Alec DeMaria returned to his alma mater in June 2026 as the ninth head baseball coach in University of Mary history.

DeMaria, a right-handed pitcher for the Marauders from 2016 through 2019, led Valley City State University to its first winning season this spring in nearly a decade and the program’s best conference finish in 30 years. In three seasons with the Vikings, DeMaria (pronounced deh MARY ah) coached two conference freshmen of the year and a pitcher of the year while developing a pitching staff that ranks among the nation’s best in delivering strikeouts.

“We were looking for a leader who could continue the upward trajectory of Marauders baseball and move the program forward competitively while fully embracing the mission of the University of Mary,” said UMary Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Marcus Wagner. “Throughout the search process, Alec consistently demonstrated that he was the right person for that responsibility. He has proven his ability to build and sustain competitive programs, recruit and develop scholar-athletes, and lead with integrity. His success in our region, knowledge of the landscape, and commitment to scholar-athlete formation made him an outstanding candidate to lead Marauders baseball.

“There is something especially meaningful about welcoming a Marauder back home. Alec’s accomplishments as a coach speak for themselves, but what gives me confidence is his understanding of this institution and his commitment to the vision we have established in our Greatness Through Virtue athletics strategic plan. He knows the transformative role athletics can play in the lives of young people because he experienced it himself. We look forward to the leadership, relationships, and continuity he will bring to our baseball program and our university community.”

DeMaria owns deep connections to the University of Mary. Alec’s younger brother, Blake, was an outfielder for the Marauders and graduated from UMary in 2025. Alec’s wife, Lucia (Bolibruch) DeMaria, played tennis for the Marauders and served as a team captain. A 2020 University of Mary graduate, Lucia has two sisters who competed for the Marauders track and field team.

“God has blessed our family with this amazing opportunity to return to the University of Mary,” said DeMaria. “I am unbelievably grateful for the opportunity to lead the Marauders baseball program and would like to thank President Monsignor James P. Shea, Executive Vice President Jerome Richter, and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Marcus Wagner.

“The University of Mary is a special place to me and my family. I am excited to get to work immediately to help in advancing the mission of the university and to produce a competitive baseball program that will make my fellow alumni proud.”

Named the head coach at Valley City State prior to the 2024 season, DeMaria directed the Vikings to an eight-win improvement from the prior season and a pair of postseason wins. VCSU cleared the 20-win barrier for a second straight season in 2025. The Vikings posted their most wins and first winning season in nine years in 2026. VCSU finished 26-24-1 overall, placed second in the Frontier League in both the regular season and conference tournament, and earned its first regional ranking in program history. The Vikings’ tournament runner-up finish included a win over the No. 2 team in the nation, Bellevue University. The Valley City State pitching staff ranked second in the nation in strikeouts per nine innings and finished in the NAIA’s top 10 in the category during all three seasons under DeMaria’s leadership.

Prior to joining the Vikings, DeMaria helped lead a dramatic turnaround at Dakota State University in his two seasons as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator for the Trojans. Over the course of the 2022 and 2023 seasons, DSU went 69-36, recorded its first winning seasons in more than a decade and set a league record for wins in a season at 24-4 in year two. His pitching staff broke program season records for strikeouts, strikeouts per nine innings, strikeout-to-walk ratio and saves. The Trojans led the league in earned run average, strikeouts per nine innings and strikeout-to-walk ratio while finishing as high as third in the nation in ERA and eighth in strikeouts per nine innings. Team and individual records were broken for strikeouts in a single game. Additionally, DeMaria recruited and developed the 2023 North Star Athletic Association Pitcher of the Year.

DeMaria started his collegiate coaching career at the University of Minnesota Crookston as the pitching coach, assistant hitting coach, assistant strength coach and director of operations for the 2020 and 2021 seasons. In 2021, the Golden Eagles finished 26-12 to set a program record for winning percentage and placed third in the Northern Sun tournament as UMC won a postseason game and series for the first time. The team twice broke the program record for strikeouts in a single game and set numerous hitting and pitching records.

A native of Fresno, CA, DeMaria has earned two degrees from the University of Mary, including a bachelor’s degree in history in 2019 and a master’s degree in athletic administration and physical education in 2021.

Alec and Lucia (Bolibruch) DeMaria are the parents of a son, Anthony.

