Coaching Staff Asst. Coach Nick Tuck Sixth year at Missouri Southern This will be Tuck's sixth season serving as an assistant coach for the Missouri Southern Lions baseball program under Bryce Darnell. Nick is originally from Lamar, Missouri, where he played baseball for former Lion Tim Casper. Prior to his coaching days at Southern, he served the Lions as a relief pitcher from 2004-2008 and was a four year letterman. While playing at Missouri Southern, he served as the baseball teams SAAC representative. Coach Tuck has a bachelor’s degree in K-12 physical education and a master’s degree in Educational Administration from William Woods University. Aside from his coaching duties at Missouri Southern, Nick is also the head coach for the Joplin High School Legion team. Coach Tuck is married to former Southern volleyball player Teyoni Wilson, and the couple resides in Joplin, Missouri. Asst. Coach Jason Immekus Fifth year at Missouri Southern Jason Immekus enters his fifth season as the pitching coach for the Lions after spending the previous four seasons as an assistant coach at Jefferson College, a junior college in St. Louis. The Lions finished the year with a 3.74 team ERA and senior pitcher Cody Griebling was named a first-team All-MIAA selection and a second team All- Region pick after going 9-4 with 74 strikeouts and a 3.19 ERA. David Reese was named honorable mention All-MIAA. Griebling kept his high going as he signed a professional contract to play baseball with the Schaumburg Boomers of the independent Frontier League. In 2011, Immekus helped newcomers Brett Abell and Cody Griebling to All-MIAA performances on the mound. Abell led the team with an 8-6 record on the mound and ranked second in the MIAA in strikeouts, while leading the MIAA in innings pitched and games started. Griebling was 7-5 and proved to be the Lions top starter down the stretch. He was tied for third in the MIAA in wins and had the MIAA's third-lowest opponent batting average at .240. In his first season with the Lions, he had three starters earn six wins or more, including CJ Matthews who went 7-5 and signed a professional contract with the Oakland County (Mich.) Cruisers in the Independent Frontier League. While at Jeffco, Immekus was the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator for the Vikings. He helped the program to four-straight conference championships, as the team was nationally ranked in each year, reaching as high as No. 4 nationally. Prior to Jeffco, Immekus served in the same capacity for three years at Crowder College. This past summer, Immekus served as the pitching coach with the Joplin Outlaws and will serve as the manager during the 2014 season. A native of Carthage, Immekus' college baseball playing career began at Independence Community College (Kansas) before transferring to Washburn. An all-conference pitcher in each of his four seasons, Immekus went on to sign a free agent contract with the Richmond Roosters in the independent Frontier League and played there for two seasons. He then spent the following season with the Asst. Coach Kalamazoo Kings in the same league. Dennis Vilela Sixth year at Missouri Southern Dennis Vilela is entering his sixth season with the Missouri Southern Baseball program. Dennis and his wife Krista live in Columbus, Kansas with their three children Tanner , Emma and Jack. Dennis played ball at Pratt Community College in Pratt, Kansas earning all-conference honors before transferring to Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas. During his stay at PSU he was named team captain as a junior and senior. After completion of college he went on to work various camps and showcases all over the country including the University of Notre Dame, University of Arkansas, and Mickey Owen Baseball School. He has spoken at many clinics including those at Mickey Owen Winter Clinics and the Kansas High School Baseball Coaches Association. Dennis started out as a high school baseball coach for 10 years. He has served as head coach at Climax Springs and led Cougars to a school record in wins and a second place finish in the district tournament. He has also been a head coach at Columbus High School in Columbus Kansas. During his tenure, the Titans broke the single season totals for wins. They also upset the number #1 seed in the their state regional two years in a row. Dennis then spent the last four years at Labette Community College in Parsons, Kansas. His primary jobs were working with the hitters and catchers. He also was involved with recruiting. He has spent many summers coaching baseball and traveled to New Jersey to coach in the ACCBL. After his summer in New Jersey he became the assistant coach of the Joplin Slashers, a colligate summer team out of the Jayhawk League. After two years as assistant for the Slashers he went on to be the head coach for the next two years. Dennis has also been an associate scout with the Boston Red Sox and has had 22 former players that have been drafted or went on to play professional baseball. 2014 MSSU BASEBALL @mososports missourisouthernlions mssulions.com 13
Missouri Southern Baseball Media Guide 2014
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