Kansas State University Athletics
Men's Basketball
Baier, Phil
Phil Baier
- Title:
- Strength & Conditioning Coach
- Email:
- pbaier@kstatesports.com
- Phone:
- (785) 532-6531
- Instagram:
- coachphil_kstate
Phil Baier At A Glance
Features (click on headline for link)
Baier has been part of a staff that has helped reenergize a K-State program the past 3 seasons, leading the Wildcats to 61 wins, including 28 in Big 12 play, with consecutive postseason appearances (2023 NCAA Tournament, 2024 NIT) highlighted by the run to the 2023 Elite Eight. Among the 61 wins the past 3 seasons are 16 against teams ranked in the Top 25, including 7 Top 10 opponents.
During their memorable first season in 2022-23, Baier continued his recent run of developing Elite Eight team, helping the Wildcats defy preseason expectations to win 26 games and advance to within one game of the Final Four. The 26 wins are the third-most in school history, trailing the school-record 29 in 2009-10 and the 27 in 2012-13, and just the eighth 25-win campaign.
En route to the Elite Eight run, Baier assisted in the development of a pair of All-Americans in 2023 Bob Cousy Award winner Markquis Nowell and forward Keyontae Johnson, who became the first duo in school history to each earn the recognition from The Associated Press when they were selected to the Third Team. Both players were named to the All-Big 12 First Team, while Johnson was the league's Newcomer of the Year.
In addition to his work with Johnson and Nowell, Baier helped train four more All-Big 12 performers in Third Team selection Coleman Hawkins (2024-25) and honorable mention picks Arthur Kaluma (2023-24), David N’Guessan (2024-25) and Tylor Perry (2023-24).
Baier has 12 years of experience working specifically with men’s basketball teams, including full-time stints at Arkansas State (2015-17), North Texas (2017-19), Miami (2019-22) and now K-State. He has been a part of five 20-win seasons, two runs to the Elite Eight (2022, 2023) and a CBI Championship in 2018.
Baier came to K-State in April 2022 following a three-year stint working as the strength coach for head coach Jim Larranaga at Miami (Fla.), where he helped in the development of a Hurricane program that advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time in 2021-22 while posting the fourth-highest win total (26) in program history.
In 2021-22, three Hurricanes earned All-ACC honors, including senior guard Kameron McGusty becoming just the third First Team selection in school history and the first since 2013. Sophomore guard Isaiah Wong earned Third Team recognition for the second straight season in 2021-22, while senior guard Charlie Moore was selected both Honorable Mention All-ACC as well as to the All-Defensive Team. All told, four Hurricane players combined to earn five All-ACC accolades during Baier’s time in Coral Gables.
Baier joined the Miami staff after a two-year stint (2017-19) at North Texas, where he worked with the Mean Green men’s basketball and women’s volleyball teams. Each program enjoyed tremendous success under Baier’s guidance, as the men’s basketball team reached the 20-win mark in both seasons, collecting 41 total victories and the 2018 CBI Championship, while the volleyball team won 48 matches, including a 29-4 campaign in 2017 that feature a Conference USA regular-season title.
Baier joined the staff at Arkansas State in 2015, spending two seasons (2015-17) working with the Red Wolves’ men’s basketball, men’s and women’s track and field, cheerleading and dance squads, along with assisting with the football team. He helped develop teams that won three Sun Belt titles, including a pair in football (2015, 2016) and one in men’s outdoor track and field (2016), while the men’s basketball team made the second-best turnaround in Division I in 2016-17 with a 10-win improvement to post the school’s first 20-win season since 1997-98.
It was at ASU where Baier met current K-State assistant coach Jareem Dowling in 2016 then moved with him to North Texas to be a part of head coach Grant McCasland’s coaching staff in 2017-18 and 2018-19.
Baier broke into the strength and conditioning business as a graduate assistant at SE Missouri State from 2013-15, working with the Redhawk men’s and women’s basketball and women’s tennis teams. He also assisted with the strength and conditioning activities with the football team.
