This month, we have honored Club, College and High School Coaches who have made a difference in the world of softball, but we ain’t done yet.
Coming up this week we’ll spotlight and rank more college coaches including today’s outstanding coach, Joe Ausanio of Marist College in New York.
Coach Ausanio has quite the accomplished background in baseball, where he played for a pro team you may have heard of (!), and in softball, where he’s become one of the most successful coaches in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) history…
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Coach: JOE AUSANIO
Team: Marist College
Location of school: Poughkeepsie, New York
Level: DI
Record @ Marist: 326-291 (.528)
How long with current team: entering 13th season
Noteworthy:
- Joe Ausanio is the winningest and longest tenured coach in the history of the Marist College softball program.
- Under Coach Joe’s leadership, Marist has become an annual contender in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.
- Says Assistant AD/SID Mike Ferraro, “Coach Joe and his players have enjoyed a tremendous amount of success at our conference, regional, and national levels both on the field and in the classroom.”
Individual accomplishments:
- Was one of three coaches named to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference 40th Anniversary Softball Team.
- Has won a school record 326 games.
- Has been named MAAC Coach of the Year three times.
- Had a freshman reach the NFCA Top 25 for freshmen in 2019, and another reach the NFCA Top 10 in 2016.
- Has coached one MAAC Player of the Year, two MAAC Pitchers of the Year, and five MAAC Rookies of the Year.
- Has coached two Academic All-Americans, 10 Academic All-District selections, and over 100 MAAC All-Academic Team honorees.
Team accomplishments:
- Has led Marist to two NCAA Tournament appearances and three MAAC regular-season titles.
- His 2016 team, which won both the regular season & conference tournament championships, set a school record with 45 wins.
- Has seven straight winning seasons (2011-17) and has been over .500 in nine of his last 10 years.
- Notable players coached: Claire Oberdorf, Calista Phippen, Kyrsten Van Natta, Maureen Duddy, Melissa Giordano
More on his background:
- Joe played professional baseball for 10 years (1988-97), including parts of two seasons as a relief pitcher with the New York Yankees (1994-95).
- His teammates included Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, David Cone, Don Mattingly, Wade Boggs, Bernie Williams, Paul O’Neill, and Andy Pettitte.
- He also works for the Hudson Valley Renegades (High Class A affiliate of the New York Yankees) as Director of Baseball Operations and Senior Sales Associate.
