UMass Lowell Adds to its Baseball Coaching Staff

Read Time:2 Minute, 6 Second

Even though the calendar may not say so, college baseball is not too far away. By the first of the year, teams will be getting back together again to start preparing for the 2022 season which for many will get underway in mid-February. The UMass Lowell River Hawks have spent the downtime since fall baseball ended, making additions to the coaching staff. What is interesting here is the new member was not far away.

His name is Nick Barese, and at this time last year, he was getting the Merrimack College Warriors baseball team ready for the 2021 season. But after seven years at the helm of the program and posting a record of 153-129 (.543 winning percentage) Nick decided to pursue another opportunity, and after having a conversation with River Hawks head coach Ken Harring he joined the staff as an assistant coach. Nick believes that the River Hawk program has a “chance to do great things” and thanked coach Harring for the opportunity to join the staff.

Coach Barese brings with him an impressive resume to the Lowell campus. He started the Merrimack baseball program in 2015. In his first four years with the program, the team made the playoffs all four years. In 2018 the Warriors won the Northeast Conference Championship, and with it received the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA baseball tournament. It was the fourth conference title overall. It was the first tournament crown since 1996, and the first league title of any kind since 1999. In 2019, Merrimack was once again in the tournament championship game, which marked the ninth overall appearance in the title game in school history. During his time at Merrimack, seven players have earned an All-Conference selection. Two players were named All-Region players in 2019. One was named All-America, the second during his time at the school. It was also the tenth all-time at Merrimack. The team had a Co-Player of the year in 2019 as well.

The Warriors have had eight players from the program drafted by MLB teams, and coach Barese worked with two of those picks. Joe Manton and Frank Crinella were both selected in the 2013 MLB draft. The coach’s 153 career wins placed him second in the program’s all-time wins list. His role with the River Hawks has not yet been determined but one thing is for sure, everyone associated with the UMass Lowell baseball program is happy that coach Nick Barese is on board.