Utica, NY - Utica named Joe Milazzo head baseball coach on Monday.
Milazzo, a Whitesboro native, joins the Utica baseball staff as
head coach after spending the last 33 years coaching at both the
collegiate and high school levels. Milazzo replaces Andrew Weimer
who was 6-28 in 2013.
"Joe has an excellent track record of coaching success in the
Mohawk Valley and we feel his experience and wealth of baseball
knowledge will translate well here at Utica College," says
Fontaine, who took over as Director of Athletics at UC in January
of 2012. "Joe has an innate ability to instill dignity,
discipline and pride in student-athletes and we feel these are the
pillars of a successful baseball program."
Born and raised in the Utica area, Milazzo has spent time as a
head baseball coach at Notre Dame High School (1981-1989), Herkimer
County Community College (1990) and Mohawk Valley Community College
(1991-2002). From 2002-2010 he was the varsity baseball
assistant coach at Notre Dame and he has spent the last two seasons
at Mohawk Valley Community College as the head softball coach.
"It has always been a goal of mine to coach at a four-year school
and this is a very good opportunity for me," said Milazzo. "I'm
excited about working with the student-athletes at UC and I can't
wait to get started."
During his 12 seasons as the Head Baseball Coach at MVCC he guided
the Hawks to nine National Junior College Athletic Association
(NJCAA) Tournament Appearances, six Region III Final Four
appearances, four Mountain Valley Conference Championships, two
NJCAA Division III World Series appearances, and two Region III
Championships. He was also a three-time Mountain Valley
Conference Coach of the Year selection and a two-time NJCAA
Northeast Coach of the Year recipient.
In just one season at HCCC he led the Generals to the program's
first NJCAA Tournament appearance after participating in the Region
III Final Four.
During his first stint at Notre Dame he guided the Jugglers to
Four Section III Championships, three New York State Final Four
appearances, three Central Oneida League Championships and two
Tri-Valley League Championships. After returning to Notre
Dame in 2002, he helped lead the Jugglers baseball program to a New
York State Class C Championship and a Section III Class B
Championship in consecutive seasons.
"Coach Milazzo has been around the area and baseball for 30+
years. He has a great reputation of knowing the baseball
community, not just locally, but his reach also expands throughout
New York State and we're really excited to have him at Utica
College, " said Fontaine. "We feel he brings a lot of experience,
including coaching at the College level. He's a schoolteacher
as well so he understands the nuances of today's
student-athlete."
His other baseball experience includes 23 years (1990-present) as
a partner, operator and instructor at the Hitting Machine.
The Hitting Machine provides baseball and softball clinics, camps
and private lessons to players of all ages. It is a year
round indoor business located at the Field of Dreams Sports Complex
in Fort Schuyler, NY.
He is also the co-director and instructor at the Hitting Machine
Baseball Camp where he is responsible for every aspect of running
the baseball camp. The responsibilities range from on-field
instruction to developing brochures and marketing materials.
This specific camp has been run at several different venues
including: Utica College, Mohawk Valley Community College, Notre
Dame High School and it is currently held at the Field of
Dreams.
"I expect that it will be a seamless transition for Coach
Milazzo," said Fontaine. "Our coaches will really embrace him
as a part of the Utica College family and I see nothing but good
things happening for not only Utica College athletics, but also our
baseball program moving forward."
From 1994-2003 he was employed by the New York Penn Professional
Baseball League as a League Administrator. The Penn League is
a member of Minor League Professional Baseball Incorporated.
During that time his duties included developing a 76 game schedule
for the fourteen team league, assigning and supervising seven two
man umpire crews and assisting in day to day operations of the
league during the season.
He spent two weeks each Summer for seven years (1992-1998) as a
director and instructor at the Grand Slam Baseball Academy in
Montreal, Quebec, Canada where he guided the 16-18 year old
division.
In 1987 he founded and directed a College and Professional
recruiting showcase in the Utica area. For nine years he
invited the best high school prospects to the showcase where they
were instructed and evaluated by some of the top collegiate coaches
and professional scouts in the country. The featured coaches
and scouts included Dave Alexander (Purdue University), Pat Murphy
(Arizona State University), Steve Owens (Bryant College), Jim Spartano (Utica College), Bill Thurston
(Amherst College) and George Valesente (Ithaca College).
Milazzo graduated from nearby Thomas R. Proctor High School in
1976 before earning his Bachelor of Arts degree in Physical
Education from Cortland State in 1981. He went on to earn his
Master's Degree in Special Education from The College of St. Rose
in 1984.
He is currently a special education teacher at Whitesboro High
School, where he has spent the last 28 years. He works in a
resource room where he is responsible for teaching learning
disabled high school students the strategies and skills that will
help them to succeed in the high school setting.
His other work at the High School level includes three years as
the Athletic Director at Notre Dame (1988-1990) where he was
responsible for all aspects of the athletic department. His
duties entailed developing a budget, hiring and supervising the
coaching staff, game scheduling, facility scheduling, maintenance,
transportation, and game management.
He began his high school teaching career as a special education
instructor at Thomas R. Proctor (1982-1985) where he taught in a
self-contained Adjustment III class. During that time he also
taught physical education to college students as an adjunct
professor at MVCC.
His professional certifications include New York State Physical
Education Permanent Teaching Certification (K-12) as well as a New
York State Special Education Permanent Teaching Certification
(K-12). He is also an official for the Utica Board of
Certified Soccer Officials (1981-present), the New York State Girls
Basketball Officials Association (1982-present) and the Utica Board
of Certified Softball Umpires (2009-present).
"We will need to spend some time with a philosophy that we have to
get across to the student-athletes," said Milazzo of his first
steps with the team after joining the Utica College coaching staff.
"We have to discuss all of the things that we want the
student-athletes to accomplish, how we want them to practice and
the way we want to play the game, and if we can get them to believe
in what we're doing then the winning will be a byproduct."
Milazzo currently resides in Whitesboro, NY with his wife Leslie
and their daughter Francesca.