Tk Kiernan

[email protected]

Sacred Heart

Division 1

My name is Isiah Daubon and I am from Poughkeepsie, NY.

I'm currently an assistant coach at Sacred Heart University.

I work with the hitters and outfielders.

This is my second year coaching overall

I played at Sacred Heart from 2017-2021

I played a graduate year at NJIT in 2022

Mickey Beach

Volunteer Assistant Coach

[email protected]

Longwood

Division 1

Mickey Beach joined Longwood from his alma mater at Coastal Carolina, where he had spent the past five years on staff alongside Oxendine and under 1,200-game winner Gary Gilmore. In that time, Beach served as both a graduate assistant and a student manager and helped the Chanticleers win a pair of Sun Belt titles, including the conference tournament in both 2018 and 2019.

Mickey Beach joined the Longwood baseball staff as a volunteer assistant in the summer of 2021 and is an infield specialist.

The team had its best winning percentage in a season in over five years in Beachs first year which included Longwoods best finish in conference play since 2016.

Beach led Longwood to a .965 fielding percentage in his first season which included 41 double plays turned which was third in the Big South. The Lancers defense had five players finish with an above .980 fielding percentage that had at least 100 chances to do so.

"[Mickey Beach](https://longwoodlancers.com/staff.aspxstaff=315) brings enthusiasm and an extreme passion for the game of baseball to our program," said Oxendine. "His love for student athletes is unmatched. He has a relentless work ethic that is sure to help develop each player on our squad.
 
"Mickey has been by my side for the last 4 years. His loyalty and determination to be better every single day is what excites me about him being a Lancer."
 
As a graduate assistant at Coastal Carolina, Beach earned a pair of master's degrees in three years while also fulfilling coaching duties that included assisting with infielders and serving as a liaison to the analytics team. He also directed the student managers, developing their schedules and responsibilities.
 
"I am excited to join the program at Longwood University and help coach Oxendine build a culture that is second to none," Beach said. "Coach Oxendine is one of the best baseball minds I have been around, and I believe in his vision for the program to bring a Big South baseball championship to Farmville."
 
As an undergraduate student at Coastal Carolina, Beach was a student manager for two years while completing his undergraduate degree. He was the head on-field undergraduate manager with duties that included coordinating and organizing the equipment room and working with the operations director.
 
Outside of Coastal Carolina, Beach was an assistant coach with the Onondaga Flames of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League in 2017. He also worked as an assistant camp coordinator for Gary Gilmore Baseball Camps for five years where he was an instructor and helped market the camp.
 
Beach holds dual master's degrees in business administration and sport management and an undergraduate degree in recreation and sport management.

Ross Learnard

Assistant Coach/Director of Camps

[email protected]

Illinois State

Division 1

Played junior college ball at Parkland College (15,16) and then at Purdue University (17,18). A 2x All-American pitcher out of the pen at Purdue and 3rd team all-Big Ten reliever in 2018. Also broke the single season ERA and saves record at Purdue. 




Moved into the operations role at Illinois State in 2018 when Steve Holm took over as head coach. 

Calvin Peacock

Volunteer Assistant Coach

[email protected]

Bradley

Division 1

Calvin Peacock is in his first season with the Bradley baseball program as the teams volunteer assistant coach. Among his responsibilities on The Hilltop, Peacock will work with the outfielders and serve as BUs first-base coach.
 
Peacock joins the Braves after serving as head coach of the Normal CornBelters of the Prospect League a collegiate summer league throughout the Midwest. The youngest manager in Prospect League history, Peacock led the CornBelters to the playoffs after clinching the Great River Division title during the first-half of the 2021 campaign.
 
A native of Bartonville, Illinois, Peacock also served as pitching coach at Carl Sandburg College during the 2020 season, while leading the Hoots of the Kernels Collegiate League in the summer of 2020.
 
Peacock earned his bachelors degree in business marketing from Chicago State University, where he was a member of the baseball team and earned WAC All-Academic accolades. He was also a NJCAA Academic All-American during his time at Southeastern Illinois College.

John O'Neil

Assistant Coach

[email protected]

Presbyterian

Division 1

ONeil comes to PC from the University of Tennessee at Martin where he spent one season as an assistant coach. He worked with all infield positions, base runners, assisted with team offense and coached third base while also overseeing team travel, field maintenance, scouting reports and other duties.

Canyon McWilliams

[email protected]

Ohio

Division 1

[McWilliams] serves as the Director of Player Development, assisting primarily with the pitchers and infielders.  

Last year, McWilliams finished his playing career at University of Arkansas - Little Rock while earning his Masters in sports management. There, he started in all 50 games in 2022, hit .382 (third in the Sun Belt Conference) with 10 homeruns and 50 RBIs (eight in the SBC). McWilliams finished in the top 10 in the Sun Belt in several offensive categories, including hits (73, seventh), slugging (.634, eighth), and OPS (1.079, seventh), as well as finishing the season on a 16-game hit streak, the longest streak in the Sun Belt all season.  