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Career 204-274-1 (10 seasons)

Twitter @TimMontez

Tim Montez was named the first coach in OUAZ baseball history in early 2017. In his first season, he led the Spirit to the NCCAA World Series in Easley, SC. and in 2021 the Spirit won the GSAC East Division and competed for the conference championship, losing a heartbreaker in the championship final, in that year Montez was named GSAC Coach of the Year. This past 2024 Spring, the Spirit finished a record breaking season with a 35-19 record and earned a first ever NAIA opening round regional Bid. Now in his 8th year, Coach Montez is fully armed with a Developmental Program (Began in Fall 2019) to help add depth and competition to an already talented Varsity Program that is poised to compete in the newly branded GSAC Conference Tournament year a

38 years of Coaching Experience. 25 of those years in Division I Baseball

Previous Universities

Jacksonville University

Fresno State University

University of Arkansas

Cal State Northridge

UC Santa Barbara

Pepperdine University

9 NCAA Regional Appearance

1 Super Regional Appearance

Montez coached and recruited 19 MLB Players with 5 First Round Draft Picks including:

Barry Zito

Russ Ortiz

Michael Young

Matt Garza

Doug Fister

Cliff Lee

Daniel Murphy

Alex McRae

Austin Hayes

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Kraig Kelley has served as Oklahoma Wesleyan University Assistant Baseball Coach since 2018.

Before joining the OKWU staff, he volunteered as an assistant coach at Lyon College in 2016. From 2016-2018, he moved to a staff position at Eastern Oklahoma State College.

In 2010, Kelley was drafted in the 47th round of the MLB Draft by the San Diego Padres. Kelley played college baseball from 2011 to 2015. He also spent two seasons at the University of Central Arkansas and finished his collegiate career at Lyon College.

As part of the OKWU Coaching Staff, Kelley has been apart of one NAIA World Series Appearance, 3 Regular Season Championships, and two KCAC Tournament Championships.

Kelley is the son of Head Coach Kirk Kelley.

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3rd year as Head Coach for Trojan Baseball.

- 2023 team had 4 Trojans move on to the NCAA D1 level

- 2022 team won Region 9 South Division

- 2012 vol. assistant coach under Scott Douglas

As a player @ TSC

- 2009 all-region & all-district as SS w/ .403 BA (TSJC)

- 2008 Region Champions & District Runner-Up (TSJC)

Married to Amellia Veyna who teaches 6th grade Science in Raton, NM. Family has 4 children Ophelia (†), Avianna (7), Perry (5), and another baby boy on the way!

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Coach Kyle Pearson was hired to be the head assistant/pitching coach in July of 2021, and he was appointed to Interim Head Coach in March 2022. In the 24 games in which Coach Pearson was the Head Coach, the Chukars amassed a 15-9 record. As of May 23^rd, 2022 Coach Pearson moved into the Head Coaching role for TVCC.

In 2020-2021 Coach Pearson was the pitching coach at Dawson Community College in Glendive, MT. He helped lead Dawson to a 29-23 record controlling the pitching staff and catchers.

In the summer of 2021, Coach Pearson was the co-head coach of the Casper Horseheads in the Expedition League, a collegiate summer league.

Before coaching at Dawson CC, Coach Pearson coached multiple high school teams in the Boise area, including Capital and Meridian High School since 2013.

Coach Pearson played at TVCC in 2011-2012, before pursuing his path as a coach. He attended Boise State to finish his degree in Sports Journalism. Coach Pearson is looking forward to getting Treasure Valley Baseball back to its former glory and molding outstanding student athletes.

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Former Trailblazer player Jake Schulz returned to Utah Tech ahead of the start of the 2025-26 academic year to begin his first season as the program's Director of Player Development.

Schulz three seasons for Coach Pfatenhauer from 2020-22, where he played in 51 career games as an infielder.

Schulz wrapped up his collegiate playing career at Concordia-Irvine in 2024. He then returned to his native Arizona to begin his coaching career the following season at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

A native of Prescott, Schulz earned his Bachelor's degree in Recreation and Sports Management from Utah Tech in 2025. This past summer, Schulz served as an assistant coach with the Wausau Woodchucks of the Northwoods League, where he helped lead the team to a second half season championship. His offense also led the Northwoods League in both doubles and batting.

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Jake Portugal was elevated to Head Coach of the San Diego Mesa Olympians in January of 2022after serving as an assistant since the summer of 2014 and playing for the Olympians during the 2011 and 2012 season.

