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John Musachio

Position: Head Coach Experience: Sixth Year Alma Mater: Bradley, '96

John Musachio enters his eighth season overall and sixth as head baseball coach at Oakland University. Musachio was named The Summit League Coach of the Year in 2012, becoming the first-ever OU coach to earn that distinction.

The Golden Grizzlies had their finest season inside The Summit League in 2012. OU finished 15-6 and a half-game behind 13-time champion Oral Roberts. Oakland won 21 of its final 29 games en route to setting a new school record with 15 league wins. The 25 wins was the second-most in the Division I era, behind only the 28 wins in 2000.

Since Musachio took over the baseball program, the Golden Grizzlies have broken multiple school records and continue to make appearances in The Summit League tournament. Prior to 2008, Oakland had made a total of three appearances in the league tournament in eight seasons. Under Musachio's direction, the Grizzlies are coming off tournament appearances in 2 of 3 seasons and will serve as the tournament host in 2013 for the first time in program history.

Under the tutelage of Musachio, several players have made professional debuts. Left-handed pitcher Hayden Fox (2010-12) was taken in the 2012 Major League Baseball Amateur Player Draft in the 21st round by the Miami Marlins and signed, forgoing his senior season. Shortstop D.J. Jarrad (2008-11) signed a free agent contract with the Chicago White Sox in 2012 and just completed his first season of professional baseball. Right-handed pitcher Shane McCatty (2008-09) was selected in the 34th round by the Washington Nationals in 2009 and played for the Single-A Potomac Nationals in `12.

For the first time in program history, Oakland had two incoming commitments, Skylar Janisse and Brett Impemba, each being drafted in the 2011 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft.

In the Musachio era, eight Golden Grizzlies have garnered all-league accolades and three first-team honorees. Oakland has placed six players on the all-tournament teams in two of the last three seasons.

Along with the recent success on the diamond, Coach Musachio's teams have been stellar in the classroom. Each year his teams are in the top of team grade point averages at Oakland and produce one of the top NCAA APR percentages in the country. The Golden Grizzlies have had a total of 108 Academic All-Summit League selections over the past five seasons.

Rob Merkle was named ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District in consecutive seasons and Taylor Traub was named Hollie Lepley Senior Scholar-Athlete Award winner, given annually to the top senior student-athlete who has excelled in and out of the classroom.

Some other firsts for the baseball program under Musachio's guidance was the first-ever no-hitter by Aaron Wick versus Southern Utah (5/21/10) and he followed that performance with the school's first-ever 9-inning shutout at Western Michigan (3/29/11) the very next season.

Russell Luxton set a new school record with 10 saves in 2012 and led The Summit League. Tim Ryan etched his name in the school record book and became the first player to surpass 200 hits, 80 stolen bases and 150 runs scored. Left-handed pitcher Jeff Gorecki led the league with a 1.21 ERA in conference action and the Golden Grizzlies did not lose a Summit League series for the first time in program history. OU also posted a record of 16-2 at home and won nine consecutive league games at the OU Baseball Field.

Prior to being promoted to head coach, Musachio served a two-year stint as the Golden Grizzlies' top assistant coach, serving as the recruiting coordinator, travel coordinator, hitting and pitching coach. In 2006, Musachio's first season with the team, the Golden Grizzlies raised their team batting average 30 points from the previous year. In 2007, OU led the Mid-Con in hitting (.307 team batting average) and doubles (102), and was second in five other categories, including slugging percentage and on-base percentage.

With Musachio as hitting coach, several OU players garnered attention for their feats at the plate. Kevin Carkeek was drafted by the Houston Astros, while Ryan Heath won two national awards, being named Louisville Slugger's National Player of the Week and NCBWA Hitter of the Week last April.

Before coming to Oakland, Musachio served as an assistant coach at Michigan State for the 2005 season. He worked primarily with the outfielders and assisted with hitting. That season all three Spartan outfielders were named All-Big Ten, and one player, Ryan Sontag, was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year as well as a Freshman All-American.

Preceding his stint at MSU, Musachio coached the DuPage Dragons of the Central Illinois Collegiate League for one season. He worked with the Dragons' pitching staff, which compiled an overall record of 22-22. Three players--Miles Morgan, Omar Arif and Victor Ferrante--were later selected in the MLB Draft.

The LaGrange, Ill., native played one season of professional baseball with the Hickory Crawdads, Class A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. He compiled a 1-0 record with one save and a 3.60 ERA on the mound.

Musachio graduated from Bradley University in 1996 with a degree in psychology. A four-year standout with the Braves, he was twice named to the Missouri Valley All-Conference team. Musachio served as the team captain, was voted team MVP and was named to the MVC All-Tournament team his senior season and was voted the Don Stamp Hustle Award winner three of his four years at Bradley. The Braves posted two 40-win seasons and made two appearances in the MVC championship game during his four-year collegiate career.

Musachio and his wife, Laura, live in Rochester Hills with their two daughters, Isabella and Sienna, and one son, Luca.