Baseball
| John Lonardo | ||
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Title | Head Baseball Coach/Director of Athletics |
| lonardoj@oldwestbury.edu | ||
| Phone | 516-876-3241 | |
John Lonardo begins his 12th season as head coach of the SUNY Old Westbury Panthers Baseball team. Over eleven stellar seasons at the helm of the Panthers, Lonardo has had some amazing and historic achievements. He is the all-time leader in wins at Old Westbury, compiling a record of 231-159-3. His instinctive ability when recruiting has given way to countless solid student athletes and developed numerous All-League players, New York State Regional All Stare, ECAC All- Stars. Since 2001, two of Lonardo's recruits have made school history by signing professional baseball contracts.
Throughout his impressive coaching career, Lonardo received several awards for his accomplishment over the years. He was a three-time recipient of the Louisville Slugger Coach of the Year award and was named the Knickerbocker Conference Coach of the Year numerous times, most recently in 2002. During his tenure, the Panthers made three NCAA Regional appearances (1997,2000,2001) and a handful of ECAC Championship appearances (1994,1995,1998,1999,2002). Coach Lonardo's team as a whole has led the NCAA's in steals in 1994 and 1995, including individual accomplishments when Matt Stevens led the NCAA's for stolen bases in 1995 and Chris Okolski led the NCAA's in saves in 1997.
Since 2002, Lonardo has served as the Baseball Chairperson for the Skyline Conference and is an active member of the American Baseball Coaches Association. In September 2006, he was appointed to the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship Committee, where he serves as chairman for the New York region. In addition to coaching, Lonardo is the 6th Athletic Director in Old Westbury history where he oversees 10 varsity athletic programs. He is responsible for all coaches, support staff and the operation of the Athletic Department. Lonardo is a 14 year member of the American Baseball Coaches Association (A.B.C.A.) and on the National Committee for NCAA Division III Baseball. Lonardo donates his time as a clinician, where he speaks about the finer points of the game. He has given clinics and camps to the New York Baseball Academy and the PSAL (Public School Athletic League).
Lonardo graduated with his Master of Arts in school counseling from Long Island University's C.W. Post campus. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education from Queens College.
Lonardo and his wife, Stephanie, have one daughter, Santina and one son, Vito
| Rod Stephan | ||
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Title | Pitching Coach/Recruitment Coordinator |
| stephanr@oldwestbury.edu | ||
| Phone | 516.876.3461 | |
Coach Stephan enters his second season as pitching coach at Old Westbury College. Coach Stephan played collegiate baseball at Queens College where he was selected to the All-Conference Team four times. Coach Stephan received All-Conference selection twice as an infielder and twice as a pitcher. In 1981 he was selected to the New York State All-Star Team as he led the NCAA in strikeouts per nine innings (K/9).
Coach Stephan served as the Queens College pitching coach in 1982 and 1983. In 1988 Coach Stephan was named player/coach of the United States Nike World Masters Team. In 2000, 2002 and 2007 Coach Stephan coached three World Championship teams in the Men's Senior Baseball League (MSBL). In 2001, Coach Stephan was inducted into the MSBL World Series Hall of Fame and in 1998 was inducted into the Long Island Hall of Fame.
Coach Stephan is retired from the NYC Department of Corrections where he served for twenty years. He is currently the co-owner of Amapro Prospects Baseball Academy. Coach Stephan resides in Plainview with his wife Susan and three children Robert, Jennifer and Matthew.
| Chris Smith | ||
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Title | Assistant Baseball Coach |
| Phone | 516.876.3241 | |
Entering his second season as hitting/outfield coach with Old Westbury College, Chris Smith was the #1 pick (7th Overall) by the Baltimore Orioles in 2001. Smith started his undergraduate career at Florida State University where he was a Second Team All American outfielder in 2000, but later transferred to Cumberland University where he was both a pitcher and outfielder. While at Cumberland, he struck out 115 batters in 84.1 innings while holding opponents to a .194 average. As an outfielder at Cumberland University he hit .414 with 17 homeruns. A native Long Islander, Chris Smith played at Wantagh High School where he was named the New York Player of the Year. Chris Smith won the Nassau County Diamond Award which is given annually to the best high school player in Nassau County. In Smith's senior year he led them to the Nassau County Class B Championship.
During his professional career Chris Smith made just two appearances for the Gulf Coast Rookie League team both in the last week of the season pitching 2 scoreless innings. Then in 2002 a strain in his left shoulder forced him to undergo surgery limiting his appearances to five in the entire season. After missing the 2003 season trying to rehabilitate himself from surgery on his left rotator cuff he came back in 2004 with a stunning record of 1-0 and a 3.38 ERA in four starts with the Aberdeen IronBirds, where he also recorded 13 strikeouts in 13.1 innings. That season Smith hit .368 with 2 home runs and 3 RBIs in 19 trips to the plate.
Chris Smith is currently single and resides in Wantagh, New York.
| John Limberis | ||
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Title | Student Assistant/Infield Coach |
| limberisj@oldwestbury.edu | ||
| Phone | 516.876.3461 | |
| Joe Wall | ||
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Title | Student Assistant/Catching Coach |
| wallj@oldwestbury.edu | ||
| Phone | 516.876.3461 | |