Tyler Zunkel joined the Cyclones baseball coaching staff in late spring 2024.

Growing up playing multiple sports, Zunkel gravitated toward baseball. He primarily played shortstop throughout high school and then at College of DuPage (COD) and Chicago State University, where he ultimately graduated with a degree in criminal justice. After college, Zunkel went straight into coaching at COD from 2019 to 2022 before taking a full-time position as an assistant coach (hitting and infield) at Emory and Henry College in Virginia, an NCAA Division II institution.

Zunkel is looking forward to working with a talented group of returners, freshmen and transfers and creating a culture that grinds.

“I know the talent in this region, and I’m looking forward to making everyone better and showing they can trust me,” he said. “My style is tough with grit and grind, so we’ll be tough to beat. We’re going to out-work everyone. I’m excited to start.”