McWilliams finished the 2021 season with a .300 batting average and one home run in seven games before sustaining a season-ending injury. Notably, he recorded the first ever hit at Oklahoma State's brand-new ballpark, O'Brate Stadium. Later the same game, he hit the first home run by an Oklahoma State opponent in the new stadium 

Prior to Little Rock, McWilliams spent the 2018-20 seasons with Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio. He was an All-Conference selection for the NCAC as a two-way player in both 2018 and 2019, hitting .414 and .392 in those years, respectively. After his senior season was cut short due to Covid-19, McWilliams graduated with a bachelors in mathematics.  

McWilliams began his career at Florida Southern College in 2017, spending one season with the Moccasins as a pitcher. 

McWilliams is from Shaker Heights, Ohio. He was a four-year letter winner at Shaker Heights High School in baseball as well a two-year letter winner in golf.

Trent Verlin

Volunteer Assistant Baseball Coach

[email protected]

Bowling Green

Division 1

My name is Trent Verlin, I am an Assistant baseball coach at Bowling Green State University. Bowling Green State is located in Bowling Green Ohio and are a member of the MAC, an NCAA D1 Conference. At Bowling Green, I coach catchers and work with the hitters as well! Prior to BG I was an Assistant Coach at Penn State Harrisburg an NCAA D3 school in Harrisburg Pa. 

Mike Kunigonis

Head Coach

[email protected]

Northern Illinois

Division 1

Mike Kunigonis has brought a grinders mentality and work ethic to the NIU baseball program in five seasons as head coach.

In 2019, Kunigonis led NIU to the Mid-American Conference Baseball Tournament where the Huskies reached the semifinals and won two games for the first time since 2008. NIU was 20-36 on the season and compiled a 14-12 MAC record, tied for the third-most conference wins in program history. On May 11, Kunigonis won his 100th career game as the Huskies shutout Toledo 4-0.

The Huskies went 20-36 in 2018, highlighted by a 5-3 win at Notre Dame on March 20 for the program's first win over the Fighting Irish since 1995. In 2017, Kunigonis led NIU to a 17-38 overall record and a 11-13 record in the Mid-American Conference. NIU hit for a combined .248 average with a .327 slugging percentage and got on base at a .358 clip. The Huskies averaged eight hits and 4.45 runs per game.

Kunigonis laid the Huskieball foundation for his program right away, during his first season in 2015, as the Huskies swept its opening weekend with a pair of wins over South Dakota State and another over Niagara. NIU would go on to finish the season 22-33, recording a 10-17 mark in Mid-American Conference play. The team improved its batting average by 32 points in Kunigonis first season and scored 1.24 more runs per game. The Huskies swept their midweek series with UIC, defeating the in-state foe home and away. NIU won 24 games in 2016, going 14-10 in the MAC West to finish second behind Ball State. The Huskies won seven straight games at the end of April into May that season, highlighted by a sweep of Bowling Green in which NIU outscored the Falcons 28-4 with back-to-back shutouts to close the series.

Kunigonis, a veteran Division I coach who spent seven years on the staff at Virginia Tech, was named head coach of the Northern Illinois University baseball program on January 5, 2015.

In seven years at Virginia Tech, Kunigonis worked his way up from volunteer assistant coach (2008-10), to assistant coach (2010-13) before being named associate head coach and recruiting coordinator his final two seasons ago. The Hokies twice advanced to the NCAA Regionals during his time in Blacksburg, earning a No. 1 seed and regional host bid in 2013 when they finished as Atlantic Coast Conference runners-up. He served as Virginia Techs hitting coach from 2010-15, and the Hokies ranked among the countrys top offenses in each of those seasons. Tech had the top offense in the ACC in 2014 and ranked in the top 25 nationally in five offensive categories in 2013. The 2011 Virginia Tech team ranked in the top 10 nationally in multiple categories as well.

Over his six seasons, the Hokies had 20 players chosen in the MLB draft, with at least two players drafted each year. In 2010, eight Virginia Tech players were drafted, while six Hokies were selected in the 2013 draft. During Kunigonis time with the Hokies, nine position players were chosen in the draft.

Prior to Virginia Tech, Kunigonis spent one season on the staff at Radford University in Virginia, where he coached the outfielders, worked with the hitters and directed the camps.

Kunigonis experience includes five seasons at two institutions in western New York. He was the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Canisius College in Buffalo during the 2005, 2006 and 2007 seasons, where he also coached the hitters, catchers and outfielders and was also on the staff at Niagara University in a similar capacity for two seasons. Both teams advanced to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament during Kunigonis time in their dugouts.

As a player, Kunigonis played four seasons at American International College. A native of Worcester, Massachusetts, Kunigonis earned a bachelors degree in criminal justice and sociology from AIC in 2001, and completed his masters degree in sports administration at Canisius in 2006. Kunigonis is married to the former Amy Miller and the couple has one daughter, Mary Alice.

He is the Huskies fifth head baseball coach since the program was resurrected in 1991 and the 14th since the teams first season in 1900.

