Molloy University Athletics

Joe Fucarino enters his 21st season at the helm of the Molloy baseball program in 2026. In his years at the helm of the Lions' baseball program, he has compiled 534 wins, qualified for the East Coast Conference tournament 16 out of 20 years, won four East Coast Conference Championships (2021, 2022, 2024, 2025), made five NCAA East Regional Tournament appearances, took home the ECAC Tournament title in 2009, and has had numerous East Coast Conference selections, Player of the Year selections, Rookie of the Year selections, All-East Region selections, and All-Americans. Coach Fucarino has also received East Coast Conference Coach of the Year praise in 2009, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2022, and 2023.
 

Coaching Record (2006-Pres.) 534-417 (.561)

NCAA Tournament Appearances 5

Conference Tournament Appearances 16

Conference Championships 4

All-Conference Selections 105

All-Region Selections (NCBWA, D2CCA, ABCA) 86

All-American Selections (NCBWA, D2CCA, ABCA) 7

Coach of the Year Awards 6

Recently, five former Molloy players under the tutelage of Coach Fucarino played professional baseball, with four signing contracts in the Spring of 2015. Those signees were highlighted by junior RHP Shea Spitzbarth, who signed with the LA Dodgers in 2015 and was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2020 Rules 5 Draft.

Over the last six years, the Molloy baseball program has established itself as a powerhouse in the NCAA Division II East Region. The Lions have competed in four of the last five NCAA Regional Tournaments, two of which were hosted at Mitchel Field. Molloy advanced to the Super Regional round in both 2022 and 2024 and was just one win away from the National Championship Tournament. The program continues to top itself, setting single season win records in both 2022 (40) and then again most recently in 2024 (42). The 2024 season also saw Molloy nationally-ranked by the NCBWA for nearly the entire campaign and resulted in multiple All-American selections for standouts Anthony Manisero and Charlie Cucchiara.

In 2018, Fucarino led the Lions to tie a then program-best 31 wins, including starting a flawless 13-0 in league play. The team eventually ended the year as Co-Regular Season Champions and advanced to the Championship game of the ECC Tournament for the second consecutive year. His efforts earned Fucarino his third Coach of the Year recognition from his peers. 

The 2016 season proved to be a record-setting and landmark campaign for Coach Fucarino and the Lions. Spending most of the year inside the NCBWA East Region Top-10 poll, Molloy tied a program record with 31 victories and received enough clout in the national conversation to earn the No. 6 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament's East Region competition. The first-ever berth into the NCAA Tournament was made possible due to ECC Player of the Year Angelo Navetta, who won the regular-season batting championship (.372) while also claiming a Rawlings Gold Glove on account of a 1.000 fielding percentage at first base. The dynamic tandem of starting pitchers Ronald Bauer and Bobby Kelly combined to go 13-5 on the mound while Anthony Catinella emerged as a strikeout threat, posting 80 K's to lead the Lions' staff. Molloy went 13-11 in conference play, collecting an ECC Tournament berth and grabbed win number 31 by knocking out three-time defending champion Saint Thomas Aquinas College from the play-off round.

In 2011, Fucarino, a three-time East Coast Conference Coach of the Year honoree, led the Lions to their first-ever ECC regular-season title, following an 8-3 win against league nemesis University of Bridgeport on May. 9, 2011. He also guided them to a 31-20 record, the most regular-season wins for Fucarino in his head coaching career with the maroon and white.

Just a year earlier, Fucarino helped Molloy to its first 30-plus win season since 2002 when the Lions posted a ledger of 30-24 in 2010. In addition, Fucarino's team came up just short of an East Coast Conference crown as Molloy suffered an 6-5 extra-inning loss to C.W. Post in the championship game.

Many players have also thrived as accolade recipients under Fucarino's tutelage, including 105 All-Conference selections, 16 major postseason awards (Player/Rookie/Pitcher of the Year), 86 All-Region selections (CCA/Daktronics, NCBWA, ABCA/Rawlings), and 7 All-American selections (CCA/Daktronics, NCBWA, ABCA/Rawlings).

Fucarino's coaching career in Rockville Centre dates as far back as 1994. He served as Bernie Havern's assistant coach from 1994-2000, and Associate Head Coach from 2001-05.

During his days as a student-athlete, Fucarino played collegiate ball for two years at Nassau Community College, where he was dubbed an All-Region XV infielder. He would later compete for Dowling College on a full athletic scholarship from 1991-93.

In addition to coaching the Lions, Fucarino serves as the Athletic Fund Coordinator for Molloy College, charged with running the Athletic Fund Club. Established in 2010, the Athletic Fund Club provides direct support for over 300 student-athletes to enhance training and competition sites, expand travel, and provide all necessary equipment and apparel needs. In addition to the Athletic Fund Club, he is responsible for the coordination of the annual Department of Athletics Golf Outing and is a lead planner for the College's All In Day campaigns and Family and Alumni Weekend.