This week on the ABCA Podcast is 2024 ABCA Hall of Fame class inductee former College of Wooster head coach, Tim Pettorini. In 38 seasons as the head baseball coach at The College of Wooster, Pettorini became one of the winningest NCAA Div. III coaches of all-time. From 1982 until his retirement in 2019, Pettorini led the Fighting Scots to a 1,243-461-6 (.727) record, ranking him seventh all-time in NCAA Div. III wins. Under Pettorini, the Fighting Scots won a league-leading 19 conference championships and made 26 NCAA tournament appearances, advancing to the NCAA Div. III World Series six times and finishing national runners-up in 1997 and 2009.To go along with his 14 North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Coach of the Year honors, Pettorini is also a six-time ABCA Mideast Region Coach of the Year. A 44-year Lifetime Member of the ABCA, Pettorini coached 59 All-Americans during his tenure and his players received over 200 All-NCAC honors. Prior to taking over at Wooster in 1982, Pettorini taught and coached baseball at Fremont Ross High School in Fremont, Ohio. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Tim Pettorini - 2024 ABCA Hall of Fame, The College of Wooster

We have another great minority spotlight ABCA Podcast this week with Adairsville High School head coach, Billy Roper. Roper has 29 years coaching baseball in the State of Georgia. Roper also spent 28 years coaching football and stopped this year to watch his son Chris play football at Dartmouth College. Roper played collegiately at Shorter College and upon graduation went right into coaching and teaching. Roper took over as head coach at his alma mater, Adairsville, in 2013 after spending 4 seasons as an assistant for the Tigers. Prior to joining the staff at Adairsville, Roper was the head coach at Newton High School in Covington for 8 years. Roper has a great story being one of the first people in his family to graduate from high school and college. In this episode we go in depth on what Coach Roper feels like sets Adairsville apart as a community and program. We spend a good portion of the episode on strength training tips for high school baseball players. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

Billy Roper - Head Coach, Adairsville High School

This week on the ABCA Podcast is 2024 ABCA Hall of Fame class inductee UW-Whitewater head coach, John Vodenlich. Vodenlich is 2-time Div. III National Coach of the Year leading Whitewater to National Championships in 2005 and 2014. Vodenlich is a 10 time WIAC Coach of the Year and 6 time NCAA Regional Coach of the Year. During Vodenlich’s 18 full seasons as head coach, the Warhawks have won 14 WIAC championships and qualified for the NCAA tournament 16 times with 6 College World Series appearances. Vodelnich is a Warhawk alum and is a 2-time ABCA All-American. Following his collegiate career, Vodenlich went on to play professionally in Europe, winning the Slovenian National Championship in 1994. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

John Vodenlich - 2024 ABCA Hall of Fame, UW-Whitewater

Always an exciting week with all levels of college baseball going. Happy opening week of Div. I Baseball. Next up on the ABCA Podcast is our Div. I preview. I give our sports writers a lot of credit for work they put in throughout the year to help grow the game of baseball. We start things off with Craig Cozart from Perfect Game. After that we check in with D1Baseball.com’s Aaron Fitt. Then we hand it over to Teddy Cahill from Baseball America and we finish it off with D1Baseball.com’s Mike Rooney. As a life-long fan of College Baseball, this is always an exciting time of the year for me. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more. Support for this episode is brought to you by The Headset App. Are you looking for a simple solution for coach to catcher communication for this season that doesn’t require bulky hardware in the dugout? Traditional communication gear can be a headache to set up and carry from game to game. But what if there was a game-changing solution? Introducing The Headset App – your new MVP in communication f

Div. I Preview

Next up on the ABCA Podcast is our Div. II, NJCAA, Div. III and NAIA preview. Wayne Cavadi from NCAA.com kicks us off with the Div. II preview. After that we send it over to Troy Sutherland from Perfect Game and Noah Sharp from the Juco Ball Blog to cover all things junior college baseball. Then we hand it over to Jim Dixon from D3Baseball.com, who has been covering Div. III baseball since 1994 to talk all things Div III. Finally, we finish up with Robby Gutierrez from NAIA Ball, who has been with the ABCA college baseball preview since we started this 4 years ago. This is the best time of the year with season’s already kicking off and season’s getting ready to start. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more. Support for this episode is brought to you by The Headset App. Are you looking for a simple solution for coach to catcher communication for this season that doesn’t require bulky hardware in the dugout? Traditional communication gear can be a

