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Eric Podbelski

Head Coach, Baseball

Email: epodbels@wheatonma.edu
Office: Clark Recreation Center
Phone: 508-286-3394
Fax: 508-286-3323

Profile

Entering his 14th season as head coach, Eric Podbelski has built Wheaton's baseball program from the ground up, accumulating one of the highest winning percentages among active NCAA Division III coaches at .716 (368-145-4) through Wheaton's first 12 years of varsity play.

In 2009, Podbelski led Wheaton to a share of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference's (NEWMAC) regular season title, the 10th time the Lyons have either won outright or shared the league's regular season crown in the conference's 11-year history. During 2008, Wheaton made its eighth NCAA Tournament appearance in nine seasons and won its ninth NEWMAC Tournament title. The 2006 squad made the school's first national championship game appearance while going 42-10 and recording the highest win total in team history.

In addition to winning NEWMAC Tournament titles from 1999-2003 and 2005-2008, the Lyons also hosted the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Tournament in 1999 and qualified for their first ECAC Tourney in 1998, the team's first year of varsity action.

Podbelski was awarded New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA) Division III Coach-of-the-Year honors in 2001, 2002, 2006 and 2007, which earned him a coaching position at the NEIBA All-Star game held at Boston's Fenway Park. He has also been named NEWMAC Coach of the Year eight times.

In the past nine seasons, Podbelski has produced seven All-America selections and six professional players, including two Major League Baseball (MLB) signees. Wheaton's lone MLB draftee, Chris Denorfia '02, was taken by the Cincinnati Reds in the 19th round in June 2002. Denorfia has swiftly made his way up the professional ranks, most notably his 2005 jump from Double-A Chattanooga to the big leagues. Recalled to Cincinnati in 2006 from Triple-A Louisville and traded to Oakland in 2007, Denorfia is currently an outfielder with the Athletics.

In addition to his baseball coaching duties, Podbelski has also served on the NCAA and ECAC Tournament selection committees.

A 1991 graduate of Brandeis University, Podbelski finished his career as one of the school's all-time winningest pitchers with 23 victories. After a junior year in which he was named to three postseason all-star teams, he was invited to play for the Falmouth Commodores in the prestigious Cape Cod League.

Podbelski went on to serve as assistant coach at Brandeis for five years. Under his direction, Podbelski's pitching staff was among the national leaders in team earned run average four times, including in 1994 when it led Division III in ERA at 2.33.

In high school, Podbelski was a standout baseball player at Plymouth-Carver Regional. Named to numerous all-star and all-scholastic teams, he capped his high school career by being selected as a Golden Spikes Award finalist and playing in the 1987 United States Olympic Festival as a member of the USA East team.

Podbelski and his wife, Amy, reside in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, with twin girls Erin and Shea.

The Podbelski File

This page is maintained by Scott Dietz. Last updated on 11/12/09.
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