Heartland Community College Athletics

Chris Razo joined the Heartland Community College baseball staff in 2018 as a pitching coach, and is entering his eighth season as head coach since he took over in 2020. Since taking over the program, Razo has compiled a 279–89 record and a NJCAA Division II National Championship – establishing Heartland as not just one of the leading baseball programs in Region 24, but the country. Under his leadership, the Hawks have sent 104 players to NCAA DI, DII, DIII and NAIA Schools.  

The 2026 season continued Heartland Baseball’s run of success under Coach Razo, as the Hawks finished with a 43–16 record. The Hawks finished with a 27-5 conference record once again, establishing their position as a conference powerhouse. As a team, the Hawks slugged an astonishing .630 (4^th in NJCAA) with 97 home runs (7^th in NJCAA) and 508 RBIs (11^th in NJCAA). The 2026 roster included the 2026 Baltimore Orioles fifth round draft pick, Jimmy Anderson. Anderson set a single season school record with 26 home runs during the season. 

The 2025 season saw Coach Razo continue to lead Heartland Baseball to success, as the Hawks finished with a 47–16 overall record and a 27–5 record in conference play. Heartland captured the Region 24 and Central District championships, earning the No. 4 seed in the NJCAA Division II National Tournament in Enid, Oklahoma. The Hawks finished the season with a .347 team batting average, collecting 665 hits while recording 433 strikeouts as a pitching staff. Razo was named Region 24 Coach of the Year, further recognizing his leadership in another successful season for the program.

The 2024 season saw the Hawks continue their success in Region 24, finishing with a 43–18 record. Heartland earned a No. 4 seed in the NJCAA Division II National Tournament, demonstrating the program’s ability to compete among the top junior college baseball teams in the country. Razo was also named the Region 24 Coach of the Year. The season marked another step in the program’s sustained success under Razo’s leadership. The Hawks totaled an OPS of .931 with 53 home runs and 476 RBIs. Their top offensive player was Corey Boyette, who is now an assistant coach. Boyette slugged .655 with 14 home runs and 72 RBIs. The top pitcher was Jacob O’Day, who had a 3.35 ERA and won nine games.

The 2023 season was a historic year for Coach Razo and the Heartland baseball program. The Hawks finished with a 57–5 record and captured the NJCAA Division II National Championship, marking the first national title in program history. Heartland also won the Region 24 championship, finishing the regional tournament undefeated at 3–0. Razo was named the ABCA and Region 24 Coach of the Year, while Sam Antonacci earned Region 24 Player of the Year and tournament MVP honors. He was also named the NJCAA Division II Baseball Player of the Year award, just the second in Heartland's history. Antonacci went on to be drafted by the White Sox in the fifth round in 2024, and is currently a contributing player in the big leagues. The roster pounded the baseball all season long by totaling 633 RBIs, a 1.111 OPS and a .382 BA. The pitching staff was led by Maede Johnson, Cy Cox, and Luke Wright, who all won seven games and lost just one game in 33 starts.  

The 2022 season continued Heartland’s rise as a competitive force in junior college baseball. The Hawks finished with a 49–10 record and a 32–0 conference record, demonstrating their dominance in conference play. This successful season helped establish the foundation for the program’s national championship run in 2023 and reflected the team’s continued development under Razo’s leadership. Razo was also named to his first Region 24 Coach of the Year award. The offense was a force with eight guys having an OPS over 1.000 while the Hawks totaled 89 home runs and 527 RBIs. The pitching staff was lights out with starter Reese Dutton notching an ERA over 11 starts – which he won 10 of.

2021 was the first full season for the Hawks with coach Razo, as Heartland finished with a 33–22 record – another sign of good things to come. The Hawks were led on offense by Riley Rundquist, who finished the year with a BA of .381, an OPS of 1.260 and a slugging of .770. The season provided an important foundation for the team’s subsequent improvement and its emergence as a consistent contender in NJCAA Division II baseball.

The 2020 season was the first season with Coach Razo at the helm. The Hawks were off to a promising start with a 7-2 record before the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through nine games, the Hawks were slugging .510 with a .347 BA and a .963 OPS. Despite the challenges surrounding the season, Heartland continued developing its baseball program and building toward the success it would achieve in the following years.

Razo competed at Illinois State University, where he established himself as one of the top pitchers in the Missouri Valley Conference. He earned First-Team All-MVC honors and was named the conference's Pitcher of the Year. During his time with the Redbirds, Razo helped lead the team to a school-record 39 wins and its first and only outright Missouri Valley Conference championship. His collegiate performance also earned him selection by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 24th round of the 2013 MLB Draft.

Before attending Illinois State, Razo played two seasons at Heartland Community College. During his time with the Hawks, he earned First-Team All-Region 24 honors and was named MWAC Pitcher of the Year. He also helped lead Heartland to the first NJCAA Division II World Series appearance in school history, establishing an early connection to the program he would later lead as head coach.