Div. II, NJCAA, Div. III & NAIA Preview

Next up on the ABCA Podcast is current Red Sox Triple A bullpen coach and P3 throwing trainer, Noah Junis. Junis is a Rock Falls, Illinois native having played for Illinois coaching legend Donnie Chappell. Junis got his coaching start at Illinois Central College with another Illinois coaching great Bret Kelley. After ICC, Junis headed to Tempe, Arizona to work at Push Performance where he started to dive into throwing performance techniques. Junis then head to St. Louis to work for P3. Junis has a number of MLB pitchers that he has worked with on his resume including his brother Jake, Logan Webb, Shelby Miller, Sean Doolittle, Sam Coonrod, John Means and Jackson Rutledge. Junis recently was hired by the Boston Red Sox to serve as their Triple A bullpen coach in Worcester. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more. Suppo

Noah Junis - Triple A Bullpen Coach, Boston Red Sox

Joining us on the ABCA Podcast this week is Jackson State head coach, Omar Johnson.
Since taking over the helm of the program prior to the 2007 season, Johnson has led JSU baseball to a winning season every year. He eclipsed the 500-win mark in 2022 and his team's have averaged 32 wins per season while capturing seven Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Eastern Division titles and two SWAC Championships.
Johnson is a huge proponent of the student portion of student-athlete and the Tigers' program has posted a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or better in every season. Prior to coaching at Jackson State, Johnson coached at the University of North Alabama for four years, where he led the 1999 team to its first ever NCAA Div. II College World Series.
The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.
Support for this episode is brought to you by The Headset App. Are you looking for a simple solution for coach to catcher communication for this season that doesn’t require bulky hardware in the dugout? Traditional communication gear can be a headache to set up and carry from game to game. But what if there was a game-changing solution? Introducing The Headset App – your new MVP in communication for coaches and catchers. Enjoy crystal-clear, ultra-HD audio without the major league price tag. It’s compatible with any Bluetooth headset or earbuds. Say goodbye to tangled wires and extra hardware. Ready to step up to the plate? Download The Headset App for free today. Getting started is as easy as a home run trot: create your account, invite your team, and start calling pitches. The Headset App is ready for download in the App Store and on Google Play. Swing for the fences and download today to get a 5-day free trial. And for a limited time, use ABCA24, when you buy your pass for next season and save 10%. Find out more at theheadsetapp.com.

Omar Johnson - Head Coach, Jackson State University

Next up on the ABCA Podcast is University of Maryland strength and conditioning coach, Henry Bergmann. Bergmann is a strength and conditioning coach at the University of Maryland where he oversees all aspects of sports performance for the baseball team and track & field throwers. Before arriving in College Park, he spent two years at Towson University working with the women's basketball, baseball, and men's & women's golf teams. Prior to that, Bergmann was a graduate assistant sports performance coach at the University of Wyoming and also spent time at San Diego State University and the University of Minnesota working with their olympic sports teams. Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Bergmann received his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire. He is certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, United States Weightlifting, and U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Profess

Henry Bergmann - Strength & Conditioning Coach, University of Maryland

As we like to do with the ABCA Podcast in January, we are diving into all things nutrition with TCU Assistant AD for Sports Nutrition, Jessica Hylander. Hylander started her role as the Assistanat Director of Sports Nutrition at TCU in 2021. Prior to her fulltime position at TCU, she was a Sports Nutrition Graduate Assistant from 2019-2021. Hylander is a Registered Dietician (RD) through the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) and is a licensed dietitian (LD) in the state of Texas. Hylander’s primary responsibility is assisting in the caring for the nutrition needs of all TCU’s student-athletes primarily through team education and individual counseling. Hylander i

Jessica Hylander - Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Nutrition, TCU

Next on the ABCA Podcast is Jaeger Sports, Alan Jaeger. Jaeger is a longtime friend of the ABCA and one of the main reasons the podcast got started in 2016. We are starting something new in 2024 by providing an Inside Pitch Magazine preview episode with one of that edition’s contributors. Jaeger’s interview with Adam Revelette is titled “Put It in Neutral”. One page is not enough to go in depth on neutrality, so we dive deeper into the topic in this episode. Big shoutout to all of our contributors to the Convention edition and to Adam Revelette, Keith Madison and Jon Litchfield on all their hard work on Inside Pitch. Today officially kicks off the convention, so wishing everyone a great one! The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and mo

Inside Pitch Extra: Alan Jaeger, Jaeger Sports

Happy Convention Travel Day! This episode is with the ABCA Staff to help you get ready for the convention. Safe travels to everyone coming to the Gaylord Texan January 4 to January 7 or following along with the livestream. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more. Support for this episode is brought to you by The Headset App. Are you looking for a simple solution for coach to catcher communication for this season that doesn’t require bulky hardware in the dugout? Traditional communication gear can be a headache to set up and carry from game to game. But what if there was a game-changing solution? Introducing The Headset App – your new MVP in communication for coaches and catchers. Enjoy crystal-clear, ultra-HD audio without the major league price tag. It’s compatible with any Bluetooth headset or earbuds. Say goodbye to tangled wires and extra hardware. Ready to step up to the plate? Download The Headset App for free today. Getting started is as easy as a home run trot: create your account, invite your team, and start calling pitches. The Headset App is ready for download in the App Store and on Google Play. Swing for the fences and download today to get a 5-day free trial. And for a limited time, use ABCA24, when you buy your pass for next season and save 10%. Find out more at theheadsetapp.com

