Gannon University Athletics

Coleman begins his sixth season as the Gannon baseball head coach in 2021, but he has been a longtime member of the Golden Knight coaching staff. Coleman spent the previous eight seasons as an assistant coach, before being elevated to head coach after former head coach Nate Cocolin accepted a coaching position at NCAA Division I Western Carolina.

With a young roster in 2020, Gannon opened the season dropping a four-game road swing at Tusculum before the team traveled to Florida for an eight-game road trip at the Russ-Matt Invitational. The trip was highlighted by wins over Wilmington and Minnesota State, who entered the season ranked in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Preseason Poll. However, the season would later be cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Coleman led Gannon to a program-best 33 wins (33-17, 21-7 PSAC), won the programs first outright PSAC West regular season championship and made an appearance in the NCAA Atlantic Regional in 2019. The Golden Knights earned their first NCAA Tournament win in school history after topping West Chester, 6-4, in the NCAA Atlantic Regional. Gannon also had four players earn PSAC West All-Conference, four named to the ABCA All-Atlantic Region, and three earned NCBWA All-Region accolades. 

Coleman helped guide Gannon to an impressive 31-18 mark in 2018 with an 18-10 record in conference play. Both marks tied program records while the Golden Knights boasted a sterling 16-4 home record, which included eight consecutive victories to cap the regular season. Gannon had five players receive all-conference recognition in 2018 under the tutelage of Coleman.   

Despite not being named head coach until late August of 2015, Coleman immediately took the Golden Knights on a magical ride in 2016. As a result, he became the second Gannon mentor to be named Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division Coach of the Year and first to be selected as the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Baseball Coach of the Year.

Coleman guided the Golden Knights to a 31-17 overall record and 18-10 PSAC mark during his first season at the helm, breaking the program records for overall and conference victories. In addition, the program received its first-ever NCAA regional ranking when it was tabbed eighth in the NCAA Division II Atlantic regional rankings.

The Golden Knights set program records for statistics since 2000 in batting average (.329), on-base percentage (.401), slugging percentage (.460), runs (320), doubles (90), hits (464), triples (16), RBIs (290), total bases (649), sacrifice flies (29) and stolen bases (71). Gannon statistical archives aren't fully complete prior to 2000. The squad generated winning streaks of nine and seven games while never dropping more than three straight. Gannon swept 10 doubleheaders in 2016.

The St. Albans, Vt., native helped turn the Gannon baseball program completely around as an assistant from a 5-43 record the year before the staff arrived into the 2013 PSAC Western Division regular-season champions. The Golden Knights increased their victory total during each of the first three seasons under the staff and during six of eight campaigns.

Gannon reached double digits in league victories during three of his last four seasons as an assistant and recorded at least 24 overall wins twice during that time span, qualifying for the PSAC Tournament both years. Academically, Golden Knights have been named PSAC Scholar-Athletes 134 times during the last nine seasons. Coleman’s 2016 squad produced the third-highest team grade point average among PSAC baseball programs with a 3.142 mark.

Coleman was a four-year starter (1998-2001) during his collegiate days at Embry-Riddle, playing second base for three seasons and third base as a senior. Coleman was a two-time All-American and served as a team captain during his senior season.

Coleman earned all-america honors for the first time as a sophomore, hitting .397 with 58 runs and 29 RBIs. In the process, he led Embry-Riddle to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) World Series for the first time in school history. He earned all-america honors for a second time as a senior when he hit .390 with 39 runs and 26 RBIs. Coleman hit at least .372 during every collegiate season. His career numbers included 137 starts, 150 runs, 196 hits, 27 doubles, five triples, five home runs, 87 RBIs, 248 total bases, 57 walks and 55 stolen bases. A two-sport athlete, Coleman also played basketball for one season at Embry-Riddle.

Prior to coming to Gannon, Coleman spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Seabreeze High School in Daytona Beach, Florida. He served as the hitting coach while working with the infielders during practice. Seabreeze posted a 39-17 record during his two seasons as an assistant coach, including a district championship and an appearance in the 2007 regional semifinals. He also served as the head golf coach at Seabreeze.

In addition to his coaching responsibilities, Coleman spent numerous hours helping the area youth as the head coach of the Ormond Beach Golden Spikes AAU team and as an instructor at the TeamGuill baseball camps.

Coleman received a bachelor’s degree in human factors engineering in 2002. He later earned an associate’s degree in business administration. Coleman then received a master's degree in public administration from Gannon in 2009. He is the son of Gail and Mark Coleman and one of three bothers in addition to Jeremy and Brian.

Coleman and his wife Amy live in Erie, Pa., with their children Kylie (7), Avery (5) and Connor (2).


Coleman Year-By-Year Results