WORCESTER, MASS. - J.P. Pyne, an assistant coach at the University of Maine, has been named the head baseball coach at Clark University it was announced by Director of Athletics and Recreation Trish Croninon Tuesday morning.
"We are thrilled to welcome J.P. to Clark University to lead our baseball program," said Cronin. "His experience and success as a head coach and his strong personality make him an outstanding fit for our program and our department."
During his two seasons in Orono, Pyne helped the Black Bears to consecutive 24-win seasons and a pair of berths in the America East Tournament. In 2015, Pyne served as the pitching coach, where he developed freshman starting pitcher Justin Courtney into a second-team All-America East selection and unanimous all-rookie team honoree.
"I am very honored and excited to be given the opportunity to lead the baseball program at Clark University," said Pyne. "It's clear that Clark is a special place and there is a great deal of potential for the baseball program."
Prior to his time at Maine, Pyne spent six transformative seasons in the dugout at Daniel Webster in Nashua, N.H. Under his tutelage, he took a team that won seven games the year before his arrival to a squad that won 20 games or more four seasons in a row, including a school-record 29 in 2013. Along the way, Pyne guided the Eagles to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (2012, 2013), three New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) titles (2010, 2012 and 2013) and three NECC regular season crowns (2010, 2012 and 2013).
The individual accolades rolled in for Pyne and his student-athletes as well, with him collecting a trio of NECC Coach of the Year awards (2009, 2010 and 2013), while 24 student-athletes earned All-NECC honors, including 19 first-team selections. Pyne mentored a pair of league Rookies of the Years (2010, 2012), an NECC Pitcher of the Year (2012) and an NECC Player of the Year (2013).
"J.P. stood out from a very talented pool of applicants," said Associate Director of Athletics Joe Brady, who chaired the search. "We were very impressed by his demeanor, his knowledge and his strong belief in his abilities to make Clark a contender in the NEWMAC and in New England."
Pyne spent one season at his alma mater, Saint Joseph's (Maine), in 2007 as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator for the Monks as they won the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
His first head coaching job came at Division II Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H. He spent 2001-04 as an assistant coach and the recruiting coordinator with the Hawks, helping them to the third best ERA in Division II in 2004 and the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament bid. In 2005, he was elevated to head coach where he developed the program's first All-American pitcher and took the team to consecutive Northeast-10 Conference Tournaments.
Pyne has extensive coach coaching experience in professional baseball as well, having worked with the Toronto Blue Jays from 2010-11, first as the bullpen coach for the Double A New Hampshire Fisher Cats, then as the interim pitching coach of the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays in Dunedin, Fla. While with the Fisher Cats, Pyne was part of teams that advanced to the playoffs twice, including claiming the 2011 Eastern League Championship.
He has also worked for professional organizations in the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball (Can-Am League), including the Nashua Pride and the American Defenders of New Hampshire as well as collegiate summer league teams the Keene Swamp Bats and the Nashua Silver Knights.
A 2001 graduate of Saint Joseph's (Maine) with a degree in communications, Pyne was a four-year letter winner with the Monks, serving as team captain in 2001. He still holds several school records, including saves in a season (10), saves in a career (24) appearances in a season (22) and a career (76).
Pyne will begin his duties on August 3.