Klostermann named first baseball coach at Northeast Iowa Community College

Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) announced the hiring of head baseball coach and athletic coordinator Conner Klostermann on Thursday, Sept. 19. His first week with the Cougar's athletic department will be the week of Sept. 23.

Baseball has been a part of Klostermann's life for years. He started playing at Beckman Catholic in Dyersville before playing collegiately at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) from 2015-2017 and Upper Iowa University from 2017-2020. His first coaching position came as an assistant for Beckman, followed by serving as a grad assistant for two years at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota. He's spent the last two years as an assistant coach and the recruiting coordinator for Northern.

"Ever since I can remember," Klostermann said, "coaching is what I have wanted to do. Working with student-athletes is an extremely rewarding profession. The opportunity to make an impact on the lives of my players is something I take seriously."

Taking on a position where a program must be created from scratch can be intimidating for any candidate, but Athletic Director Nick Weinmeister felt that Klostermann was a strong option during the interviewing process.

The College received several recommendations endorsing Klostermann.

"Conner is a quality young man that comes from a quality family and is the perfect fit for NICC to build a competitive athletic program," Gary Dolphin, voice of the Iowa Hawkeyes, said.

"He truly understands what it takes to run a baseball program," Dean Berry, head coach at Northern State, added. "He values the relationships with the athletes and I know he will provide those athletes with a tremendous college and baseball experience."

"Conner embodies all that we were looking for in a coach throughout the hiring process," Weinmeister said. "He brings great energy, has a passion for the game and truly cares about the holistic student-athlete experience."

Weinmeister and Klostermann both agree that NICC is positioned in a great area that can make them a sustainable, competitive program.

"We are positioned in a great location," Klostermann said, "while also being in an area that is very invested in the game of baseball. I look forward to putting together a team at NICC that the College and community will be proud of."

Weinmeister thinks Klostermann's familiarity and his connections in the area will help him fill the roster with the right student-athletes. He also mentioned his ability to connect and relate to his players being a good resource for him.

"Throughout the search," Weinmeister said, "I spoke with multiple people that highly recommended Conner, not only as a baseball coach, but as someone they enjoyed being around and working with. I feel very fortunate that Conner will be the first head baseball coach in NICC."

Some early hopes for Klostermann are to motivate and elevate his players from day one, along with getting into the community to bring awareness and create excitement. Long term, he wants to create a sustainable winning culture where students graduate and move onto a four-year school.

"I am excited to hit the ground running to bring in the first Cougar baseball recruiting class," Klostermann said. "I can promise that my staff and myself will work diligently to create a program that can sustain success on and off the field for years to come."

The first Cougar baseball season will kickoff in the spring of 2026. Stay updated with all NICC Cougar Athletics at nicc.edu/athletics.