FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. -- Adrian College head coach Craig Rainey has been named the 2026 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Baseball Coach of the Year after leading the Bulldogs through another championship season defined by consistency, dominance, and postseason success.

Rainey guided Adrian to both the MIAA regular-season championship and the 2026 MIAA Baseball Tournament title Presented by Collegiate Credit Union, continuing the Bulldogs’ reign atop the conference. The regular-season crown marked Adrian’s second straight league title and 17th overall, while the tournament championship was the program’s fourth consecutive and 12th in school history.

This latest recognition marks Rainey’s third-consecutive MIAA Baseball Coach of the Year honor since the award’s implementation during the 2023-24 academic year, further cementing his standing as one of the conference’s premier leaders.

Under Rainey’s guidance, Adrian once again earned the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Baseball Tournament and will also serve as a regional host site from May 15-17, providing the Bulldogs an opportunity to compete on their home field during the opening rounds of national competition.

Now in his 33rd season as head coach, Rainey’s impact on Adrian baseball remains unparalleled. A 1989 Adrian graduate, he has built one of Division III’s most respected programs while also taking on the role of Athletic Director beginning in the summer of 2022.

Rainey’s sustained leadership has helped shape Adrian into a perennial conference and national contender, blending player development, championship expectations, and institutional pride.

As Adrian prepares for NCAA Tournament play, Rainey’s latest Coach of the Year recognition serves as another milestone in a remarkable career that continues to elevate Bulldogs baseball.