In his 4 seasons as Head Coach, the Olympians have made tremendous progress rebuilding the program post the COVID-19 pandemic that cancelled both the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Having one First Team All-America selection, three All-SoCal, 14 Academic All-State selections, 14First Team All-Conference, 20 Honorable Mentions, and 34 student-athletes have received scholarships to four-year universities while earning multiple ABCA Team Academic Excellence Awards as of Summer 2025.

The San Diego, California, native began his collegiate coaching in his hometown and alma mater, San Diego Mesa College, beginning in the Summer of 2014. He served as the catching and hitting coach while also taking on the duties as recruiting coordinator and strength and conditioning coach. Additionally, he has been an Adjunct Professor in the Exercise Science and Health Department since 2015 where he is active within the academic community, serving on multiple campus committees, and has attended multiple NCORE (National Conference on Race & Ethnicity) conventions on behalf of the college.

During Coach Portugal’s stint as an assistant coach with the Olympians from 2015-2021, he coached five First Team All-American selections, eight All-SoCal, 15 First Team All-Conference, 22 Honorable Mentions, and 76 of the athletes coached and recruited by Portugal received scholarships at four-year universities, along with 5 players playing professionally,including freshman outfielder, Andrew McWilliams, who was drafted in the 34th round by the Detroit Tigers.

During the 2018 season, Portugal moved to Chicago while his Wife finished Nursing school and took an assistant coaching position at storied division 1 program, University of Illinois-Chicago. Working alongside collegiate coaching staples: Mike Dee (32 seasons at college level), Sean McDermott (29 seasons), and John Flood (16 seasons), as well as renowned sports psychologist Rachel Webb who is currently an Assistant AD of Sports Psychology for University of Arizona. During the 2018 season, 6 student-athletes continued onto professional baseball: Ryan Campbell (4th round, Cincinnati Reds), Charlie Cerny (7th round, Oakland Athletics), Aaron Ackerman (26thround, Los Angeles Dodgers), Reid Birlingmair (28th round Oakland Athletics), Scott Ota (10thround, New York Mets), and Matt Botcher (Schaumburg Boomers). The 2018 Flames beat multiple power 5 opponents before falling in the conference championship game to conclude the season.

Prior to coaching, Portugal was a part of two successful seasons at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Ill., under head coach Matt Husted. As a catcher for the Thunder, Portugal helped the team to the CCIW Conference Tournament in 2013 and post the highest team fielding percentage in school history .973. In 2014 the pitching staff recorded the second-most strikeouts in school history, 270, and the second-most wins in school history, 23.

Portugal began his collegiate playing career as a catcher at San Diego Mesa College where the Olympians made regional appearances in both 2011 and 2012 while also capturing the Pacific Coast Conference Championship in 2012 under the tutelage of Kevin Hazlett, Steven Sanchez (current PLNU assistant), TJ Merritt (Former USD & Indiana State assistant), and Mark Wanaka (Current LSU assistant).

Jake’s Prep playing career at Mira Mesa High culminated with the Marauders winning 2 Eastern League Titles. The Marauders were led by longtime San Diego Prep Coach, Gene Watkins, Assistant Coach Sheldon Watkins (Former Indiana University Assistant, current Patrick Henry Head Coach), and Michael Ramazzotti (Former UCSD & USD Assistant, Current Houston Astros Coach).

Portugal has spent the summers as a head coach for numerous summer leagues. In 2017-19, he led the San Diego Hawks to the California Coastal Collegiate League semi-finals each summer. From 2014-16 he coached the San Diego Samurai (a team comprised of Japanese & Japanese-American players) of the Western Baseball Association. In 2013 he managed the Lanier Vikings affiliate of RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner-Cities) in Austin, Texas. Coach Portugal also has national and international coaching and playing experience, working clinics, camps, and conventions in New York, Arizona, Texas, Hawaii, Florida, Oregon, Alaska, New Jersey, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Washington, as well as abroad in Panama, Mexico, Belize, and the Philippines.

