Galloway, N.J. – Stockton University has selected Rich Gawlak as its new head baseball coach. Gawlak will take the helm of the Stockton program after 11 years as an assistant coach at fellow NJAC institution The College of New Jersey. The position will be Gawlak's first as a college head coach.
"I am honored to be named the head coach at Stockton University. I would like to thank athletic director Kevin McHugh and the search committee for giving me the opportunity to lead the baseball program," said Gawlak. "I would also like to thank my wife Liza and my family for their continued support of my coaching journey."
Gawlak specialized in coaching catchers and hitters and also served as third base coach at TCNJ. He helped the Lions to a 279-173 record in 11 seasons on the coaching staff. TCNJ earned five NCAA Tournament berths (2009, 16-19) and won three NJAC championships (2009, 17, 19) with Gawlak as an assistant coach, accomplishing both achievements last year.
"I would like to thank TCNJ head coach Dean Glus for his guidance, mentorship and most importantly friendship over the past 11 years. I would not be the coach I am today without his continued support," Gawlak added.
Gawlak also worked with college players as head coach of the Ocean Gulls of the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League for the last three years as well as stints as the head coach and general manager of the Freehold Clippers of the Atlantic Baseball Confederation Collegiate League between 2013-17. He also coached teams from the Dave Gallagher Baseball Academy from 2005-11.
Gawlak played two seasons apiece at Mercer County Community College (2005-06) and The College of New Jersey (2007-08). He earned All-Region XIX Second Team honors for MCCC in 2005 before moving on to TCNJ.
A catcher, Gawlak was a 2008 ABCA/Rawlings Mid-Atlantic Region Gold Glove selection after posting a .989 fielding percentage and throwing out 16 of 51 attempted base stealers. Gawlak led the NJAC in runners caught stealing that year and also batted .335 with a team-high 49 RBI (tied-6th in NJAC).
Gawlak graduated from TCNJ with a degree in Health & Exercise Science. He worked as a teacher at Spotswood High School since 2009, also with stints coaching basketball and tennis. Gawlak earned his master's degree in Coaching & Athletic Administration from Concordia University (Calif.) in 2018.
Gawlak takes over a Stockton team that won 13 games last season. "Stockton is incredibly fortunate to be able to bring Rich Gawlak aboard to lead the baseball program," said athletic director Kevin McHugh. "Coach Gawlak has contributed to outstanding student-athlete development and formidable success wherever he has been, and I know that he will bring those results to Osprey Baseball."