ABCA Podcast

Today’s guest on the ABCA Podcast is ABCA/ATEC Pacific Association Coach of the Year, Tom Nilles. In 11 seasons leading Santa Ana College, Nilles has guided the program to two state championships and four state tournament appearances. The 2026 team put together one of the greatest seasons in school history, setting program records with 44 wins, 563 runs scored, and 80 home runs on its way to a state championship. The Dons also captured their first Orange Empire Conference title since 2014, earning Nilles OEC and California Community College Baseball Coaches Association Coach of the Year honors for the second time in his career. Nilles earned his 300th career win in the final game of the season. He now trails only the legendary Don Sneddon in program history in both wins and state championships. That championship followed another memorable run in 2023, when Nilles led Santa Ana to its first state title since 1996, guiding a 36-win team through a dominant postseason finish. Nilles’ impact goes well beyond Santa Ana. Before taking over the Dons, he helped rebuild the Fullerton College program, leading the Hornets to their first postseason appearance since 1992, their first OEC championship, and their first state championship appearance. Earlier in his career, he was part of a Sierra College staff that captured the 2008 state championship. Throughout his coaching career, Nilles has helped develop professional draft picks, Division I scholarship athletes, All-Americans, and countless players who have gone on to compete at the four-year level. Coaches, you put a lot into building your program. Your facility should reflect that same commitment. STADIONIC’s mission is to make every sports facility iconic—creating spaces that inspire athletes, engage fans, and help programs thrive at every level. With more than five thousand facilities improved, STADIONIC brings that mission to life for programs across the country. From custom netting and wall padding to batting cages and facility upgrades, their team works with you from design to fabrication to installation, with quality and attention to detail at every step. And coaches stand behind the work. Leaders of some of the nation’s top college programs praise STADIONIC’s attention to detail, exceptional service, and products built to last. These are coaches who demand excellence—and value that same commitment in their facility partners. Whether you’re planning your next upgrade or transforming your entire facility, visit STADIONIC.com to get started. STADIONIC. Making sports facilities iconic. This episode is brought to you by Rapsodo Baseball. Great coaching starts with knowing what to work on next. Rapsodo gives coaches the objective data, video, and instant feedback they need to make every rep more purposeful. With 20+ hitting and pitching data points, Live-on-Live capabilities, Seam Orientation, Scripted Sessions, and more, Rapsodo’s PRO 2.0 and PRO 3.0 units help coaches dial in on player development for their athletes with pro-level data and ball-tracking technology. From establishing baselines to validating adjustments and tracking progress, Rapsodo takes the guesswork out of development. Measure what matters. Train with purpose. Learn more by emailing [email protected] or visit their website: Rapsodo.com/Baseball. Download & Subscribe to the Podcast:https://abca.castos.comhttps://www.abca.org/podcastOnline: https://www.abca.orgABCA Member Benefits: https://www.abca.org/benefits Become a Member: https://www.abca.org/apply X/Twitter: https://x.com/abca1945 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abca1945 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ABCA1945

Next up on the ABCA Podcast is ABCA/ATEC NCAA Div. III Coach of the Year, Denison University’s Mike Deegan. Deegan led the Big Red to a remarkable 51-3 record and the first NCAA Div. III National Championship in school history. Since taking over the program in 2013, Deegan has transformed Denison baseball, leading the Big Red to six NCAC regular-season championships, seven conference tournament titles, and eight NCAA Regional appearances with back-to-back College World Series appearances.. Deegan’s also become the winningest coach in program history, with more than 400 victories and a winning percentage above .730. Before arriving at Denison, Deegan spent nine seasons at his alma mater, Marietta College, where he helped the Pioneers capture three NCAA Div. III National Championships. This episode is brought to you by Rapsodo Baseball. Great coaching starts with knowing what to work on next. Rapsodo gives coaches the objective data, video, and instant feedback they need to make every rep more purposeful. With 20+ hitting and pitching data points, Live-on-Live capabilities, Seam Orientation, Scripted Sessions, and more, Rapsodo’s PRO 2.0 and PRO 3.0 units help coaches dial in on player development for their athletes with pro-level data and ball-tracking technology. From establishing baselines to validating adjustments and tracking progress, Rapsodo takes the guesswork out of development. Measure what matters. Train with purpose. Learn more by emailing [email protected] or visit their website: Rapsodo.com/Baseball. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Stadionic. Stadionic is improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more. Download & Subscribe to the Podcast:https://abca.castos.comhttps://www.abca.org/podcastOnline: https://www.abca.orgABCA Member Benefits: https://www.abca.org/benefits Become a Member: https://www.abca.org/apply X/Twitter: https://x.com/abca1945 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abca1945 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ABCA1945 YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/abca1945