ABCA Staff Convention Preview

As we keep rolling for convention week, this week’s ABCA Podcast guest is the Marines Captain Alexander Goetz. Goetz was born in Denver, CO where he graduated from Regis Jesuit High School. Goetz was a 4-year varsity letter winner in baseball. Goetz played baseball at Princeton University and was the 2011 Ivy League Closer of the Year. After graduation, Goetz reported to Officer Candidate School and completed the 10-week Officer Candidate Course and was then assigned the MOS of 1802, Tank Officer, at The Basic School where he received further training at Armor Basic Officer Leader Course in Fort Benning, GA. Goetz served as the Marine Officer Instructor of the Auburn-Tuskegee NROTC Consortium and has his Master’s Degree in Sports Coaching. Currently Goetz lives in Charlotte, NC and works with Tread Athletics. The Marines sponsored our barnstormers events this Fall. The Marines will also be at the convention sponsoring our Rookie Mentorship meeting, have an Expo Theater presentation and our available to talk on their on campus initiative in Booth #1029. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabric

Captain Alexander Goetz - United States Marine Corps

Next up on the ABCA Podcast is 2024 ABCA Hall of Fame class inductee former Miami head coach, Jim Morris. Morris retired in 2020. In his 25-season tenure at Miami, no program has qualified for the College World Series as much as Morris and the Hurricanes. Miami which qualified for the NCAA Tournament a college baseball record 44 consecutive years, made it to Omaha in 13 of Morris’ 25 seasons in Coral Gables. Morris set an NCAA record for guiding a program to the CWS in each of his first six seasons at Miami. A three-time national coach of the year and 2008 Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year, Morris won almost 1100 games at Miami and including his 12 years at Georgia Tech he is 10 wins shy of 1600 wins at the Div. I level. Overall, Morris was the head coach at the collegiate level for 41 seasons, spending the first four at Dekalb (Ga.) Community College from 1976-1979, and registered 1721 wins total. Morris was inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic

Jim Morris - 2024 ABCA Hall of Fame, University of Miami

This week on the ABCA Podcast is 2024 ABCA Hall of Fame class inductee former Alabama head coach, Jim Wells. Wells retired in 2009, in his 15 seasons at Alabama he finished as all-time winningest coach for the Crimson Tide, most SEC wins in that time period, three trips to Omaha and tied for most SEC tournament titles with Skip Bertman and Paul Maineiri. Wells led the Crimson Tide to back-to-back CWS appearances in 96’ and 97’. Wells got his start in coaching as a 7th grade baseball coach. Wells joined Skip Bertman’s LSU staff as a graduate assistant in 1987. Wells went back to his alma mater Northwestern State in 1990 as head coach. Wells first season at Northwestern State they posted 38 wins and had not had a winning season in 13 years. Wells did the same thing at Alabama in 1995 winning 42 games which was most wins for a first-year head coach since 1907. Success followed Wells to every spot he went to and finished with 817 wins in 21 seasons as a head coach. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscree

Jim Wells - 2024 ABCA Hall of Fame, University of Alabama

Next up on the ABCA Podcast is 2024 ABCA Hall of Fame class inductee Nova High School head coach and athletic director, Pat McQuaid. McQuaid is a Nova grad and played collegiately at Catawba. He received his Masters from Appalachian State and was a graduate assistant football coach. McQuaid began coaching baseball at Nova in 1974. In 45 seasons at Nova McQuaid compiled 947 wins, 18 District Titles, 2 State Championships and 1 National Title. McQuaid spent time coaching football, cross country and took over athletic director duties in 2001. McQuaid is the baseball chairman for the Florida Athletic Coaches Association and a member of the FHSAA Baseball Advisory Committee. McQuaid is in the Florida High School Association and Broward County Hall of Fame. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more. Support for this episode is brought to you by The Headset App. Are you looking for a simple solution for coach to catcher communication for this season that doesn’t require bulky hardware in the dugout? Traditional communication gear can be a headache to set up and carry from game to game. But what if there was a game-changing solution? Introducing The Headset App – your new MVP in

Pat McQuaid - 2024 ABCA Hall of Fame, Nova High School

Joining us this week on the ABCA Podcast is 2024 ABCA Hall of Fame class inductee Chelsea High School head coach and athletic director, Wayne Welton. Welton spent more than 30 years coaching the Bulldogs and became the Ann Arbor-area’s winningest coach with 767 wins, including a Class B state title in 1991. Welton also earned 13 Southeastern Conference titles and eight regional championships. The Chelsea native also served as the school’s athletic director for more than two decades and spent 10 years as the director of baseball at the University of Michigan. He worked for Rich Maloney and Erik Bakich during his tenure with the Wolverines. Helping them to a runner-up finish at the 2019 College World Series. Welton is still active with the MHSAA helping mentor first time athletic directors and was inducted into their hall of fame in 2003. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more. Support for this episode is brought to you by The Headset App. Are you looking for a simple solution for coach to catcher communication for this season that doesn’t require bulky hardware in th

