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Head Coach Ross Natoli, in his 25th season at Catholic
University, has built the Cardinals into one of the most respected
and competitive NCAA Division III programs in the East. He has led
CUA to an average of 20 or more victories over the past 11 years
and in 2008 picked up his 400th career victory. In 2008, the
Cardinals won the inaugural Landmark Conference Championship and
finished the season with a 10 game winning streak en route to a
26-13-1 overall record. The Cardinals repeated as Landmark
Conference Champions in 2009, winning 10 of their last 12 games
including an 11-3 victory vs The Merchant Marine Academy in the
Landmark Championship game, and placing 6 players on the 2009
All-Landmark Conference team.
Under Natoli's direction, the Cardinals' on-field personality
reflects his own philosophy that perseverance, team unity and a
commitment to academic and athletic excellence form the foundation
for a successful program. He continues to strive to develop his
teams with the goal of being consistent contenders for NCAA
tournament play in the future while emphasizing the importance of
academic success in the classroom throughout their careers. 14
members of his 2009 team achieved a cumulative or spring semester
GPA of 3.0 or above.
A native Washingtonian, Natoli was a standout outfielder at
cross-town rival George Washington University, from which he earned
his bachelor's degree in civil engineering in 1981. After playing
for two teams that advanced to NCAA Division I tournaments (1977,
1979), he served as the Colonials' top assistant coach from
1981-1984. He became the Cards' head coach in the fall of 1985, and
is also widely recognized for founding and directing the highly
regarded Ross Natoli Instructional Baseball Camps & Clinics for
youth in the Washington metropolitan area.
Throughout his career, Natoli has continually upgraded CUA's baseball facilities, which are widely considered to be among the finest in the region. State-of-the-art walk-in dugouts, indoor and outdoor batting cages, bullpens, practice pitching mounds and a quality playing surface are among the key facility components that provide an environment conducive to productive practice and exciting games. In the fall of 2000, Natoli's significant fundraising efforts produced the baseball field's first electronic scoreboard. It coincided with the dedication of Robert J. Talbot Field, named for the former CUA athletic director, Hall of Famer and baseball coach, who in 1977 led the "Cardiac Cardinals" to the NCAA Division I playoffs.
Over the past 5 years, Natoli has worked closely with the
current athletic administration and CUA’s Office of
Development in managing the Cardinal's Competitive Edge Campaign, a
major fundraising initiative designed to considerably upgrade the
entire CUA athletic complex. Through the generous contributions of
over 250 alumni, several major baseball facility enhancements have
recently come to fruition. These include a newly resurfaced,
state-of-the-art infield installed by the Ripken Design Group, 300
stadium-style chair-back seats, a modern press box, sound system,
warning track, fencing renovations, full infield tarp, professional
quality bullpens and upgraded outdoor batting cages. Natoli feels
that the Cardinals’ current playing and practice facilities
are among the finest in all of NCAA Division 3 baseball.
Natoli and his wife, Nancy, live in Silver Spring, Md., with their
16-year-old twin daughters, Rachel and Rebecca, and 14 year-old
son, Nicholas.
Bernie Dennis
Assistant coach Bernie Dennis is no stranger to the Catholic University baseball program. Dennis was an All-CAC catcher for the Cardinals leading the squad to one of its best finishes in program history in 2004 with a record of 27-14-1. He ranks in the top ten on a number of CUA all-time lists including doubles, hits, runs, walks and RBI. Dennis was signed as a free agent by the Milwaukee Brewers and played with the minor league Arizona Brewers in 2005 as well as the Helena Brewers in 2006. This summer Dennis will be playing for the San Angelo Colts in the United Baseball League. The Arlington, Va., native went to Bishop O'Connell High School and currently resides in the Washington, D.C., area.
John Nolan
John Nolan begins his third year with the Cardinals after a
successful career playing Division I baseball. While at CUA
the team managed to win it's first Landmark Conference
Championship, John also had a d3baseball.com honorable
mention All-American in 2008 in Mike Bzozowski. John played at
St. Bonaventure University from 2004-2006, graduated with
Bachelor's in History, and a member of 2004 Atlantic 10 Champs
and NCAA Regional participant. At Chantilly High School,
Nolan was all-district with a 4-4 record and 45 strikeouts in 47
innings. He also lettered in cross country and track and
field. Nolan will coach the pitchers this season for
CUA. He resides in Fairfax, Va., and will finish a Master's
Degree in May at George Mason University. In addtion he will
manage the Fairfax Nationals of the Clark Griffith Collegiate
Baseball League in the summer of 2009 and is a pitching instructor
at the Virginia Baseball Club.