This week on the ABCA Podcast we are joined by ABCA/ATEC NCAA Div. II Coach of the Year University of Tampa head coach, Joe Urso. Urso is one of the most accomplished coaches in college baseball history, building one of the greatest dynasties in the game, developed countless professional players, and established a standard of excellence that very few programs at any level can match. Since taking over the Spartans in 2001, Urso has turned Tampa into the gold standard of NCAA Div. II baseball, building a program defined by championships, player development, consistency, and an unwavering commitment to winning. In 2026, Urso led Tampa to its third consecutive NCAA Div. II National Championship, becoming the first program in Div. II baseball history to win three straight national titles. The Spartans finished the season with an impressive 51-9 record, defeating West Chester University 8-4 in the deciding game of the National Championship Series in Cary, North Carolina. That victory gave Tampa its 11th National Championship in program history and the eighth under Urso’s leadership—an incredible accomplishment that further solidifies his place among the greatest coaches in college baseball history. Urso has accumulated more than 1,100 career victories, won numerous Sunshine State Conference championships, made multiple trips to the NCAA Div. II College World Series, and earned national recognition as one of the premier coaches in the country, including being named the 2025 ABCA/ATEC NCAA Div. II National Coach of the Year. This episode is brought to you by Rapsodo Baseball. Great coaching starts with knowing what to work on next. Rapsodo gives coaches the objective data, video, and instant feedback they need to make every rep more purposeful.With 20+ hitting and pitching data points, Live-on-Live capabilities, Seam Orientation, Scripted Sessions, and more, Rapsodo’s PRO 2.0 and PRO 3.0 units help coaches dial in on player development for their athletes with pro-level data and ball-tracking technology. From establishing baselines to validating adjustments and tracking progress, Rapsodo takes the guesswork out of development. Measure what matters. Train with purpose. Learn more by emailing [email protected] or visit their website: Rapsodo.com/Baseball. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more. Download & Subscribe to the Podcast:https://abca.castos.comhttps://www.abca.org/podcastOnline: https://www.abca.orgABCA Member Benefits: https://www.abca.org/benefits Become a Member: https://www.abca.org/apply X/Twitter: https://x.com/abca1945 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abca1945 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ABCA1945 YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/abca1945

This week on the ABCA Podcast we are joined by ABCA/ATEC NJCAA Div. II Coach of the Year, Pearl River head coach and athletic director, Michael Avalon. Since taking over the Wildcats' baseball program in 2016, Avalon has transformed Pearl River into one of the premier junior college baseball programs in the country, consistently competing for conference championships, regional titles, and national championships. Avalon led Pearl River to its second NJCAA Division II National Championship in five seasons, adding to the program's first national title in 2022. The championship followed an incredible 2025 campaign in which the Wildcats won a program-record 53 games and finished as national runners-up. Pearl River has become a model of consistency, with multiple conference championships, Region 23 titles, and NJCAA World Series appearances, while consistently ranking among the top programs in the country. Pearl River has helped more than 100 players continue their baseball careers at four-year institutions, while emphasizing academic achievement, personal growth, accountability, and the development of young men. One of the foundations of his program is a philosophy built around four simple words: Success, Organization, Attitude, and Pride—or S.O.A.P. It's a philosophy passed down from his father that has become a defining part of Pearl River baseball and the culture Coach Avalon has established. In 2025, Avalon took on another major leadership role when he was named athletic director at Pearl River, giving him the opportunity to extend that same championship mindset across the entire athletic department. And in 2026, Pearl River made history by becoming the first NJCAA Division II institution to win baseball and softball national championships in the same season—an incredible accomplishment that speaks to the culture and expectations throughout the athletic department. This episode is brought to you by Rapsodo Baseball. Great coaching starts with knowing what to work on next. Rapsodo gives coaches the objective data, video, and instant feedback they need to make every rep more purposeful. With 20+ hitting and pitching data points, Live-on-Live capabilities, Seam Orientation, Scripted Sessions, and more, Rapsodo’s PRO 2.0 and PRO 3.0 units help coaches dial in on player development for their athletes with pro-level data and ball-tracking technology. From establishing baselines to validating adjustments and tracking progress, Rapsodo takes the guesswork out of development. Measure what matters. Train with purpose. Learn more by emailing [email protected] or visit their website: Rapsodo.com/Baseball. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more. Download & Subscribe to the Podcast:https://abca.castos.comhttps://www.abca.org/podcastOnline: https://www.abca.orgABCA Member Benefits: https://www.abca.org/benefits Become a Member: https://www.abca.org/apply X/Twitter: https://x.com/abca1945 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abca1945 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ABCA1945 YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/abca1945

Next up on the ABCA Podcast is ABCA/ATEC NCAA Div. I Coach of the Year, Oklahoma University head coach, Skip Johnson. Johnson is coming off a historic 2026 season in which he led the Sooners to their third National Championship in program history and their first since 1994. Oklahoma put together an incredible postseason run, going 11-2 in the NCAA Tournament and becoming the first team in tournament history to defeat nine national seeds on its way to winning it all. The Sooners finished the season with a 43-23 record, capturing the national title with a 13-2 victory over North Carolina in the College World Series championship game. Since taking over the Oklahoma program in 2018, Johnson has established the Sooners as a consistent national contender, leading the program to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances, conference championships, and two trips to the College World Series championship finals, including a national runner-up finish in 2022. Johnson spent 10 seasons at the University of Texas working alongside legendary head coach Augie Garrido, helping the Longhorns reach three College World Series while establishing himself as one of the top pitching coaches in the country. Prior to Texas, he spent 13 seasons as the head coach at Navarro College, where he accumulated 450 wins, nine conference championships, and four regional titles. This episode is brought to you by Rapsodo Baseball. Great coaching starts with knowing what to work on next. Rapsodo gives coaches the objective data, video, and instant feedback they need to make every rep more purposeful. With 20+ hitting and pitching data points, Live-on-Live capabilities, Seam Orientation, Scripted Sessions, and more, Rapsodo’s PRO 2.0 and PRO 3.0 units help coaches dial in on player development for their athletes with pro-level data and ball-tracking technology. From establishing baselines to validating adjustments and tracking progress, Rapsodo takes the guesswork out of development. Measure what matters. Train with purpose. Learn more by emailing [email protected] or visit their website: Rapsodo.com/Baseball. The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more. Download & Subscribe to the Podcast:https://abca.castos.comhttps://www.abca.org/podcastOnline: https://www.abca.orgABCA Member Benefits: https://www.abca.org/benefits Become a Member: https://www.abca.org/apply X/Twitter: https://x.com/abca1945 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abca1945 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ABCA1945 YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/abca1945