Prior to becoming a graduate assistant at SEMO, Baier served strength and conditioning internships at Harvard (Summer 2012 and USC (Spring 2013) in between his final season playing football at Springfield College. He worked with eight different sports at Harvard, including men’s basketball, football and men’s ice hockey, while he spent time with 10 teams at USC, including primarily with women’s crew.
A native of Braintree, Mass., Baier was a four-year letterman (2009-13) as a wide receiver for Division III Springfield College, where he earned All-Liberty League honors in 2012 after posting 12 catches for 262 yards and team-leading 5 touchdowns. He had 728 receiving yards on 32 catches with 9 touchdowns in his final two seasons. He earned a bachelor's degree in Applied Exercise Sciences with a minor in coaching from the school in 2013.
Baier is working on a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from SE Missouri State. He also holds certifications from the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association, Poliquin International and the American Red Cross.
Baier and his wife, Jenna, were married in May 2023. The couple have two dogs, Atlas and Ross.
Professional/Coaching Experience
Strength and Conditioning Intern, Harvard, Summer 2012
Strength and Conditioning Intern, USC, Spring 2013
Graduate Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach, SE Missouri State, 2013-15
Strength and Conditioning Coach, Arkansas State, 2015-17
Strength and Conditioning Coach, North Texas, 2017-19
Strength and Conditioning Coach, Miami (Fla.), 2019-22
Strength and Conditioning Coach, Kansas State, 2022-present
Playing Honors
Springfield College (Wide Receiver), 2009-13
Education
Bachelor’s degree in applied exercise science, Springfield [Mass.] College, 2013
Personal
Wife: Jenna
- Has 12 years of experience working specifically with men's basketball teams, including stints at Arkansas State, North Texas, Miami (Fla.) and K-State
- Has been part of coaching staffs that have produced five 20-win seasons, a pair of Elite Eight runs (2022, 2023) and a CBI Championship in 2018
- Helped train 10 all-conference players in the last five years (2019-25) as well as All-Americans Keyontae Johnson and Markquis Nowell
- Was a four-year lettermen as a wide receiver at Division III Springfield College
Features (click on headline for link)
- 'A Staple of Our Program' (K-State Sports Extra, Sept. 26, 2023)
- Baier Excited for Opportunities On and Off the Court in Manhattan (K-State Sports Extra, April 27, 2022)
Baier has been part of a staff that has helped reenergize a K-State program the past 3 seasons, leading the Wildcats to 61 wins, including 28 in Big 12 play, with consecutive postseason appearances (2023 NCAA Tournament, 2024 NIT) highlighted by the run to the 2023 Elite Eight. Among the 61 wins the past 3 seasons are 16 against teams ranked in the Top 25, including 7 Top 10 opponents.
During their memorable first season in 2022-23, Baier continued his recent run of developing Elite Eight team, helping the Wildcats defy preseason expectations to win 26 games and advance to within one game of the Final Four. The 26 wins are the third-most in school history, trailing the school-record 29 in 2009-10 and the 27 in 2012-13, and just the eighth 25-win campaign.
En route to the Elite Eight run, Baier assisted in the development of a pair of All-Americans in 2023 Bob Cousy Award winner Markquis Nowell and forward Keyontae Johnson, who became the first duo in school history to each earn the recognition from The Associated Press when they were selected to the Third Team. Both players were named to the All-Big 12 First Team, while Johnson was the league's Newcomer of the Year.
In addition to his work with Johnson and Nowell, Baier helped train four more All-Big 12 performers in Third Team selection Coleman Hawkins (2024-25) and honorable mention picks Arthur Kaluma (2023-24), David N’Guessan (2024-25) and Tylor Perry (2023-24).
Baier has 12 years of experience working specifically with men’s basketball teams, including full-time stints at Arkansas State (2015-17), North Texas (2017-19), Miami (2019-22) and now K-State. He has been a part of five 20-win seasons, two runs to the Elite Eight (2022, 2023) and a CBI Championship in 2018.