THE MIKE KUNIGONIS FILE:
Education: American International College, 2001, BS criminal justice and sociology; Canisius, 2006, MS, sports administration
Hometown: Worcester, Mass.
Wife: Amy
Children: Mary Alice

PREVIOUS COACHING EXPERIENCE:
2013-14 Virginia Tech, Associate Head Coach
2010-13 Virginia Tech, Assistant Coach
2008-10 Virginia Tech, Volunteer Assistant Coach
2007-08 Radford, Volunteer Assistant Coach
2004-07 Canisius, Assistant Coach
2002-04 Niagara, Assistant Coach

NCAA TOURNAMENT EXPERIENCE
2010 Columbia Regional
2013 Blacksburg Regional
 

Jake Ayers

Coach

[email protected]

Claremont McKenna

Division 3

Jake Ayers enters his third season as an assistant coach with Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in 2019-20, working with the catchers, outfielders and hitters. 

A 12-year veteran of college coaching at the Division III level, Ayers came to CMS on a full-time basis in 2017 after working with Pomona-Pitzer (2013-2017), Juniata College (2011-2013) and Knox College (2007-2011).  The past five seasons in Claremont, Ayers has worked to develop student-athletes that have earned the following awards: 15 All-SCIAC selections, 10 ABCA All-West Region, seven d3baseball.com All-West Region, four ABCA All-Americans, three SCIAC Athletes of the Year, two SCIAC Newcomer of the Year, two d3baseball.com West Region Players of the Year, and two Major League Baseballl signees.

In addition to his baseball duties, Ayers also serves as the Assistant Director, Events and Operations for Roberts Pavilion and CMS Athletics. In this position he manages game-day operations for all varsity athletic events in Roberts Pavilion as well as scheduling, care and maintenance of all athletic facilities. This position also manages the use of all athletic facilities pertaining to off-campus rentals, camps and conferences.

Ayers is a 2006 graduate of Knox College where he was a four-year letter winner in baseball and football.  On the baseball field, Ayers was a four-year starting catcher and two-time unanimous all-Midwest Conference selection.  On the football field, Ayers led the Prairie Fire at quarterback throughout his collegiate career.

During the 2008-2009 seasons, Ayers was the Bullpen Coach for the Lincoln Saltdogs of the independent professional American Association; winning the league title in 2009.  In 2007, Ayers was signed to play in the inaugural Israel Baseball League and caught for the league champion Bet Shemesh Blue Sox.

In 2004, Ayers began his coaching career at the age of 19, when he took over the Farmington (IL) American Legion Post 140 baseball programs.  Ayers was elected a member of Post 140s Hall of Fame in 2005, and is a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA).

Blake Allen

Head Coach

[email protected]

DePauw

Division 3

Blake Allen was named the DePauw University head baseball coach in August 2016.

Career Highlights
A former DePauw student-athlete and assistant coach, he was most recently a baseball assistant at Vanderbilt UniversityServed two stints (2004-08 and 2015-16) for a total of five seasons with the CommodoresAllen's responsibilities included first base coach, assistant hitting coach, bullpen coach and catching coach.With Vanderbilt the team appeared in four NCAA regionals with a 210-101 overall record including a Southeastern Conference championship.45 student-athletes were selected in the MLB draft including two MLB All-Stars and 12 total players currently or previously competing in the majorsVanderbilt players earned 50 All-SEC Academic accolades and 10 all-America honors during that timeAllen was an assistant baseball coach and recruiting coordinator for seven seasons (2009-15) at Western Kentucky Oversaw the Hilltoppers' as its hitting, pitching, and catching coachThe team was ranked in the NCAA Division I Top 25 three different seasons and made one NCAA regional appearance with one Sun Belt Conference titleThe team posted 10 consecutive semesters of at least a 3.0 grade point average with six Academic All-America® honorees.A total of 21 student-athletes were selected in the MLB draft and Hilltoppers players garnered seven All-America honors and 22 all-conference accolades during those seven seasons.For two seasons (2001-2003) came back to DePauw to serve as an assistant baseball couch and for one season coached footballWas an assistant coach for both baseball and football at Franklin College for the 2003-04 year and served as recruiting coordinator
Academic Highlights
Earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Blackburn College ('01)Earned a Master of Science degree from Indiana State University 
 

Footer


[](https://www.ncaa.org/sports/division-iii)[](https://www.northcoast.org/landing/index)

Ron Krsolovic

Assistant Coach

[email protected]

Kenyon

Division 3

Ron Krsolovic, who will serve as the Lords' hitting coach, arrives on campus for the 2021-22 campaign after working as an assistant coach at NCAA Division II Lake Erie College. His main responsibilities with the Storm were working with the hitters and position players.

Krsolovic is a 2019 graduate of NCAA Division I Oakland University, where he was a two-year performer at third base, starting 76 of 78 games for the Golden Grizzlies. As a senior, he was named to the All-Horizon League Academic Team.

Prior to his time at Oakland, Krsolovic was a member of the baseball, cross-country and basketball teams at Harford Community College in Bel Air, Maryland. During his two years at Harford, the baseball team went a combined 105-21, winning 49 of 51 league games and appearing in the College World Series.

Currently, Krsolovic is a member of both the Croatian National Baseball Team and the Tupper Lake RiverPigs of the Empire Professional Baseball League.

Michael Surina

Assistant Coach, Recruiting Coordinator

[email protected]

Pomona-Pitzer

Division 3

Pomona-Pitzer 2019- present. Currently the Recruiting Coordinator and Hitting Coach as well as working with Catchers and Hitters.

