Caldwell University (N.J.) has promoted assistant Nick Luciano to baseball head coach, today Mark A. Corino, assistant vice president and director of athletics, announced in a press release.
Luciano, who replaces Hasani Whitfield ’05, served as assistant coach for four seasons before taking over the coaching reigns.
In addition to helping the Division II Cougars reach the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) North Division Championship Game in his first year on Cladwell’s bench, he has served as third base coach for the past two campaigns, including 2023, when the squad recorded its most wins in more than a decade.
Luciano is chomping at the bit to prove himself as the new bench boss and is grateful for this tremendous opportunity, he noted.
“I am beyond excited to continue the growth this program has made in such a short amount of time under coach Whitfield,” said Luciano, who becomes the sixth head coach in the program’s 28-year history. “I want to thank him for bringing me in and giving me the opportunity at Caldwell University. I would also like to thank the Athletic Department for making this a smooth transition from assistant coach to head coach. We are ready to get to work and build on the foundation that has been set here.”
Luciano brings several years of baseball experience with him to his new post. He spent two years with County College of Morris (CCM) as the recruiting coordinator and hitting coach, achieving great success with the program.
In 2019, the Titans captured the Garden State Athletic (GSA) conference title.
Additionally, the program saw multiple players make All-Region and Conference teams, as well as one All-American under the assistance of coach Luciano.
In 2019, CCM would go on to break the majority of its previously held offensive records and being among the national leaders offensively in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), posting a team batting average of .323 with 389 runs, 496 hits, 791 total bases, 62 home runs, and .932 OBP in 49 games.
Luciano held an assistant coaching position for Whitehouse Post 284 for two seasons during which it captured two district championships and a New Jersey state final runner-up place.
For two years, he also severed as the head coach of the Atlantic Baseball Confederation Collegiate League (ABCCL) Gamers, a summer collegiate team in the ABCCL located in Kenilworth, New Jersey. He won the North Division in 2020, his first season at the helm, and the ABCCL Championship in 2021.
Whitfield, who is leaving to focus on other opportunities in the baseball industry after six years at the helm of the Cougars, per release, has the utmost confidence in his replacement.
“Coach Luciano is prepared and ready to continue the growth and success of our program,” Whitfield said. “His journey as a former player into a current coach has been special to watch and experience personally. I look forward to watching him lead this program and more importantly, my Alma Mater.”
As far as playing on the collegiate ranks, Luciano suited up at Union County College for Jon Lewis, where he would earn All-Region accolades and then transfer to finish his baseball career at Queens College, where he played for former Caldwell head baseball coach Chris Reardon.
— Jerry Del Priore
Photo courtesy of Caldwell Athletics.
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