Georgia Gwinnett College Athletics

Long around the game of baseball as a player and coach, John Ihlenburg joined the Grizzly softball staff prior to the 2013-14 season.

With the Grizzlies, Ihlenburg assists with day-to-day operations and instruction. Born in New York, Ihlenburg lived in Portland, Oregon, before attending high school in Canton, Massachusetts. He started his collegiate career playing football at Wake Forest University before transferring to the University of Connecticut to play baseball.

He is a graduate of UConn where he was an NCAA All-America selection, as well as a two time Academic All-America. A team captain, Ihlenburg was awarded the Eastern Athletic Conference Medallion for Athletic and Academic Prowess and was an All Region, All Conference selection.

He spent three years in the Cape Cod Baseball League and played for the Kansas City Royals organization after graduation.

Ihlenburg went on to coach at Fairfield University and Oglethorpe University before joining the staff at Reinhardt University in 2004. He served as head coach for the Eagles until 2013.

Outside of baseball, Ihlenburg flew the A-7E and A-4 and served as a Commander in the US Navy before retiring after 22 years of service.

He also flew as a Captain for Delta Airlines on the B-727, B-737, B-757 and B-767 aircraft.

Ihlenburg is the father-in-law of GGC head coach Kat Ihlenburg, who is married to John’s son Mark, also a former baseball player at UConn.

John and his wife, Kathy, have another son, Greg, a record-holder at Reinhardt, and currently reside in Buford, Ga.