Mike Odenwaelder

Assistant Coach / Recruiting Coordinator

[email protected]

Amherst

Division 3

After playing 2 years of professional baseball in the Baltimore Orioles organization, Mike Odenwaelder rejoined the Amherst College Baseball program as an Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator. 

During his career at Amherst Odenwaelder was a part of some of Amherst Colleges most successful years in baseball, winning a NESCAC Championship, and appearing in 3 NCAA Regionals.  Some of his accolades include: NESCAC Rookie of the Year, two-time NESCAC Player of the Year, two-time All-American, and ABCA Rawlings Gold Glove Award Winner.  Following his junior season at Amherst, the Baltimore Orioles selected Odenwaelder in the 16th round of the MLB Draft. 

Mike has experience working with athletes at all levels.  During his off seasons he would train baseball players, both individuals and teams, ranging from middle school to colligate age athletes. Following his professional career, Mike took a job at the IMG Academy working in the Basketball Operations department, specially working with players preparing for the NBA Draft. 

Richie Escalera

Assistant Coach

[email protected]

Cal State-Los Angeles

Division 2

A talented coach with extensive college and high school coaching experience, Richie Escalera joins the Cal State LA baseball coaching staff as an assistant coach.

Escalera comes to Cal State LA after spending one year as the head coach of Golden Valley High School in Santa Clarita.

Before that, Escalera was at Loyola Marymount as an assistant coach before COVID-19 shortened the 2020 season. He still had a big impact on the team and three players signed Major League Baseball contracts, including a pitcher selected in the fourth round of the draft.

Escalera was the recruiting coordinator at the University of Antelope Valley for four seasons before going to Loyola Marymount. He helped guide the team to its first-ever trip to the NAIA World Series in 2016, where they finished sixth out of 10 teams. The Pioneers captured the California Pacific Conference Championship all four years he was there and had an overall record of 156-65-1 (.705).

As one of Antelope Valleys hitting instructors, he helped the Pioneers rank in the top-25 in multiple offensive categories during his tenure, including a No. 2 ranking in doubles per game and a No. 10 ranking in batting average in 2017, fourth in triples and 10th in doubles in 2017 and ranking in the top-10 in hits per game, doubles per game, triples, runs scored per game and runs batted in per game in 2018.

Under his direction, UAV starting catchers posted an average fielding percentage of .986 with one catcher earning a Cal Pac Gold Glove Award in 2017.

Escalera was also a volunteer coach for Division I Cal State Bakersfield. During his time with the Roadrunners, he worked with pitchers for two seasons and hitters and corner infielders for two seasons.

In 2015, he helped led the Roadrunners to the Western Athletic Conference tournament championship and the programs first-ever berth in the NCAA Tournament. The Roadrunners also picked up their first postseason victory with a 2-1 win over the University of Mississippi in the UCLA Regional.

While he was at Cal State Bakersfield, eight Roadrunners were drafted into Major League Baseball. He had the Western Athletic Conferences Player of the Year in 2013 and the WAC Pitcher of the Year in 2015.

Escalera played for two seasons at Mt. San Antonio College and earned first-team All-Conference honors as a freshman and second-team honors as a sophomore. He earned a scholarship to Cal State Bakersfield, where he was on the first baseball team in school history. He started as designated hitter in Cal State Bakersfields first-ever game against St. Louis University.

While at Bakersfield, he was part of the only team in any NCAA Division I sport to beat the defending national champion, beating Fresno State, 4-3. He played from 2009-10 and holds the record for fielding percentage in a season (1.000).

Lance Spongberg

Assistant Coach

[email protected]

William Jewell

Division 2

Lance Spongberg enters his second season as the pitching coach for the Cardinals in 2023. 


August 1, 2022 | Named Assistant Baseball (Pitchers)  



Oversaw a pitching staff that led the GLVC with 13 complete games and was third with three shutouts
Mentored reliever Drew Dant to eight saves, setting the single season NCAA era record
Guided Jake MacDonald who led the staff and ranked third in the league with a 4.60 strikeout-to-walk ratio 



Served as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for Ottawa University (Kan.) helping the Braves to a 2021 Conference Tournament Championship and regional appearance for the first time in school history
Helped led the team to school record 37 wins and 503 strikeouts by the pitching staff
Mentored three All-Conference pitchers and finished in the top-10 in NAIA as a staff in strikeouts
Head Coach of the Haysville Aviators (summer) since 2018, responsible for recruiting and managing a 32-member roster of collegiate players
Spent time at Morningside College (Iowa) serving as an assistant coach in charge of hitters, catchers, pitchers and fundraising while mentoring 23 All-Conference players including the GPAC Player of the Year in 2018
 


Played collegiately at Morningside College leading the team to 2016 NAIA Regional Tournament 
Was a four-time All-Conference pitcher
Two-time NBC World Series Qualifier and 2015 national runner-up with the Haysville Aviators 
2014 Walter Johnson League Co-Pitcher of the Year
2014 NBC World Series All-America 
Pitched for the Sioux City Explorers of the American Association of Professional Baseball following collegiate career


Earned his bachelor's degree in business administration and coaching from Morningside College (2016) and a master's in business administration and leadership development from Ottawa University (2020)

Jake Bullington

[email protected]

Tampa

Division 2

University of Tampa asst coach since 2013, 2 time National Champ. 

