Mark Vig enters his sixth season as an assistant coach at Metropolitan State University of Denver in 2022, and ninth season overall in the RMAC. In his five seasons with the program, Vig has coached 22 All-RMAC players, one Freshman of the Year, 11 All-South Central Region players, and five All-Americans.
The 2021 season was perhaps the best overall season in program history, to date. The 34-10 overall record is the best overall winning percentage in school history, and the Roadrunners' 28-8 RMAC record is the best second-place finish for any RMAC team, ever. The program was nationally ranked as high as 17th and finished the season ranked as the No. 19 team in the nation. A condensed national-tournament field due to COVID-19 and upsets in the RMAC Tournament prevented MSU Denver from qualifying for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.
The season’s highest point was perhaps on March 27, when Cade Crader threw the program’s and RMAC’s first-ever perfect game. His nine-inning perfect game against CSU-Pueblo was the only 11th nine-inning perfect game in the history of Division II baseball. The 2021 pitching staff set the new standard of Roadrunner pitching. Its 4.85 team ERA is the fifth lowest all time. The team strikeout record was shattered, with a mark of 410 strikeouts in 44 games. The pitching staff, for the first time ever, had more innings pitched than hits given up, more strikeouts than innings pitched and had the best strikeout-to-walk ratio in school history. The opponent batting average of .250 is tops in program history, and was first in the RMAC in 2021 as well. The staff was led by superb starting pitching all season long, as the four-man rotation of Logan Soole, Crader, Jimmy Dobrash and Austin Stone went a combined 24-5 with 260 strikeouts and a 4.05 ERA among the four of them. Soole and Crader were named All-RMAC first team selections as well as All-South Central Regional pitchers. Closer Eric Cox led the RMAC in saves, and was named All-RMAC honorable mention. Soole was also named the RMAC Academic Player of the Year and was an Academic All-American second team choice. Reichle Arcilise was named Co-Freshman Pitcher of the Year in the RMAC.
The 2020 season was cut short due to the national pandemic of COVID-19. RMAC baseball was canceled on March 13 due to the national crisis. The Roadrunners were 18 games into their season, and the pitching staff was on its way to re-writing the MSU Denver record books. Through 18 games, the Roadrunner pitching staff held a 4.38 team ERA, which would rank second best in school history. MSU Denver was averaging 8.9 strikeouts per game, which is best in school history, and was on pace to shatter the team strikeout record by over 60 strikeouts. Soole was named Academic All-America first team.
His 2019 pitching staff ranked second in the RMAC with a 5.28 ERA, trailing only national runner-up Colorado Mesa. Soole earned All-America honors as a pitcher under Vig's tutelage. Roadrunners hurlers for the second straight year allowed fewer walks (165) while recording more strikeouts (364) than the previous season. MSU Denver was 28-24 overall and 19-17 in the RMAC.
Vig took over as the pitching coach in 2018, his second season with the Roadrunners, and first season under Coach Ryan Strain. In 2018, the Roadrunners finished 22-28, placed fifth in the RMAC regular season, and qualified for the RMAC postseason tournament. The Roadrunners' pitching staff recorded more strikeouts and surrendered fewer walks than the previous year’s pitching staff.
In 2017, Vig’s first season with the program, the Roadrunners posted a 27-25 record and placed third in the RMAC. The Roadrunners qualified for the RMAC tournament and finished third place. Vig worked with Roadrunners outfielders, hitters, and baserunners in his first season with the program. During the 2017 season, Vig coached under the tutelage of current Roadrunners Associate Athletic Director Jerrid Oates.
Vig came to the Roadrunners after spending three seasons, 2014 through 2016, as a graduate assistant at Regis University. At Regis, Vig worked primarily with outfielders and first basemen. Vig also assisted with recruiting, opponent scouting, team travel and other day-to-day operations. In his three seasons at Regis, Vig coached nine All-RMAC players, five All-South Central Region players, and two All-Americans.
In the summers of 2015 and 2016, Vig served as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator for the Arvada Colts of the Rocky Mountain Baseball League. In the summer of 2014, Vig was the head coach for the St. Charles Captains of the Lewis and Clark Baseball League in St. Louis, Mo. In their inaugural season, the Captains made the Discovery Cup playoffs and Vig was named Manager of the Year in the LCBL. In the summer of 2013, Vig was involved with Colorado Sports Inc. baseball summer camps.
Prior to coming to Colorado, Vig coached youth and VFW American Legion baseball in the Yankton (S.D.) Baseball Association from 2009 through 2012. In 2010 and 2012, Vig worked with the Kansas City Royals' “Pass It On” summer clinics.
Vig received his master’s degree in organizational leadership from Regis University in 2016. Vig graduated from the University of Sioux Falls in 2013 with a B.A. in business administration and a B.A. in sports management. At Sioux Falls, Vig was a 2013 Academic All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference player.
Vig also assists in game management duties with Roadrunner Athletics, and serves as a facility supervisor for rentals at the Regency Athletic Complex.
Vig is a native of Yankton, S.D. and resides in Aurora with his wife, Brittney, and their daughter, Jayney.
