Joe Sottolano

Joe Sottolano, born in New York, was chosen as one of 36 athletes nationally to try out for Team USA in 1990. He also shone brightly in the 1988 Division III NCAA Baseball National Championship, earning the title of Most Outstanding Player (MOP). In his 23 years of coaching Division I baseball, including 14 as a Head Coach, he has seen over 20 of his student-athletes selected in the MLB Amateur Draft and has coached 46 All-Americans. Notably, one of his players, Chris Rowley, progressed to the Major Leagues. These accomplishments highlight his enduring competitive spirit both on and off the field. He has always adhered to the core values of Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence, principles he embraced during his influential coaching period at West Point. He demonstrated exceptional skill early, winning the 1986 Times Herald Records Tri-County Player of the Year while at Minisink Valley High School in Orange County, New York. He continued to excel at Ithaca College as a left-handed pitcher, where he was named the most outstanding player of the Division III World Series, leading his team to a national championship as a sophomore. After earning his Bachelor of Science in PE Teaching with a minor in Health from Ithaca College in 1990, he commenced his coaching career at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA. Here, he managed the pitching staff and oversaw the team's strength and agility program, recruiting talented players to foster a championship-caliber team. He later returned to Ithaca College to earn a Master of Science and assist with the baseball team, refining his coaching abilities while pursuing his degree. In 1992, he took his talents to the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, starting as an Army Assistant Coach before being promoted to Head Coach in 2000. He played a critical role in advancing its Division I Baseball Team, surpassing recruitment and fundraising targets in a highly competitive environment.