Athletic Hall of Fame
As a baseball player in his senior year of high school, Corey Breyne didn’t have to look far when deciding where he would go to college and continue his baseball career. His home was just a mile or so from campus, and Mark Walsh, AU’s head baseball coach then, was familiar with Breyne’s success on the field.
The decision to become a Spartan was an easy one and early one, and throughout his four years as a Spartan, Breyne became known and respected for his hitting, fielding, base-running and his unwavering commitment to teamwork. We honor his Spartan career with induction into the Hall of Fame this evening.
As a shortstop, Breyne was an exceptional player. He excelled in each evaluation category: hitting, hitting with power, running, fielding and throwing. His four-year tenure was consistent and record-setting. He was a two-time NCAA All-American and four-time All-Conference selection. He still holds 10 Spartan baseball records for career, season and single-game accolades, which includes being the all-time hit leader with 235. During his phenomenal junior year of 1997, Breyne set the single season hits record with 85, while driving in a record 68 runs. A statistic that was not kept during Breyne’s playing days was OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage). For his career he had a 1.185 with a remarkable 1.421 ops in 1997.
In his senior year, Breyne was featured in Sports Illustrated for his then NCAA Division III record consecutive game hitting streak — a remarkable 46 games.
While the individual achievements were numerous, so too were the team’s successes. Breyne and his teammates advanced to the NCAA Division III championship in 1998, placing third. He was part of three Northern Illinois-Iowa (NIIC) championship games. In his four years at AU, the baseball team was 128–34–1, 45–7 in the NIIC and made four NCAA regional appearances.
These accolades reflect the dedication of Breyne and his teammates. While Breyne often received individual attention for his athletic abilities, he was the consummate team player, ready with a word of encouragement or willing to advance a player by hitting a sacrifice fly. He came early to practice and stayed late with teammates as they worked together to improve. He brought to campus and to the team a work ethic that was forged in his family.
These were the qualities that mattered to him and continue to influence his work today.
As a physical education teacher and coach, Breyne puts into practice what he learned as a Spartan in the classroom and on the field to guide his students and athletes. He confidently, quietly and generously works with them to talk about character and responsibility, the privilege of being on the team, and the importance of sportsmanship. These are the conversations he took with him as an AU graduate.
There is no question Corey Breyne distinguished himself as a Spartan athlete. He also has distinguished himself as a leader and a mentor to a new generation of students and athletes.
For his determination to excel on and off the field, for building a life around Spartan values and for leading by example, we honor Corey Breyne, as a 2017 member of the Athletic Hall of Fame
