Josh Copskey enters his third season as Head Baseball Coach at Penn State Abington.
2019 SEASON
After a program record setting year in Copskey's first year at the helm in 2018 in just his second year he led his Nittany Lions to yet another historic season in 2019.
In just his second year Copskey led the Nittany Lions to the programs first ever North Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament championship which led to the programs first birth into an NCAA regional tournament. The Lions faced off against both Rowan and Salisbury, two nationally recognized programs, in their first ever NCAA regional competition.
The Lions were 23-17 on the year with a notable non conference schedule. In his second year he coached 4 all conference selections in Ryan McCarty, Paul Woodley, Joseph Rizzo, and Jaden Himmelreich. McCarty also earned conference pitcher of the year.
This summer one of Copskey's Nittany Lions, Ryan McCarty, was invited to play in the highly competitive valley league for the Staunton Braves and four of Copskey's Nittany Lions are playing in the respectable ACBL collegiatesummer league for the Trenton Generals. (Woodley, Rizzo, Bregenzer, Stevenson).
2018 SEASON
Copskey made an immediate impact in 2018 leading the Nittany Lions to a 25-13 finish, which set a program record for wins in a season, including a second-place regular season finish (12-4) in the NEAC. In his first year, Copskey took a program that finished 16-23 the year prior and had only four winning seasons in program history. After starting the season 0-4, the Nittany Lions went 22-3 in their next 25, including a 13 game win streak. The Nittany Lions continued their great run by picking up a win against #1/#6 Rowan University on 4/28.
Copskey coached two NEAC First Team All-Conference selections in Stevie Stevenson and Ryan McCarty who was also selected as the NEAC Rookie of the Year. McCarty was selected as a D3Baseball and ABCA All-American and D3Baseball Rookie of the Year, an award given out to the top freshman in all of Division III baseball. Two of Copskey's Nittany Lions were invited to play for the Alpharetta Aviators in the Sunbelt collegiate baseball summer league. McCarty, respectfully, was selected to the all star team.
PRIOR TO PENN STATE ABINGTON
Prior to Penn State Abington, Copskey served as the top assistant at regional powerhouse Rutgers-Camden and played a vital role in the revival of the program. In his five seasons, Copskey helped transform the program from a losing record to four straight winning seasons, including a 2014 campaign that earned the team’s first-ever New Jersey Athletic Conference regular-season championship and berth in the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship Tournament. The 2014 team posted a 30-13-1 record, only the second 30-win season ever for Rutgers-Camden baseball. The Scarlet Raptors repeated their regular season championship in 2015.
Upon arrival at Rutgers-Camden in 2013, Copskey helped guide the Scarlet Raptors to a 23-19 record, their first winning season since 2010 and second since 2006.
Copskey helped Brooklawn American Legion to 5 straight American Legion World Series appearances including back-to-back national titles in 2013 and 2014, following a runner-up finish in 2012.
Prior to Rutgers-Camden, Copskey served as the pitching coach at Rider University under Head Coach Barry Davis from 2005-08. He helped guide the Broncs to a conference tournament title in 2008. During his time at Rider, Copskey helped mentor Jim Hayes who holds the current saves record (33) and Jimmer Kennedy who currently ranks within the top 10 in career wins for the Broncs.
A four-year starter at Siena College, he appeared in 54 games, making 35 starts. Copskey led the club with 70.1 innings as a freshman while also compiling a 1.91 ERA as a senior. He graduated from Siena in 2004 with a degree in Marketing Management.
In all, Copskey has worked with 15 players who have gone on to the professional ranks during his time at the high school and collegiate level.
Copskey graduated from Gloucester Catholic High School in 2000, where he helped the Rams to a pair of Parochial A State Championships in 1999 and 2000. The 2000 team also earned the national high school championship in polls by USA Today, Baseball America, and Collegiate Baseball.
Josh and his wife, Tara, have two sons, Lochlin and Walker.
