Neil Ioviero Earns 750th Career Win as Cougars Baseball Head Coach

By Anthony Reyna | Published March 13, 2023

On Friday, Feb. 17, Kean’s Baseball Team defeated The College at Old Westbury by a score of 6-1, giving longtime Head Coach Neil Ioviero his 750th Career win with the program. 

Ioviero, the six-time New Jersey Athletics Conference Coach of the year and the winningest coach in Kean Athletics history, added yet another impressive milestone to his head coaching career which began in 1998. 

In the time since Ioviero took over, Kean’s Baseball Program has become one of the most decorated programs in the country, with 5 NJAC Championships, 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, 6 NCAA Division III World Series appearances, and an NCAA Division III World Series Championship in 2007.  The university had won exactly zero championships for Baseball until 2002, Ioviero’s fifth year as Head Coach.

“It definitely feels special,” Steven Bucchignano, the assistant coach said. “Neil has a special place in my life and I’m forever grateful to him, and Jack Nagy, one of our assistants who passed away in October 2019, for recruiting me 25 years ago.”

Buccignano, who returned for his eighth consecutive year on the staff this season, also played for Kean from 1999-2003, some of Ioviero’s earliest years in charge of the program. 

As a pitcher, Bucchignano was a part of Kean’s first-ever NJAC Tournament victory for Baseball in 2002. 

“Kean, was the absolute worst baseball program possibly in the state when Neil took over,” Bucchignano said. “The facilities, the uniforms, the gear, and the field were terrible. So to see where this started, to where it is now, all with the same person as head coach is truly amazing. To be a part of that journey, and to be a part of his 100th, 600th, 700th, and now 750th win is really special, because I know how much blood, sweat, and tears went into this.” 

For Coach Ioviero, Kean has always been exactly where he wanted to be, stating that it felt like home since the start. 

“Just be yourself,” Ioviero said. “I was the youngest head coach in the country at 24 when I started. You find yourself under pressure to act a certain way when you start out so young. The actual baseball part has always been the easiest thing. But just be yourself always.”

Even in the constantly changing sport of baseball, Ioviero still approaches the game the same way he always has. 

“Neil’s ability to adapt with the ever-changing landscape of college baseball but continue to adhere to his core beliefs is what I find amazing about him,” Bucchignano said. 

A major component of Ioviero’s coaching philosophy all takes place before the first pitch is ever thrown. 

Ioviero said he establishes the teams’ goal early on and focus on everything but winning. With great preparation, you will win. 

“My job is to make my guys believe we expect to win,” Ioviero said. “The shock shouldn’t be when you win, it’s when you lose.” 

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