As a first-generation college student, Portugal earned his A.A. in Social Sciences from San Diego Mesa College in 2012, B.A. in Communications from Wheaton College in 2014, M.A. in Physical Education (Exercise Science Concentration) from Azusa Pacific University in 2015, and a Secondary Education Teaching Credential with endorsements in Health and Physical Education. Coach Portugal also serves as an adjunct professor at Point Loma Nazarene University in the Off-Season. Since Portugal became head coach, four assistant coaches at Mesa have been promoted with Trevin Esquerra now at Irvine Valley College, Esau “Chacho” Madrigal now the Head Coach at conference opponent Imperial Valley College, Jake Rico now at Point Loma Nazarene University, and Alejandro Duarte now at Carson-Newman University as well as Steve Pryor being awarded the illustrious ABCA National Assistant Coach of the Year award in 2025, adding to Mesa College’s rich coaching lineage.

The son of Ron and Stephanie Portugal, Jake has two younger brothers, Joseph and Nicholas. Joseph played collegiately and graduated from Mesa in 2016 before transferring to CSU East Bay, pitching for the Pioneers. Post-playing career, Joseph made coaching stops at San Diego Christian College and La Jolla Country Day. And Nicholas also graduated from Mesa College prior to earning his Bachelor and Doctoral Degrees at San Diego State University, now working for Rady’s Children’s Hospital.

Jake and his wife Trisha are a foster family and live in San Diego County with their children and dogs.

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Briseno is entering his fourth year as an assistant coach for the Utah State Eastern baseball team, where he also serves as the program’s outfield coach, recruiting coordinator, and manages the team’s social media presence.

A versatile athlete during his playing career, Briseno was a three-year starter at West High School in Salt Lake City, Utah. A utility player throughout high school, he contributed wherever the team needed, and was named an All-Region pitcher as a senior, finishing the season with a 1.36 ERA.

Briseno holds a bachelor’s degree in print journalism and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in sports management through Utah State University. Originally from Rose Park, Utah, he has lived in Price, Utah, since 2020. He and his wife, Breanna, were married in September 2021.

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When the 2020 season begins, Coach Roberto Carrasco will enter his first season as Interim Head Coach of Lamar Community College. He takes over for Ben Buck, who will join the player development department of the New York Yankees organization.

The 2019 season brought many highlights and achievements, in which Coach Carrasco was part of. The Lopes finished as 2019 Region IV Champions going 32-27 overall (21-15 Conference).  This championship advanced the Lopes back to the District tournament, competing to attend the NJCAA World Series. “We have a strong group of experienced sophomores that have reset the standard of the LCC baseball program. In combination with a strong freshman class, I’m excited to see what they will accomplish this year.”

A New Mexico native, Roberto Carrasco had furthered his education and baseball career at WT in Amarillo, TX after his two years attending Lamar Community College. While attending WT, Carrasco finished his bachelor’s degree in Sport and Exercise Science, Emphasis in Applied Sports.

Carrasco spent both of his first two collegiate seasons playing at Lamar CC from 2013-14 as a middle infielder for Scott Crampton. He helped bring two Conference Championships, with a Region IX finish of 50-20 record and coming up short in Regional tournament play.

He continued his education and baseball career at West Texas A&M University in Amarillo, TX. After redshirting his first year there, Carrasco appeared in 21 games due to the lack of unable to stay healthy throughout the season. Senior year never began but the baseball career came to an end when Carrasco suffered a season-ending hamate bone fracture on his left hand. While there, he influenced in two Lone Star Conference Tournament Championships and a career of 72-38 record.

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Kyle Fultz enters his second season as Head Baseball Coach at Dawson Community College following a highly successful Spring 2025 season that marked significant progress for the Buccaneer baseball program. Dawson recorded 20 regular-season wins, the program’s highest total since 2021, doubling its win total from the previous season.

Under Fultz’s leadership, the Buccaneers improved from fifth place in the conference in 2024 to third place in 2025, earning the opportunity to host a playoff series for the first time in program history. The team also made substantial statistical gains, reducing pitching walks from 140 to 76 and improving the team fielding percentage from .881 to .940.

The 2025 season reflected success both on the field and in the classroom, as Dawson produced two All-Conference selections (Juan Salavarria, Adam Korte) and achieved the highest team GPA in Dawson Community College Baseball history. Dawson was recognized by the ABCA team academic excellence award with a 3.35 GPA which landed them in the top fourty of all NJCAA schools. Coach Fultz emphasizes player development, accountability, and academic excellence while continuing to build a competitive NJCAA baseball program.

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Jake Sellinger enters into his first season with the Jets in 2025-2026.

