By Jim Ecker
March 9, 2009

Rick Heller’s baseball team at the University of Northern Iowa has a 6-6 record this season. Considering the circumstances, that should make him a strong candidate for National Coach of the Year. You can cast your ballot right now.

If you’ve been following the story, you know that Heller and the Panthers are playing the 2009 campaign with a heavy burden. Their program will be eliminated after the season unless the team can raise $1.2 million by April 5, which would be like rallying from a 10-0 deficit with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. It’s possible, but unlikely.

The Support UNI Baseball campaign had raised $228,000 as of Monday morning, an amazing amount in two short weeks but not nearly enough. You can help by making a pledge at www.SupportUNIBaseball.com.

We weren’t kidding about Heller being a candidate for National Coach of the Year. First of all, it would send a message to his bosses at the University of Northern Iowa that he’s one of the top college baseball coaches in the country. And secondly, he’s done an outstanding job this year under extremely tough conditions.

Heller was forced to tell his team on Feb. 20 that the program will be dropped due to financial problems in the athletic department. Some of the players had tears in their eyes at the news. Others were numb with disbelief. The next day, the Panthers somehow managed to focus on a ballgame and beat Arkansas-Little Rock, 7-6, in the middle game of a three-game series in Arkansas. How many coaches could have managed that?

Eleven days later, the Panthers traveled to the Metrodome in Minneapolis and topped the Minnesota Gophers, 4-3, for a satisfying victory over a Big Ten opponent. The Panthers might lose the battle to save the program, but they’ll go down fighting. Their message is clear.

Those victories on the field have made life more bearable, but the off-the-field developments have been awful. Heller has been trying to coach the team, save the program and find new homes for his players for 2010 if the program cannot be saved.

How’s it been?

“Horrible,” he told Perfect Game USA. “It’s been miserable. Absolutely stressed out and as miserable as can be.”

Heller would love to devote all of his time and energy to saving the program, but UNI has a heavy schedule of games this month and he can’t spend all of his time on the phone, trying to raise money and generate support. He figures he’ll be home for only five days all month, spending the rest of the time in hotel rooms and buses.

The University of Northern Iowa lists 37 players on its roster. Only four of them are seniors, which means 33 of those players will have to find new schools if they want to play varsity baseball next year. Sixteen of those players are juniors, and it will be particularly tough for them, trying to find a new team that will take them for only one year.

Heller is trying to find a spot for all of them. He’s making calls, sending e-mails, contacting friends in the business.

“It’s been overwhelming,” he said.

Heller is gratified by the Support UNI Baseball campaign, being waged by some of his former players. He appreciates all they’ve done and all the support the program has received.

“Awesome,” he said. “Unbelievable. Bottom line, they’re doing a great job.”

It’s been great, but not enough. The Panthers need a few heavy hitters, some independently wealthy baseball fans to step forward and pledge $250,000. It needs to come in big chunks, because they need to raise nearly $1 million in four short weeks.

To put the challenge in perspective, the Panthers need another 10,000 pledges of $100 apiece to raise $1 million. It’s possible, but awfully hard to do.

You can help. Call your friends. Talk to your boss. Hold a garage sale. Bake cookies. Stage a car wash. Cash in the penny jar. Sell one of your valuable baseball cards. Dig a little deeper into your pocket.

Save the Panthers. And vote for Rick Heller as the Coach of the Year.