June 18, 2013
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - Penn State baseball coach Robbie Wine announced his resignation today. Penn State Director of Athletics Dave Joyner said a national search will immediately begin for his successor.
"I am very appreciative of Robbie's contributions to the baseball program and Penn State," Joyner said. "We thank Robbie for his nine years of service to Penn State, and wish him all the best."
"I have decided to step down as the Penn State head baseball coach to pursue other opportunities in the sport of baseball," said Wine. "I am excited to start a new chapter in my life and look forward to what lies ahead. My experience at Penn State has made me a better coach and person. I thank the student-athletes I had the opportunity to coach, mentor and develop on and off the field. I wish them all the best of luck. They will always be a part of my family. I am proud of our accomplishments, growth and direction of the program under my leadership and I wish the best of luck to the next head coach, his staff and the student-athletes."
Wine recently completed his ninth year at the helm of the Nittany Lions with a 228-261 overall record, including a 111-135 mark in Big Ten play. He guided Penn State to the Big Ten Tournament four times with back-to-back tournament appearances in 2011 and 2012. Wine posted four winning seasons during his tenure.
Penn State had 14 players selected in the Major League Baseball Draft from 2007-12, the third-most in the Big Ten in that span. In the 2012 MLB Draft, three of Wine's players, pitchers Joe Kurrasch and John Walter and first baseman Jordan Steranka were selected. In 2008, pitcher Drew O'Neil was selected in the fourth round by the Chicago White Sox, becoming the highest Penn State draftee since Nate Bump was selected in the 1998 first round.