Heartland names Head Baseball Coach & Head Softball Coach for Fall 2020

[May 26, 2020] 

Heartland Community College has filled head coaching positions for both the Baseball and Softball squads.

Chris Razo has been named as Head Baseball Coach and Coordinator of Athletic Facilities.

Razo has held the title of Interim Head Coach of the Hawks Baseball team since January as he stepped in with the departure of Jimmy Frankos.

“Being named the Head Baseball Coach at HCC is a position of high regard in the baseball community and something I do not take lightly,” said Razo. “This program is still relatively new in the college baseball world and I do not think we have even came close to reaching our full potential.”

Coach Razo joined the Heartland staff in 2018, serving as pitching coach. He competed at Illinois State University where he was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 24th round in 2013. While at Illinois State, Razo was selected to the MVC All-Conference first team and also won Pitcher of the Year in the Missouri Valley Conference. Razo also helped lead the team to a school record 39 wins and the first and only MVC outright title.

Prior to attending Illinois State, Razo was part of the Heartland Community College program. During his two years as a Heartland player, he was first team all-Region 24 and MWAC Pitcher of the Year and helped lead the Hawks to the school’s first appearance at the NJCAA Division II World Series.

Casey Jefferson has been named Head Softball Coach and Coordinator of Success Coaching.

Jefferson has served as Associate Head Coach of Hawks Softball since 2016 and also in an advisement/success coach role since August of 2019.

“Heartland Community College is a very special place to me and I am so grateful for the opportunity to be named the next Head Softball Coach,” said Jefferson. “I am looking forward to the opportunity to lead these young women and develop them both on and off the field and continue the great success Heartland Softball has had in the past. I can’t wait to be back on the field with my team. Go Hawks!"

Jefferson started her college career at Heartland Community College and was a utility player on the Hawks Softball team. During her time at Heartland, she helped lead the Hawks to back-to-back conference championships.

“Both Chris and Casey have a great history with Heartland Athletics as players and coaches,” said Athletics Director Ryan Knox. “Chris embodies everything athletics at Heartland tries to accomplish. He brings the experiences and lessons learned from a very successful college and professional career. Casey’s dedication to the program has been clear for years. Her influence on our students and our athletes clearly demonstrates why she is the right fit for this position. For both of these former Hawks athletes to return to the College for their life’s work is a testament to the institution and its influence over lives.”

Both positions will be effective July 1, 2020.

[Steve Fast
Director, Public Information
Heartland Community College]