Nick Eversole

[email protected]

Barton

Division 2

I am currently the Associate Head Coach, Recruiting Coordinator, Head Development Coach, Hitting Coach, and Catching Coach at Barton College. I began at Barton in the fall of 2022. Previously, I spent 7 years at Bellarmine University as Recruiting Coordinator, Hitting Coach and Catching Coach. Before that, I coached for 2 years at my alma mater, Bloomsburg University.

Evan Patrick

[email protected]

Hanover

Division 3

I am in my second season as an Assistant Baseball Coach at Hanover College. We compete in the HCAC Conference in Division III Baseball. I played collegiately at Transylvania University, I was a pitcher. My career was cut short due to injury, however I was able to learn from the coaching staff filling as best I could to help the coaching staff with any needs.

Shawn Counts

[email protected]

Austin

Division 3

Shawn Counts enters his third season as the head coach of the Austin College baseball team in 2022-23, serving in that role in an interim capacity during the 2022 campaign.

Counts, a native of Tom Bean, began working with the 'Roos as an assistant in 2019 and previously served as an assistant coach at Grayson College from 2008-2018. During his time at Grayson, he helped develop 25 players who have gone on to play within Major League Baseball organizations and assisted in guiding the Vikings to the Junior College World Series in 2011. Grayson won four conference titles while Counts worked as assistant, and made nine consecutive NJCAA Region V tournament appearances.

Counts helped lead [Austin College](http://acroos.com/) to upticks in both overall wins and [Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference](http://scacsports.com/) victories this season, as well as coaching three players to All-SCAC accolades. Along with his experience at both Grayson and [Austin College](http://acroos.com/), Counts also previously was the Head Coach the Melville Millionaires of the Western Canadian Baseball League to the WMBL championship in 2013, a year in which he was also named the WMBL Coach of the Year.

Dean Peterson

Pitching Coach

[email protected]

Frostburg State

Division 3

I have served as the assistant coach at Frostburg for 4 years and during that time we have won back to back divisional titles. In the last two years we have had 9 first team all conference selections, 6 all region players, and 2 all

Americans.

Ricky Walker

Pitching Coach/Recruiting Coordinator

[email protected]

Oregon Tech

NAIA

Ricky Walker enters his third season at Oregon Tech. Walker serves as the Owls Pitching Coach, Recruiting Coordinator, as well as oversees the nutrition of the Owls Baseball team.

While at Oregon Tech, Coach Walker has lead the pitching staff to the second lowest ERA, lowest OPPBA, most Strikeouts per 9, most saves. and most strikeouts, since the program restarted in 2002.

Prior to joining OIT, Coach Walker served as head baseball coach at Barstow Community College (CA) from 2018-2020 and was the lead assistant for BCC from 2014-2018.
 
In Walkers time with BCC, he led the Vikings to produce 33 All-Conference Players, 8 CCCAA Academic All-State honorees, 5 Southern California Players/Pitchers of the Week, one ABCA All American, one CCCBCA All-State Selection, one CCCBCA All So-Cal Team honoree, as well as a  Rawlings Big Stick Award Winner. Walker played an integral part in the matriculation process helping student find four-year colleges to continue their student-athlete careers. Throughout Coach Walkers tenure at BCC, 36 student-athletes signed National Letters of Intent to continue their academic career and play baseball at four-year colleges/universities.
 
Walker has served as an assistant at Kansas Wesleyan University (2012-2014), an assistant at Willamette University (OR/2010-2012), and Colorado Christian University (2006-2010), where Walker helped lead the Cougars to three straight NCCAA Division I Regional Championships and World Series appearances, finishing 3rd in 2009
Coach Walker resides in Klamath Falls with his wife Shaila, their daughter Lainey, twins REX and Sydney, and their two dogs Pudge and Yadi

Tyler Simmons

Director of On-Campus Recruiting

[email protected]

North Carolina-Charlotte

Division 1

Working primarily with Charlotte's catchers, Simmons has helped produce one of the most prolific defensive catchers the team has ever had in Kaden Hopson. Hopson calls all the pitches during the game and helped CLT set program records in 2023 for the best fielding percentage (.979), most putouts (1,678), and fewest passed balls (2). Hopson recorded the most putouts any single player has had in one season with 592 in 2023 and posted a .9968 fielding percentage for the seventh-best individual FLD% in a single season in program history. Under Simmons' guidance in his two years at Charlotte, Hopson has the second-best career fielding percentage (.996) and has already worked his way into the team's top 10 lists for most career chances and putouts.
 
In 2020, Simmons assisted in bringing modern technology to the Niners with the additions of P3 out of St. Louis, Rapsodo and Blast Motion. Simmons was a featured speaker at the 2020 ABCA Convention demonstrating how the 49ers use Rapsodo and Blast Motion hitting in today's tech world. The 49ers used those new forms of technology, including the implementation of high speed cameras, to improve in all facets both on and off the field. Simmons also became Driveline Hitting Certified in 2020. 
  
