Eric Cirella, in foreground with Branden Hoxsie and Dominic Di Sano becomes the fifth head coach for Salve Regina. Salve Regina athletics photo

NEWPORT, R.I. - Salve Regina University director of athletics Colin Sullivan announced today that Eric Cirella will become the fifth head coach in the history of the school's baseball program, succeeding his father, Steve Cirella, who retires as head coach after 14 seasons, including a 29-12 record in 2013, and will remain involved in the program as an assistant.

Eric Cirella, a member of the Salve Regina Athletic Hall of Fame, played four seasons (2002-2005) for his dad at the university and became the first Seahawk to earn three Academic All-America© honors, doing so at three different positions. While leading his teammates to the 2005 conference championship and the program's second appearance in the NCAA Division III Regional Championships, Cirella also became a two-time All-America and earned college baseball's highest honor - ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America© of the Year. He led the nation in batting (.504) and walks (49) during his senior season and established .447 as the individual career-best batting average at Salve Regina.

The following season Cirella assisted his dad as the program established a school-record for most wins in a single season (32 in 2006). He spent the next six years as an assistant with the University of Rhode Island baseball program before returning as associate head baseball coach with the Seahawks in 2012-13.

Not coincidentally, the Seahawks doubled their win total from the previous season and amassed their second-highest number of wins in a single season (29).

"I am truly grateful to be given the opportunity to coach in a place that is so near and dear to my heart," said the younger Cirella. "I believe Salve Regina is just scratching the surface, both athletically and academically. I want to thank Colin Sullivan for showing so much confidence in me as a coach, a mentor, and as an ambassador to the university."

Steve Cirella retires as head coach with the most wins in program history. Salve Regina athletics photo

"I also want to thank my father for leaving me with a program that is so high in morale. I couldn't ask for a better bunch of student-athletes to inherit, as well as a more caring and passionate group of alumni that have supported this program over the past two decades."

Highlights from the past season also include a first-ever win over perennial regional power Eastern Connecticut State University while individual honors were bestowed on freshman Ryan Kelly (Waldwick, N.J.) as the Commonwealth Coast Conference Rookie of the Year, and juniors Dominic Di Sano (Central Falls, R.I.) and Tyler Colby (Easton, Conn.) both earning d3baseball.com all-region honors, with Di Sano also named to the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA) Division III First Team as catcher.

Steve Cirella ends his reign as head coach with the most wins (318) in program history after reaching the 300-victory plateau on April 1, 2013, an 8-5 triumph over Becker College on Salve Regina's Reynolds Field. During his tenure, the Seahawks have captured a pair of Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) championships, advanced to both the ECAC (2003, 2004) and NCAA Tournaments (2001, 2005) twice, and captured an ECAC Championship (2004). The Seahawks have won 20 or more games during 11 of their 14 seasons under Steve Cirella, a two-time CCC Coach of the Year.