Le Moyne College Names Jason Marino Head Softball Coach

Posted: Jul 26, 2012

For Immediate Release

July 26, 2012

Courtesy of Le Moyne Athletics Communications

Syracuse, N.Y. – Le Moyne College Assistant Vice President and Director of Athletics Matt Bassett announced on Thursday, July 26 the hiring of Jason Marino as head softball coach.

Marino comes to Le Moyne after spending the last two seasons as an assistant coach at Central Connecticut State University, a Division I program in the Northeast Conference. Prior to Central Connecticut State, Marino was a member of the coaching staff at the University of New Haven from 2006 to 2010.

"Coach Marino comes to us with a tremendous pedigree having been mentored by two outstanding college head coaches at both Central Connecticut State and the University of New Haven," said Bassett. "They are winning programs that win the right way and Jason was able to articulate that vision in a compelling way."

"I am honored and excited to join the Le Moyne College community as its next head softball coach," said Marino. "I want to thank Matt Bassett and the search committee for the opportunity to continue building on a tradition of success and working with our student-athletes in pursuit of competing at the national level."

"We have hired an extremely talented, up and coming head coach," Bassett continued. "Jason's preparation was screaming for an opportunity to become a head coach and we were fortunate to be able to attract him. With his coaching philosophy and recruiting energy, combined with the completion of our new softball complex this fall, we expect Coach Marino will enhance our already existing national reputation in Division II softball."

During his time at Central Connecticut State, Marino worked under head coach Jeff Franquet helping to guide the program to new heights with school records for wins in 2011 (29) and 2012 (31), highlighted by the program's first appearance in the NEC tournament in 2011. Marino worked primarily with the outfielders in addition to serving as the first base coach.

During his four years at fellow Northeast-10 Conference member New Haven, Marino assisted head coach Jen Starek in establishing one of the strongest programs in the region. Improving their overall record each year from 2007, the Chargers set a program record in 2010 with a 42-8 overall mark and an appearance in their third consecutive NCAA tournament.

Before New Haven, Marino spent seven years at Vinal Technical High School in Middletown, Connecticut, serving as the head softball coach from 2000 to 2005. In that time, Marino led the program to its first appearance in the conference and state tournament. Marino earned his Associates degree from Middlesex Community College in 2000 and his Bachelors degree from New Haven in Sports Management in 2008.

Marino assumes leadership over a program at Le Moyne with a history of success at the national level. Since 2002, the program has made eight appearances in the NCAA tournament, including five appearances in the NCAA Championships. In 2012, Le Moyne finished with a record of 29-26, including 20-10 in the conference, while reaching the championship game of the NE-10. This coming spring, the Dolphins will move into their newly constructed softball complex located on the north side of the Henninger Athletic Center.

(Photo Courtesy of CCSU Athletics)