Baseball Staff

Nick Rhodes
	College Coaching Experience Fairfield UniversityProfessional Playing Experience Tampa Bay Rays System Gulf Coast Rays St. Petersburg Rays Hudson Valley Renegades Charleston River Dogs
Coach Rhodes is a two time Draft pick of the Tampa Bay Rays. He was drafted out of Danbury High School as a catcher and played three seasons in the Rays Minor League system. In 2011, Rhodes was hired by Division 1, Fairfield University to work with the teams catchers and hitters.Upon being drafted out of Danbury High School, where he was a member of both the Baseball and Wrestling teams, Coach Rhodes opted to attend Norwalk Community College to play for their Nationally ranked NJCAA baseball team. He was drafted again after his first year at NCC but decided to stay for one more season. In his second season Rhodes was named Captain of the team and helped lead the NCC Panthers to a National Championship.Back to top ^

Jim Dunn
	College Playing Experience Norwalk Community College University of New Haven
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Mike Cole
	College Coaching Experience University of Vermont University of Maine Manhattan College NJIT Fairfield UniversityCollege Playing Experience University of Vermont
Coach Cole is in his fifth year at Fairfield University where he works with the infielders and hitters. He spent nine years as an assistant coach with three highly successful programs, including the University of Vermont, Manhattan College, and the University of Maine. In his nine seasons as an assistant, Cole’s teams posted overall winning records seven times, reaching 31 wins, or more, five times. Cole also was the top assistant at Manhattan in 2006 when the Jaspers won their first-ever Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) crown and advanced to the NCAA Regional championship game.Cole played his college ball at the University of Vermont from 1997-2001 and served as an assistant coach there for four seasons. As a student-athlete, Cole earned All-America East honors as a third baseman and graduated as UVM’s career leader in games played, doubles, and runs batted in and ranked second in hits.Back to top ^

Trevor Brown

College Coaching Experience
Georgetown University
Fordham University
Pace University
Fairfield UniversityProfessional Playing Experience
AC Diamond Dogs
Johnstown Steel

Coach Brown begins his third year with the Fairfield University baseball team as the program’s top assistant coach. Brown will focus his efforts on recruiting as well as working with the pitching staff and assisting in the day-to-day operations.
The Stags pitching staff led the MAAC with a 3.93 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP with opponents hitting just .269 in 2012. Fairfield also set single season records for innings pitched (460.1), strikeouts (315), and shutouts (5).Brown came to Fairfield after spending two seasons as the pitching coach at Fordham University. While working with the Rams, Brown was able to cut the pitching staff ERA almost in half and helped them to a 30-win season.Prior to Fordham, Brown spent seven years at Pace University where his staffs ranked among the leaders in the conference and in the nation in ERA, strikeouts and saves. In 2009, Pace’s pitching staff ranked third in the conference in strikeouts (297) and saves (11) while Brown coached his hurlers in 2008 to the top ranking in Division II in ERA (2.62) and hits per inning. In 2007, Brown’s pitching staff ranked second in the conference in strikeouts, saves and runners picked off and third in opposing team’s batting average and fourth in ERA.Brown also served as pitching coach at Georgetown University for two seasons. Brown, a 2000 graduate of Eastern Connecticut State University began his coaching career at his alma mater from 1999-2000. He was also a manager for four summer league teams, including the Manchester Silkworms and the Eastern Tides of the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL).

Brown brings professional playing experience, having played two seasons in the Western Australian Baseball League with one-year stints with the Albany-Colonie Diamond Dogs of the Eastern League and the Johnstown Steel of the Frontier League.

Gary Dunn
	AAU Coaching Experience CT Tides 14u-18uCollege Playing Experience University of Connecticut
Gary attended Wilton High School and played centerfield for the Warriors. He was a three time All-FCIAC selection and a two time All-State selection. At the completion of his senior season, Gary received the tremendous honor of being named to the High School All-American team. Following his success at the high school level, Gary attended the University of Connecticut and played outfield for the Huskies in the highly competitive Big EAST Conference.Back to top ^

Zac
	College Coaching Experience Fairfield University Purchase College Iona CollegeCollege Playing Experience University of Bridgeport
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Softball Staff

Christa Leighton
	Coaching Experience Yorktown High SchoolCollege Playing Experience Seton Hall University
Christa is a graduate of Brewster High School where she was a member of the varsity field hockey, cheerleading, and softball teams. In her senior year, she assisted her team to the New York State Softball Semi-Finals and received All State recognition as an outfielder. After graduating in 2004, Christa committed to Division I Big East Seton Hall on a softball scholarship. As a freshman catcher, Christa and her teammates won the Big East Championship and a NCAA DI Regional appearance. She was awarded Big East Academic All-Star for three years coupled with Dean’s List.After college, Christa has been coaching at Yorktown High School as the Assistant Softball Coach and Junior Varsity Field Hockey Coach. She has also been giving private and group softball lessons in the Connecticut area in pitching, catching, fielding, and hitting. In addition to instructing female athletes of all ages, she has been a key note speaker for several coaching clinics.She has a M.S. in Special Education and is certified in grades 1-6 in New York State.Back to top ^

Nick Rhodes

Jim Dunn

Mike Cole

Trevor Brown

Gary Dunn

Christa Leighton