Baier came to K-State in April 2022 following a three-year stint working as the strength coach for head coach Jim Larranaga at Miami (Fla.), where he helped in the development of a Hurricane program that advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time in 2021-22 while posting the fourth-highest win total (26) in program history.
In 2021-22, three Hurricanes earned All-ACC honors, including senior guard Kameron McGusty becoming just the third First Team selection in school history and the first since 2013. Sophomore guard Isaiah Wong earned Third Team recognition for the second straight season in 2021-22, while senior guard Charlie Moore was selected both Honorable Mention All-ACC as well as to the All-Defensive Team. All told, four Hurricane players combined to earn five All-ACC accolades during Baier’s time in Coral Gables.
Baier joined the Miami staff after a two-year stint (2017-19) at North Texas, where he worked with the Mean Green men’s basketball and women’s volleyball teams. Each program enjoyed tremendous success under Baier’s guidance, as the men’s basketball team reached the 20-win mark in both seasons, collecting 41 total victories and the 2018 CBI Championship, while the volleyball team won 48 matches, including a 29-4 campaign in 2017 that feature a Conference USA regular-season title.
Baier joined the staff at Arkansas State in 2015, spending two seasons (2015-17) working with the Red Wolves’ men’s basketball, men’s and women’s track and field, cheerleading and dance squads, along with assisting with the football team. He helped develop teams that won three Sun Belt titles, including a pair in football (2015, 2016) and one in men’s outdoor track and field (2016), while the men’s basketball team made the second-best turnaround in Division I in 2016-17 with a 10-win improvement to post the school’s first 20-win season since 1997-98.
It was at ASU where Baier met current K-State assistant coach Jareem Dowling in 2016 then moved with him to North Texas to be a part of head coach Grant McCasland’s coaching staff in 2017-18 and 2018-19.
Baier broke into the strength and conditioning business as a graduate assistant at SE Missouri State from 2013-15, working with the Redhawk men’s and women’s basketball and women’s tennis teams. He also assisted with the strength and conditioning activities with the football team.
Prior to becoming a graduate assistant at SEMO, Baier served strength and conditioning internships at Harvard (Summer 2012 and USC (Spring 2013) in between his final season playing football at Springfield College. He worked with eight different sports at Harvard, including men’s basketball, football and men’s ice hockey, while he spent time with 10 teams at USC, including primarily with women’s crew.
A native of Braintree, Mass., Baier was a four-year letterman (2009-13) as a wide receiver for Division III Springfield College, where he earned All-Liberty League honors in 2012 after posting 12 catches for 262 yards and team-leading 5 touchdowns. He had 728 receiving yards on 32 catches with 9 touchdowns in his final two seasons. He earned a bachelor's degree in Applied Exercise Sciences with a minor in coaching from the school in 2013.
Baier is working on a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from SE Missouri State. He also holds certifications from the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association, Poliquin International and the American Red Cross.
Baier and his wife, Jenna, were married in May 2023. The couple have two dogs, Atlas and Ross.
Professional/Coaching Experience
Strength and Conditioning Intern, Harvard, Summer 2012
Strength and Conditioning Intern, USC, Spring 2013
Graduate Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach, SE Missouri State, 2013-15
Strength and Conditioning Coach, Arkansas State, 2015-17
Strength and Conditioning Coach, North Texas, 2017-19
Strength and Conditioning Coach, Miami (Fla.), 2019-22
Strength and Conditioning Coach, Kansas State, 2022-present
Playing Honors
Springfield College (Wide Receiver), 2009-13
Education
Bachelor’s degree in applied exercise science, Springfield [Mass.] College, 2013
Personal
Wife: Jenna
K-State MBB | Tang Talkin' Transfers - Khamari McGriff
Monday, September 15
K-State MBB | Tang Talkin' Transfers - Abdi Bashir Jr
Wednesday, September 10
K-State MBB | Hang With Tang On The Go (Season 4, Episode 1)
Friday, September 05
K-State MBB | Coach Driscoll Mic'd Up
Friday, August 08
