Coaches' Bios

Carmen Nocera

Head Baseball Coach


Carmen Nocera enters his 13th season with the Westminster College baseball program in 2012, including his 10th year (ninth consecutive) as head coach. The Titans have qualified for the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) Tournament in four of the last five years, including the 2011 team that placed second and posted a 25-16 record which tied for the second-most wins in school history.

Nocera guided Westminster to its first conference championship in 40 years when the Titans won the 2005 PAC Championship with Nocera earning PAC Coach of the Year accolades.

In nine years as head coach in 2000 and from 2004-10, Nocera’s record is 162-187 (.464), while the Titans are 228-221-1 (.508) in combined years with Nocera as head coach and associate head coach (2001-03).

Many players have enjoyed success under Nocera’s watch, including 18 players earning a total of 24 all-PAC selections since 2004. John Izzo earned all-PAC honors for four years from 2006-09 and broke six school career records including hits and home runs. Brandon Drespling earned two all-PAC honors in 2007 and 2008 before becoming the first Westminster player in over 30 years to sign with a Major League team when he signed with the Brewers in 2008.

Prior to coming to Westminster, Nocera served for several years as head coach at nearby New Castle High School (1993-99). He also was a scout for both the Kansas City Royals (1989-91) and Florida Marlins (1991-99). Nocera is an accomplished amateur player, earning MSBL Eastern United States MVP honors in 1998 and Midwest Region MVP laurels in 1996.

A graduate of Geneva College, Nocera earned his M.Ed. from Kensington (Calif.) University, his Master's of Education from Westminster, and his Ph.D. from LaSalle University. He also earned principal and superintendent certification from Westminster and special education certification from Slippery Rock.

Nocera currently works full time as principal at JFK and West Side Primary Centers in the New Castle School District. Nocera and his wife, Lisa, reside in Poland, Ohio, with their son, C.J., and daughter, Brielle.

Nocera's Year-by-Year Records:

As Westminster Head Coach Record  
2011 25-16  
2010 14-27  
2009 15-25  
2008 24-16  
2007 17-21  
2006 18-19  
2005 21-16 PAC Champions, PAC Coach of the Year
2004 18-22  
2000 10-25 Co-Head Coach with Sean Kelly
Career Record as a Head Coach: 162-187 (.464)  
     
As Westminster Associate Head Coach    
2003 25-11  
2002 23-9 ECAC Division II Tournament
2001 18-14-1 ECAC Division II Tournament
Total Record While at Westminster 228-221-1 (.508)  

 

Jim Donston
Assistant Coach

 

Jim Donston returns for his third year on the Westminster baseball staff in 2012.

A native of New Castle, Donston previously coached the New Castle Post 343 American Legion Baseball Team for over 20 years.

 

Jack Hay
Assistant Coach

Jack Hay begins his second year on the Titan baseball staff in 2012.

Before joining Westminster, Hay was the head baseball coach at Boardman High School.

 

Larry Kelly

Assistant Coach      

 

Larry Kelly begins his fifth year as an assistant coach on the Westminster baseball staff in 2012.

A New Castle native, who was an assistant coach at New Castle High in the 1970s, Kelly played four years of baseball while attending Slippery Rock University from 1972-75.

 

Ronnie Leith
Assistant Coach

 

Ronnie Leith comes back for his third year as an assistant coach on the Titan baseball staff in 2012.

Prior to Westminster, Leith was the head baseball coach at Woodland Hills High School.

 

Tim Mulligan 
Pitching Coach  

 

Tim Mulligan begins his second year as a pitching coach for the Westminster baseball team in 2012.

Mulligan, previously the pitching coach at Canfield High School in Ohio, is the pitching coach for the Roth Brothers Class “B” 18 & Under team in Youngstown, Ohio. 


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