Jan. 30, 2012

Wagner to hire Carone as head coach

Sources have confirmed that Wagner will name Villanova pitching coach Jim Carone as its head coach today. College Baseball Daily was the first to report Carone's move.

"We're ecstatic for him," Villanova coach Joe Godri said Monday morning. "Anytime you have an assistant get a D-I job, that's what it's all about."

Carone will replace Joe Littterio, who led the Seahawks for the past 12 seasons before leaving to become an assistant at his alma mater, Rutgers. Litterio posted a school-record 240 career victories while at Wagner, leading the Seahawks to a Northeast Conference Championship in 2000 and a NCAA Regional spot. Wagner claimed the NEC regular-season title in 2009 as Litterio was named conference Coach of the Year.

Carone has been pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Villanova for the past three seasons. A 2003 graduate of Monmouth, Carone was an assistant for two seasons at both Wagner and Rider before joining the Wildcats. Carone was 2002 Northeast Conference Pitcher of the Year, going 10-3 in 13 starts with seven complete games, two shutouts and a 2.21 ERA.

As for Villanova, Godri admitted the timing isn't the best to lose his pitching coach, but he feels good that everything is in place for the season. Godri expects to name a new pitching coach in the next seven to 10 days.