the Boise Hawks of the Pioneer League, he has since been traded to the local Frontier League Gateway Grizzlies. He spends his offseason working with SWIC infielders and hitters.
Kevin Muendlein – Outfield Coach
A lifelong Belleville native.
The 2023 season is Coach Muendlein’s 3rd season on the Blue Storm staff.
“Coach Kev” handles the defensive development of the Blue Storm Outfield.
His two sons, Corey and Aaron (Ace) both played at SWIC for Coach Neil Fiala.
Bill Lee – Bench Coach
Recognized nationally as one of the most influential baseball heads of the last 50 years, Bill Lee has a lifelong history in the sport. Following his collegiate career, Lee signed a contract with the Atlanta Braves. He played pro ball in 1976 & 1977.
In 1980, he entered the world of sports management with the Birmingham Barons. He spent 4 years with the Barons prior to being named the General Manager of the Chattanooga Lookouts of the AA Southern League. In 1990, he was named VP of Marketing for the Seattle Thunderbirds Hockey Club. He won the Western Hockey League Marketing Award in both 1991 and 1992.
In 1994, he was named the first Commissioner of the Frontier League. He helped the League grow into a 16 team League with 13 teams in the US and 3 in Canada. The Frontier League (now a partner of Major League Baseball) has grossed over one million fans while helping 100+ players earn affiliated contracts. He held that position until March of 2021 when he retired from the League.
Outfield Coach – Zach Neff
In three seasons at Austin Peay, Zach amassed 60 appearances (12 starts) and a 6.55 ERA in 136.0 innings pitched, along with 139 strikeouts and 39 walks • An influencer on the field and in the classroom as he was named to the 2014-15 Ohio Valley Conference Honor Roll, in addition to being a three-time Dean’s List member and a six-time Athletics Director’s Honor Roll member.