From 2017-2019, Simmons had served as the Volunteer Assistant and Catching Coordinator with the 49ers. In 2018, catcher Harris Yett was named a semifinalist for the prestigious Johnny Bench award for the nation's top catchers and again in 2019. Yett went on to be drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 32nd round of the 2019 MLB Draft. Along with Yett, Simmons has helped six Niners go onto to play at the next level.

Tyler Schuch

[email protected]

Oberlin

Division 3

Tyler Schuch joined Oberlin College in the fall of 2022. He is the assistant coach, recruiting coordinator, and pitching coach.

Prior to Oberlin, he was apart of the Allegheny baseball program as an assistant coach beginning in October 2020.During his tenure there, his pitching staff set the single season strikeout record in the spring of 2022. Additionally, he helped produce 2 All-NCAC pitchers. 

Prior to arriving in Meadville, Schuch spent the prior two years with the Ohio Elite Baseball program. He served as head coach of the 17U team while assisting the 16U team. During his stint, he handled both programs social media accounts while also tending to base coaching duties.

A 2017 graduate of The College of Wooster, Schuch enjoyed a stellar four-year career as a member of the Fighting Scots baseball program. A letter winner all four years and two-time NCAC champion, he was a utility player seeing time on the mound and in the outfield.

Upon graduating from Wooster, Schuch returned to his alma mater as an assistant coach from 2017-2019 and was a part of a staff that led the program to two more NCAC championships and an appearance in the Division III College World Series. 

Caleb Fenimore

Assistant Coach

[email protected]

Wabash (IN)

Division 3

I have been coaching at Wabash College for the past 3 years. I have worked primarily with the outfielders on the defensive side and was named the Hitting Coach for this past season. I also have experience as a Head Coach overseas in Germany in the 1. Bundesliga as well as playing experience at D1 IPFW (now Purdue Fort Wayne) and 8 overseas seasons in Germany and Australia where I was named Top 5 Overseas Hitter by BBJO in 5 of those seasons.

Pat Horvath

Head Coach/Coordinator of Community Engagement

[email protected]

Jefferson

Division 2

Horvath has turned a five-win program into a perennial contender for the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Tournament.
In 2016, Horvath led the Rams to their best season in 21 seasons as Philadelphia racked up 23 victories and reached the championship game of the CACC Tournament for the first time since joining the conference in 2005. The 23 victories are the most for the team since a 25-win campaign in 1995. Philadelphia had one of the top offenses in the conference, leading the CACC in home runs (42) and ranking second in batting average (.283), slugging percentage (.421), hits (470), runs (303), doubles (86), total bases (700), walks (189), and runs batted in (269).
Pitcher/second baseman Fernando Garza was named the CACC Player of the Year and became the programs first All-American since 1998 with his selection to the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA), and Division II Conference Commissioners Association All-America teams. First baseman Steven Wells earned a place on the All-CACC first team, and ABCA and NCBWA All-East Region teams.
The Rams had a 17-23 overall record during the 2014 campaign and went 9-11 against the conference, missing the CACC Tournament by a single game. Philadelphia had John Sczepanski and Ken McCormick named to the All-CACC first team, marking the first time since 2008 that the Rams had two all-conference first-team players. McCormick went on to receive Daktronics Division II All-East Region second team recognition. Jordan Force was tabbed for the 2014 East Region American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings Gold Glove second team.
Philadelphia took major steps in the right direction in 2013. The Rams went 19-28-1, qualified for the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Tournament for the first time since 2008, and won the Bill Giles Invitational Tournament for the first time in 11 seasons with an 11-6 victory over Wilmington at Citizens Bank Park.
The 2012 season saw the Rams post an 11-33 overall record, a six-win improvement from Horvaths first season with the team. Center fielder Rick Reigner was tabbed All-CACC honorable mention and the team earned the conferences Team Sportsmanship Award.
Before coming to East Falls, Horvath spent the 2010 season as an assistant coach at Division I Rider University, where he worked with the catchers and also served as the third base coach. In his one season at Rider, the Broncs won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference crown and went to the NCAA Regional Tournament in Austin, Texas.
In 2009, Horvath was the head coach at Santa Fe Catholic High School in Lakeland, Fla. He spent two seasons with San Diego Christian College (SDCC) as the head coach in 2008 and an assistant in 2007. At SDCC, Horvath had two players selected in the 2008 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft and the team had a cumulative grade point average of 3.0. Horvath also has coaching experience at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Palm Beach Atlantic University, his alma mater.
At Palm Beach Atlantic, where he graduated in 2004 with a degree in history, Horvath was a catcher for the Sailfish during the 2002 and 2003 seasons. Horvath also attended Faulkner State Community College in Alabama.
Horvath resides in Huntingdon Valley, Pa., with his wife Jackie and two sons.
Pat Horvath's Coaching Record

Pat Boen

Head Coach

[email protected]