Wayne Welton - 2024 ABCA Hall of Fame, Chelsea High School

Next up on the ABCA Podcast is 2024 ABCA Hall of Fame class inductee Georgia Tech head coach, Danny Hall. Hall has coached 36 seasons as a head coach at Kent State and Georgia Tech, closing in on 1400 wins. Hall is the Yellowjackets all-time winningest coach and the all-time winningest Div. I head coach in the state of Georgia. Prior to his time at Kent State and Georgia Tech, Hall was an assistant coach at Michigan and Miami (OH). Hall’s first year at Georgia Tech (94’), he led the Yellowjackets to a runner-up finish at the College World Series. Hall has led the Yellowjackets to 3 College World Series appearances, 23 NCAA Regionals, 6 Super Regionals and 5 ACC tournament championships. Hall is one of the best player development coaches in the game having coached some of the best players of their generation in Barry Larkin, Jim Abbott, Chris Sabo, Nomar Garciaparra, Jason Varitek, Jay Payton, Mark Teixeira, Matt Wieters and Charlie Blackmon. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more. Sup

Danny Hall - 2024 ABCA Hall of Fame, Georgia Tech

This week on the ABCA Podcast is 2024 ABCA Hall of Fame class inductee LSU Eunice head coach and Athletic Director, Jeff Willis. Willis is entering his 22nd season as skipper of the Bengals baseball team and 20th year as Athletic Director. LSU Eunice has won seven NJCAA National Championships, tying them for most championships in a sport by one school. Willis was inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame in 2023. In going into the ABCA Hall of Fame, Willis becomes the first NJCAA coach in the State of Louisiana to be inducted. He joins an illustrious group of Bayou State skippers Skip Bertman, Paul Mainieri, Roger Cador and Tony Robichaux who are also enshrined in the ABCA Hall of Fame. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more. Support for this episode is brought to you by The Headset App. Are you looking for a simple solution for coach to catcher communication for this season that doesn’t require bulky hardware in the dugout? Traditional communication gear can be a headache to set up and carry from game to game. But what if there was a game-changing solution? Introducing The Headset App – your new MVP in communication for coaches and catchers. Enjoy crystal-clear, ultra-HD audio without the major league price tag. It’s compatible with any

Jeff Willis - 2024 ABCA Hall of Fame, LSU Eunice

Next up on the ABCA Podcast is 2024 ABCA Hall of Fame class inductee, Brian O’Connor. O’Connor is a five-time ACC Coach of the Year and three-time National Coach of the Year. Virginia was named the ACC Program of the Decade by D1Baseball.com. O’Connor is heading into his 21st season as head coach of the Cavaliers. In O’Connor’s tenure with the Cavaliers they have one National Championship in 2015, 6 College World Series appearances, 14 straight NCAA tournament appearances and 9 NCAA regional championships. O’Connor has 839 wins at UVA and his .704 winning percentage is the highest among active NCAA coaches. UVA’s program is built on great recruiting and development. 29 Cavaliers that have played for O’Connor and Kevin McMullan have made it to the big leagues. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more. Support for this episode is brought to you by The Headset App. Are you looking for a simple solution for coach to catcher communication for this season that doesn’t require bulky hardware in the dugout? Traditional communication gear can be a headache to set up and carry from game to game. But wha

Brian O'Connor - 2024 ABCA Hall of Fame, University of Virginia

This week on the ABCA Podcast we are joined by Tidewater Phillies and Grassfield High School’s Lee Banks. Banks has been a staple on the travel baseball scene for over 25 years. Banks’ initial travel squad was the Tidewater Mets then transitioned to the Tidewater Orioles. Over his career, Banks has had the opportunity to coach future big leaguers Michael Cuddyer, Jason Dubois, David Wright, BJ Upton, Justin Upton, Ryan Zimmerman and Mark Reynolds. Banks coaches travel and high school baseball part-time, he is a full-time consultant for Cox Media. Banks is an 89’ graduate of Norfolk State. In this episode we cover high school & travel baseball, tips for parents in the process, coaching elite players, the impact that Virginia coaches & scouts had on both of us and keeping coaching simple. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more. Support for this episode is brought to you by The Headset App. Are you looking for a simple solution for coach to catcher communication for this season that doesn’t require bulky hardware in the dugout? Traditional communication gear can be a headache to set up and carry from game to gam

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