University of Iowa Athletics
Ben  Wilmes - Baseball - University of Iowa Athletics

#19 Ben Wilmes

Position IF
Height 6-0
Weight 175 lbs.
Class So.
B/T R/R
Hometown Johnston, Iowa
High School Johnston

2024

  • Appeared in 48 games, including 37 starts.
  • Batted .273 with 39 hits in 143 at-bats.
  • Had a career-high five home runs and 25 RBIs.
  • Went 3-3 with a double and three runs scored against Florida International on May 18th.
  • Went 2-3 with a home run and 4 RBIs versus Illinois on May 11th.

2023

  • Appeared in 51 games, including 42 starts.
  • Had a .247 batting average in 150 at-bats.
  • Recorded 10 extra base hits, including three home runs.
  • Drove in 24 runs.
  • Eight multi-hit games.
  • Career high three RBIs against Western Michigan on March 25th.
  • Matched a career-high with two doubles at Northwestern on May 19th.
  • Went 2-4 with a home run and two RBIs against Michigan State on May 13th.
  • Drew 40 walks — good for second on the team.

2022 Honors

  • Named to the Dean’s List during the fall semester
  • Started 21 games — seven at second base, eight at third base and six in left field — and appeared in 33 contests
  • Hit .234 (18-of-72) with 23 runs and 15 RBIs
  • Hit .364 (4-of-11) with six runs against Indiana (5/19-21)
  • Went 3-for-4 with four runs and two RBIs in series opener against Hoosiers (5/19)
  • Drove in four runs during the Purdue series (5/6-8)
  • Went 1-for-3 with two RBIs in game one and 1-for-4 with two RBIs in game three
  • Hit .429 (3-of-7) with three runs and two RBIs against Minnesota (4/15-17)
  • Tallied his first career multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-4 with two RBIs in series finale against the Gophers (4/17)
  • Went 1-for-4 and drove in a pair of runs in road win at Milwaukee (4/12)
  • Had his first extra base hit — a double — in game two against Illinois (4/9)
  • Went 1-for-2 with a run and steal against St. Thomas (3/21)
  • Made his first career start against Cornell College (3/2), finishing 1-for-3 with a run and RBI — his firsts in all three categories
  • Made his Hawkeye debut against Ball State (2/19).

High School

  • Ranked as a top-500 player nationally by Perfect Game
  • Rated as the ninth-best player in Iowa by Prep Baseball Report
  • Three-time all-state honoree, earning first-team honors as a junior and senior and second-team honors as a sophomore
  • Des Moines Register all-Iowa Elite Team and first-team Class 4A selection as a senior
  • Three-time all-conference and all-district selection
  • Only freshman on varsity in 2018, starting 36 of 42 games
  • Holds single season school records for runs scored (75), which are the most in Class 4A history
  • Also has records for single season doubles (20), steals (35) and on-base percentage (.605)
  • Holds career records for runs scored (204) and steals (67)
  • Led team to four state tournament appearances, including a 2020 state title and runner-up finishes in 2019 and 2021
  • Team won four straight conference titles from 2018-2021
  • Hit .478 as a senior with a .836 slugging and .605 on-base percentage
  • Had 20 doubles, two triples, eight home runs, 75 runs, 20 hit by pitch, and 35 steals in 44 games as a senior
  • Had a .427 average with six doubles, 18 walks, 15 hit by pitch, 13 steals and a .962 fielding percentage as a junior
  • Had a .378 average with five doubles, 18 walks and 17 HBP as a sophomore and a .381 average with a .486 OBP as a freshman
  • Played for Iowa Sticks from 2011-2020
  • Led team to 2019 PBR Fall Midwest championship
  • Three-time All-Academic Award selection
  • Also lettered in basketball and track and field
  • High school coach was Michael Barta

Personal

  • Born Nov. 25, 2002, in Des Moines, Iowa
  • Son of Alan and Andrea Wilmes
  • Has three older siblings, Abbey, Bailey and Brooke
  • Parents played collegiate baseball and softball at Grand View
  • Abbey played collegiate softball at Grand View, Brooke played collegiate soccer at Simpson College and Brooke played collegiate softball at the University of Missouri
  • Grandfather, Lou Yacinich, is the head coach at Grand View
  • High school teammate of fellow Hawkeyes Peyton Williams and Cade Moss
  • Majoring in sport and recreation management