Stonehill

Division 2

Boen's student-athletes recieved All-NE-10 honors, highlighted by Dan Fratus and Chris Hoyt who were named to the first team. Stonehill maintained its consistent level of success in 2014, as the Skyhawks won 30 games and reached the NE-10 Tournament for the fourth time in five seasons. Stonehill went 30-20 overall, including 17-10 in conference play. At the conclusion of the season, five of Boen's student-athletes earned All-NE-10 honors, highlighted by junior pitcher Jim Duff, who was also a consensus All-East Region selection before becoming Stonehill's second Major League Baseball draft pick in program history. Duff was chosen in the 20th round (595th overall) by the New York Mets. In 1998, his first season on the bench, Boen led Stonehill to a then-school-record 25 wins, earning the program's first NE-10 postseason berth in 12 years. The following year, he earned his first career NE-10 Coach of the Year award after the team captured a share of the NE-10 regular-season title for the first time since 1985. Boen earned his first career New England Division II Coach of the Year selection and his second straight NE-10 Coach of the Year award in 2000. In what was then the program's most successful year to date, Stonehill won 34 games and both the NE-10 regular-season and tournament titles, and earned the program's first-ever NCAA tournament bid. The team advanced to the Northeast Regional championship game, falling to conference rival Saint Rose. The Stonehill program has remained a perennial NE-10 contender during Boen's tenure, returning to the postseason tournament six times in the past decade and breaking into the NCAA Division II East Regional rankings. Boen earned his third NE-10 Coach of the Year selection in 2006, following a 28-win season and a second-place finish in the conference. 2012 marked the third consecutive season that Boen led Stonehill to a 30-win campaign, as the Skyhawks finished 30-19 overall and 18-11 in the NE-10. Four players earned All-Conference honors from the NE-10, including senior Michael White, who was also selected to play in the NEIBA All-Star Game. In 2011, Stonehill posted a 30-18 record overall and made its second-straight trip to the NE-10 tournament. Under Boen's guidance, Stonehill's became the first student-athlete in program history to be drafted by a Major League Baseball (MLB) club when the hometown Boston Red Sox selected him in the 28 round (862 overall) of the 2011 MLB First Year Player Draft. Boen also aided four players in earning NE-10 postseason honors. The 2010 Skyhawks made a return to the top of the NE-10 ranks, claiming the conference tournament title in a 31-win season and earning their second trip to the NCAA tournament as the fourth seed in the East Region. Stonehill knocked off New Haven and C.W. Post in the opening rounds before being eliminated by Franklin Pierce. Boen has coached over 40 All-Conference players during his tenure at Stonehill, including a pair of conference Players of the Year in Mark Langone '00 and Junior Medina '02, and 2005 Northeast-10 Pitcher of the Year Billy Sittig '06. Medina and Sittig also became the program's first two All-America honorees with their selections in 2002 and 2005. A native of Brockton, Mass., Boen was a standout shortstop on the Stonehill diamond from 1986 through 1989, and was also the starting point guard for the Skyhawk basketball squad, helping lead the team to the 1988-89 Northeast-10 title. He came to Stonehill after a standout career at neighboring Brockton High, where he led the Boxers to the state basketball championship as a senior in 1985, and was inducted into the Brockton High School Hall of Fame. A noted camp and clinic coach throughout the region, Boen is the director of the Skyhawk Baseball School hosted on campus every summer. He resides in Mansfield, Mass. with his wife Shelly and their children Lauren, Michael, Max, and Matt.

Mike Rocco

Head Coach

[email protected]

Assumption

Division 2

The Hounds posted a 15-32 record on the season while going 8-16 in conference play. Assumption struggled on the road, going 6-19 away from home. Cole Durkin hit a walk-off homerun in the bottom of the ninth to push Assumption over Bentley 7-6. Additionally, Assumption closed the year with two wins at home vs Saint Anselm College. Jared Berardino was selected to Northeast-10 All Conference First Team while also making the NCBWA All-East Region Second Team. Jack Barry joined Berardino on the First Team while also being selected to the All-Defensive Team. Kyle Keating was named to the NE10 All-Rookie Team.

The Greyhounds registered their second most wins in a season under Rocco in 2022, going 25-23 while winning 13 conference games and losing 11. They were stronger at home, going 10-5 at home and 8-13 on the road. Notable moments included a series sweep vs Saint Michael's College while qualifying for the NE10 tournament. The Hounds defeated Franklin Pierce in the First Round before losing to Adelphi in the Second Round. Assumption stayed alive due to double elimination. They defeated Le Moyne and Adelphi to advance to the Northeast-10 Championship series. 

In the 2021 season, Rocco led the Greyhounds to a 12-11 record while going 11-10 in conference. Assumption had to travel for the majority of their games, going 2-2 in home while going 7-9 on the road. Assumption started closing the year with wins against Southern New Hampshire and earned a bid into the NE10 tournament. They defeated Stonehill 10-4 in the Northeast-10 Championship First Round. 

Mike Rocco enters his eighth season as the Assumption College baseball head coach in 2020. He comes into this season with a 129-23-3 overall record and a 108-152-3 record at Assumption. The Hounds had a 5-8-1 record going into the season before it was cancelled due to the COVID pandemic. 
During the 2019 season, Rocco guided the Hounds to a 26-20 overall record in 2019 with his team going 4-4 while away for the birth of his son, Sammy, along with a 14-12 record within the Northeast-10. He also coached the Hounds to a 6-0 start, their best start to a season in over a decade. His team qualified for the NCAA Playoff Tournament as the No. 7 seed, the first time the program had made the tournament in 10 years. Two of his players received NE-10 Third-Team All-Conference Honors, while one earned All-Rookie Team Honors. His team defeated nationally ranked Southern N.H. on April 28 and his team posted at least one win against each NE-10 Northeast Division foe. 

