Nate Cole, who completed his eighth season as an assistant baseball coach at Southern Connecticut State University in 2015, has developed the Owls’ pitching staff into one of the tops in the Division II ranks.
Cole has mentored 18 All-Conference selections and two All-Americans over the course of the last eight seasons, along with 2014 Northeast-10 Pitcher of the Year Rocco Cundari and 2008 Northeast-10 Pitcher of the Year Jim Fuller. Four hurlers have signed professional contracts after completing their Owls' career, including Fuller, a 21st round selection of the New York Mets and Cundari, who inked with the Atlanta Braves.
In 2014, SCSU ranked among the NCAA leaders in several categories. Ass a staff, the Owls were seventh in strikeout-to-walk ratio, 12th in the nation in strikeouts per nine innings, 15th in shutouts, 17th in WHIP and 25th in walks per nine innings.
In 2013, Owls’ hurlers closed the year ranked among the NCAA Division II leaders in multiple pitching categories. SCSU ranked No. 10 in hits allowed per nine innings (7.93) and No. 24 in WHIP (1.28). Opposing batters only hit .238 against Cole’s charges.
Nine different Southern Connecticut pitchers earned a win during the 2012 season. The team, which had a 3.37 earned run average, fanned more batters than it allowed hits as SCSU totaled 31 victories.
The 2011 Owls’ staff led Division II in earned run average for the majority of the season and finished the year No. 3 in ERA and walks allowed per nine innings. Michael Johnston led the nation in saves, while Chris Zbin, Steve Simon and Kevin Pettine also ranked among the NCAA individual leaders in several categories. Four pitchers were named All-Conference, with three collecting All-Region accolades.
The Owls’ 2010 pitching staff led all of Division II with a 2.53 earned run average. That figure was the third best in the NCAA, trailing only St. Thomas of Minnesota (2.41) and the University of Texas (2.45).
In 2009, Cole coached two All-Northeast-10 Conference selections and helped the Owls pitching rotation claim the fourth most wins in the conference (25) and second fewest losses (20).
During his first year with the Owls, he helped oversee a pitching staff that ranked first in the Northeast-10 Conference in shutouts (12) and was second in strikeouts, earned run average and saves.
Prior to SCSU, Cole was a three-year starter on the mound at Central Connecticut State University. Unfortunately, he was sidelined due to injury his senior year.
While with the Blue Devils, Cole was a part of two Northeast Conference championship squads and participated in NCAA Regional competition at Arizona State University and the University of Oklahoma.
Prior to college, Cole was a captain as a senior at King Philip Regional (Mass.) High School. He was a part of the first team in school history to advance to the state title game.
Originally from Wrentham, Mass., Cole currently resides in Middletown, Conn.
