MSU hockey head coach Rick Comley:
“Joe’s done a great job, but I think he’s way too young to retire. He does things the way Michigan State believes in and that’s with class and with dignity and by doing things the right way. I think everyone is very proud of him and I wish him the best. I know the head coach next year is going to get a great assistant.”
MSU basketball head coach Tom Izzo:
“He’s an even-keel guy who I think is very good at what he does. He’s done it here through some times when there wasn’t even an emphasis put on (soccer) and that’s hard. It’s so neat to see the new field and it’s so neat to see him having a great year.”
MSU football head coach Mark Dantonio:
“The thing that I think speaks volumes is in 30 years how many people he has affected, not just as a coach but the people at the university. Hopefully, everybody here understands how important that is to the university as a whole.”
MSU women’s soccer head coach Tom Saxton:
“He’s the most influential person outside of my family in my life. (He’s) totally a mentor and I feel very fortunate to be hired by him in 1986. I really credit my great experiences here at the university to Joe. The important thing about him is that he’s a great soccer coach and a great Spartan, but more important than anything else is that he’s a great human being.”
MSU Athletics Director Mark Hollis:
“First of all I came to school in the ’80s, and he was the coach then, and when I came back as assistant athletic director he was still here. To have him coach here still speaks volumes. He is a true old school, loyal coach. That loyalty is not only to the institution, but to the young men that competed for him.”
Northwestern men’s soccer coach Tim Lenahan:
“I think when you watch Michigan State and see their alums come back and how proud they are that they played here, whether they were on the good teams or not, that’s all a tribute to Joe.”
Indiana men’s soccer coach Mike Freitag:
“You love competing against a guy like Joe. He’s a coach you have respect for and he’s a gentleman. His teams will play hard but fair. But he’s also one you can have a good time with. Even though it’s competitive on the field some guys want to be competitive in social fields. But Joe’s not like that. Once the games over he’s thinking about sitting down and having a good time. That’s why everyone likes Joe Baum so much.”
Michigan men’s soccer coach Steve Burns:
“Playing MSU is the biggest game on the schedule. And if you look at the record he has against Michigan you see he’s killing us. You know you are going up against a guy who is so experienced in the system he plays. He has a team that always has success and a team that rises to the challenge.”
Senior forward Doug DeMartin:
“He means so much to me and to this program. I just feel blessed to be able to play for him and to be able to get a win for him in our last home game. He’s had such a great career and to end it like this means a lot.”
Sophomore goalkeeper Avery Steinlage:
“Joe is just so wise. He’s been around the game for so long and even if he’s not the head coach his input will help. He’s just such a great coach.”
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Senior midfielder Zac Scaffidi:
“It’s so special. Winning is just so much more special because it’s Joe’s last year. Being a senior and being able to win for him at our last home game for him is great.”
Senior defender David Hertel:
“Winning today couldn’t be any better. It really ties the whole thing together for coach. I couldn’t ask for a better way to go out as a senior. It’s really just picture perfect.”