Rocco guided the Hounds to a 17-28-2 record to go with a mark of 11-16-2 in NE10 Conference play during 2018. Rocco coached two players to postseason honors, as Andrew Jaehnig and Quinn Moynihan were awarded with All-NE10 recognition. Jaehnig was named First Team All-Conference, while Moynihan was named Third Team All-Conference. Jaehnig was also named NCBWA and D2CCA First Team All-Region and became the 12th player in program history to collect 200 hits in his career. The team also earned wins over Franklin Pierce and No. 7 New Have over the course of the year.
The 2017 season was Rocco's fourth season in charge of the Greyhounds, where he kept them in the fight for a postseason berth right up until the final few weeks of the season. The Hounds finished with a 17-25 overall record to go with a mark of 10-17 in NE10 Conference play. Rocco coached a pair of Hounds to postseason honors, led by Andrew Jaehnig who recieved a plethora of accolades after claiming the East Region batting title. Jaehnig was named First Team All-NE10, while Jared Brescia earned NE10 All-Rookie Team recognition. The duo were also bestowed with Worcester Area All-Star honors, as Jaehnig was named First Team and Player of the Year, while Brescia was named to the Second Team. On top of that, Jaehnig earned First Team All-East Region honors by the NCBWA, D2CCA and ABCA/Rawlings. Jaehnig also became the 11th player in program history to be named All-American when the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) bestowed upon him the honors.

In 2016, Rocco led the greyhounds to their first postseason berth since 2009. The Hound finished with a 19-25 record and were 14-15 in Northeast-10 Conference play. Three members of the Assumption baseball team received NE-10 All-Conference honors for their play in 2016: Andrew Jaehnig (Second Team), Mike Coggeshall (Third Team) and Hunter Tralli (All-Rookie Team). Three Hounds were also named as Worcester Area All-Stars (Coggeshall, Jaehnig, Curtis). Not only did Rocco coach several regular-season award winners, but Assumption also boasted six Hounds in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL) during the summer of 2016. These include Coggeshall, Tom Horstkotte and Kyle Chudoba (Worcester Bravehearts), Jake Byrne (Wachusett Dirt Dogs), Clay Yianacopolus (North Shore Navigators) and Tralli (Torrington Titans).

During the 2014 season, Roccos first season as head coach of the Greyhounds, the team went 19-20 with a 13-16 conference record, a 10-11 divisional record and was in the hunt for the Northeast-10 Conference playoffs all the way up until the last weekend of the season.  Three of his players received Northeast-10 All-Conference recognition (Mike Coggeshall, Greg ODonnell, and Ysander Figueroa).  Four of his players were named to the All-Worcester Team (Coggeshall, ODonnell, Figueroa, and Kevin OConnor).  He also coached one of his players to become Worcester Area player of the year (Figueroa). Cody Rocha, one of the teams captains, received the 2014 Rev. Alfred R. Berthiaume 32 Memorial Award for goingAbove and Beyond at the Assumption College Senior Athletic Banquet.   

In addition to his role as the head baseball coach, Rocco also works as an operations coordinator in the Assumption athletics equipment room.

COACHING CAREER
Head Coach at Lesley University (2011-13)Assistant Coach at Nashua Silver KnightsAssistant Coach at Daniel Webster College Assistant Coach at Keene Swamp Bats of the NECBLHead Coach at Lowell American LegionHead Coach of Daniel Webster Cross Country Team
AWARDS
Coach of the Year - Daniel Webster Cross Country Team, 2008New England Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year, 2011
PLAYING CAREER
Rocco was a four-year starter for Bryant University as a first baseman. He completed his career as the program leader in games played at 204 and third in career hits with 221. In addition, he also holds the NCAA Division II career and single-season records for putouts.As a freshman in 2004, he was named as the Northeast-10 Freshman of the Year as helped lead the Bulldogs to their first-ever Division II College World Series appearance. The following year, Rocco was a member of the Bryant University basketball team that advanced to the NCAA Division II National Championship Game.
PERSONAL
Rocco and his wife Lindsay reside in Westminster, Mass. with their son Sammy and daughter Kasey.Rocco earned his Bachelor of Science degree in communications from Bryant University in 2007, where he was also a history minor. He also holds a masters degree in athletic administration from Endicott College (Mass.), which he completed in 2013.Prior to attending Bryant, Rocco was a varsity athlete in three sports at Tewksbury Memorial High School (Basketball, Baseball, Football). He is also ambidextrous and can throw both right and left-handed. In 2016, he was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame.

Ryan Vruggink

Assistant Coach

[email protected]

Texas-Tyler

Division 2

Current pitching coach at the University of Texas at Tyler (NCAA D2). Previously worked at Mineral Area College (NJCAA D1) for 3 years. 

Served as the head coach of the Florence RedWolves of the Coastal Plain League and as an assistant for the Macon Bacon and Martinsville Mustangs in the same league. 

Pitcher at the University of Houston (2011-2014) and Arkansas Tech University (2014-2016).