Western Illinois coach Stan Hyman was diagnosed last week with leukemia, he said this afternoon. He immediately began chemotherapy treatment at a clinic in nearby Peoria, Ill., and he said today that associate head coach Brock Bainter will run the program during the fall.

"Everybody’s hope is that I’ll beat the disease and be back by the end of the fall or the beginning of January," Hyman said. "They caught it pretty early on."

Hyman said he’ll have a better idea how his treatment is progressing in mid-August. Everyone here at Baseball America wishes him the best of luck with a speedy recovery.

Hyman regularly puts together one of the nation’s most rigorous nonconference schedules, and his Leathernecks have come up with big wins against ranked powers Missouri, Long Beach State and Oklahoma State over the last two seasons. He has guided Western Illinois to an 88-74 record in Summit League play during his eight-year tenure.