He joins the program from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS), where he served as an assistant coach for the Mountain Lions. In addition to his coaching duties, Sellinger also assisted with the team’s strength and conditioning program. In his four seasons coaching at UCCS, he primarily worked with outfielders, catchers, hitters, and base runners.

As a student-athlete, Sellinger played five seasons for the Mountain Lions. During his career, UCCS won the 2021 RMAC Tournament Championship and advanced to the NCAA Regionals that same year.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in Leadership Communication from UCCS and later completed a master’s degree in Health and Sport Science from Northeastern State University.

Sellinger was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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New Mexico native Steve Appel was named head coach of the University of the Southwest baseball team in June of 2014. Appel has quickly made his mark on the Mustang Baseball program.

Appel is entering his 9th season in 2022-2023 as the Head Coach of USW Baseball.

Appel has led the Mustangs to 181 wins and four postseason births in 7.5 seasons at USW (2020 season was limited to 23 games).

In 2022 The Mustangs won 33 games and won two games in the conference tournament, the most since 2004,  and set numerous team and individual program records.

In 2021 the Mustangs made the conference tournament and won their first game in the conference tournament since 2004.

USW won 30 games in 2019 which was good for 3rd all-time and the first 30-win season since 2004.

The Mustangs continued to trend up in 2018 and won 27 games and 12 games in RRAC play, the most since the 2003 season. USW qualified for the RRAC tournament as the No. 6 seed, and earned their second consecutive trip to the RRAC Tournament.

In each year since the arrival of Appel, USW has continued to win more games each year, now making them a yearly contender in the RRAC.

Several student-athletes have earned post-season accolades under Appel. Pitcher Bryan Hernandez earned 2015 1st Team All-Conference and 2015 First Team Rawlings Gold Glove National Awards. In 2017, hurler Alex Goodman earned First Team All-Conference, outfielder Isaiah Peters was named First Team All-Conference and pitcher Travis Dotson earned Second Team All-Conference accolades. In 2018, Ean Smith earned Second Team All-Conference Utility and JJ Kruzel also earned Second Team All-Conference on the mound.

Appel and his staff have built and remodeled the baseball facility. Appel aided in the largest donation in school history, which was used to build the indoor baseball facility, renovate Jake Williams Field, which includes upgraded playing service, new metal fence and renovated grandstand area. This last fall, Appel aided in reconstructing the new backstop which features a new netting system, concrete wall, and padding from dugout to dugout.

Off the field, Appel and his staff continue to strive in excellence.  His players continue to work tirelessly in the community with various community outreach programs.  The team has also built a strong foundation in the classroom, maintaining over a 3.0 team GPA in the last three years.

Appel came to USW after serving as head coach at Oklahoma Panhandle State University in Goodwell, Oklahoma. While at OPSU, Appel transformed the Aggie baseball team into a disciplined program that was being built to succeed in the highly competitive NCAA Division II Heartland Conference. Under his leadership, OPSU baseball student-athletes also excelled in the classroom as the team GPA improved from 2.20 in 2011 to 3.30 in 2014. During his tenure, Appel was the catalyst for a number of facility enhancements that turned the OPSU baseball field into one of the top facilities in the Heartland Conference.

Appel, a Socorro, New Mexico native, began his intercollegiate athletic playing career at Fort Scott Community College in Fort Scott, Kansas, where he received his associate’s degree before continuing his collegiate playing career at the University of Bridgeport in Bridgeport, Connecticut where he served as team captain for the baseball program, earned his Bachelor of Science degree with Magna Cum Laude honors and was also awarded his Master of Science degree. Immediately following his collegiate playing career, Appel joined the coaching staff at his alma mater as an assistant pitching coach and began his climb in the baseball coaching profession. Appel was named the UB baseball program’s top assistant and pitching coach in 2006 and by 2009 had constructed a pitching staff that finished the season with a 3.25 ERA and was ranked sixth in the nation.

Following the 2009 season, Appel was selected by Oklahoma Panhandle State as its top assistant coach. After the 2010 season, he was named the head coach of the Aggies baseball team and began his efforts of building a program that would compete at a high level, earn the respect of its opponents and become a source of pride for the university and its community. Appel’s recruiting efforts throughout the states of New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and the Southwest region resulted in the establishment and growth of an Aggie baseball program that boasted 55-60 student-athletes on its roster during his tenure.

Appel holds an associate’s degree from Fort Scott Community College, a Bachelor’s from University of Bridgeport and a Master’s, also from Bridgeport.

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