▁among ▁coach es ▁in ▁NCAA ▁Division ▁II . ▁ ▁Career ▁A ▁native ▁of ▁East ▁Al ton , ▁Illinois ▁and ▁a ▁gradu ate ▁of ▁Ro x ana ▁High ▁School , ▁Collins ▁entered ▁Southern ▁Illinois ▁University ▁Edwards ville ▁( SI UE ) ▁as ▁a ▁student ▁just ▁before ▁the ▁school ▁initi ated ▁inter col leg iate ▁athlet ics . ▁As ▁a ▁junior ▁at ▁SI UE , ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁Harry ▁Gall atin ' s ▁first ▁C oug ar ▁basketball ▁team ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 7 – 6 8 ▁and ▁a ▁vital ▁member ▁of ▁Roy ▁E . ▁Lee ' s ▁inaug ural ▁baseball ▁team ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁returning ▁to ▁play ▁for ▁both ▁teams ▁as ▁a ▁senior . ▁His ▁baseball ▁play ▁earned ▁SI UE ▁Baseball ▁Player ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁hon ors ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁ ▁and ▁resulted ▁in ▁his ▁being ▁the ▁first ▁SI UE ▁student - ath lete ▁to ▁be ▁draft ed ▁to ▁play ▁professional ▁baseball . ▁ ▁Collins ▁was ▁a ▁ 1 2 th ▁round ▁pick ▁of ▁the ▁St . ▁Louis ▁Card inals ▁in ▁the ▁June , ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁Major ▁League ▁Baseball ▁draft ▁as ▁a ▁first ▁bas eman ▁and ▁out f iel der . ▁After ▁two ▁seasons ▁with ▁six ▁clubs ▁in ▁the ▁Card inal ▁organization , ▁Collins ▁returned ▁to ▁SI UE , ▁becoming ▁an ▁assistant ▁coach ▁for ▁Roy ▁Lee . ▁ ▁Collins ▁spent ▁two ▁seasons ▁as ▁Lee ' s ▁assistant , ▁then ▁moved ▁to ▁Lewis ▁and ▁Clark ▁Community ▁College ▁as ▁assistant ▁to ▁coach ▁Arnold