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Bruce McConkey enters his eighth year as head coach of the Cardinal softball team. Over the past four years, McConkey has continued to build the program and recruit talented young players. In 2008, Coach McConkey had three team memebers placed on the all conference squad after a remarkable playoff run that put the Cardinals in the Landmark Conference Championship.
McConkey has continued to develop the program taking the team to the CAC Championship in 2007. He placed CUA on the national stage by leading the NCAA in doubles per game and coaching the squad to a program-best 20 wins in 2006.
McConkey began his career as head softball coach at CUA after several successful playing and coaching stints in the sport.
As a coach for more than 20 years, McConkey led his Catholic Youth Organization girls' softball teams to five league championships and a city title. He also took his girls' travel team to the regionals and helped lead the Good Counsel High School softball team to the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference tournament championship in 2002.
McConkey also has had much success as a player and coach in men's softball. Over seven years his team wracked up five straight Maryland state championships and more than 50 tournament titles in the National Softball Association, the Amateur Softball Association and the USSSA. They ranked No. 1 in the Mid Atlantic region from 1992 to 1994 and No. 2 in the nation in 1994. His team entered the Washington Metropolitan Softball Hall of Fame in 1991.
McConkey attended the University of Maryland where he was a member of the wrestling team. Before that, McConkey was a team captain and standout wrestler at Prince George's College and High Point High School in Beltsville, Md.
A Washington, D.C., native, McConkey was the Washington
Archdiocese Catholic Volunteer of the Year in 2000. He has served
on the school board and was the CYO athletic director for St.
Mark's Parish in Maryland. McConkey also owns C.K. McConkey &
Sons in Mt. Rainier, Md. He and his wife, Teal, and daughter,
Casey, live in College Park, Md.
Barry Holley
In his sixth year with CUA, Barry Holley continues to
develop softball players. Known for his motivational teaching
style, Holley inspires the Cardinals to excel in the classroom as
well as on the field. He has coached travel softball for many
years competing in tournaments around the country. He also helped
coach his Southern Maryland team to a Big League World Series title
in Kalamazoo, Mich. His daughter, Heather, graduated
from CUA in 2008 as a nursing major and played softball while
attending the University. Holley lives in Owings, Md., with
his wife Connie. His son Ryan graduated from Gonzaga
College High School in D.C. and currently a attends St
Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire where he
plays varsity Ice Hockey. Outside of CUA Holley works as a software
consultant.
Greg Boyd
In his fifth year with CUA, Greg Boyd helps bring softball fundamentals back to the squad. Boyd has many years of experience in coaching with several travel softball organizations. He has also worked with several Southern Maryland Big League teams in their pursuit of a World Series title in Kalamazoo, Mich. Boyd resides in Chesapeake Beach, Md., with his wife Brenda. They have three children; Brian, Shelley and Megan who have all participated in softball or baseball. Outside of CUA Boyd works as a sheet metal mechanic.
Don Baker
Coach Baker is in his 4th year as a volunteer assistant for the Cardinals. A graduate of DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Md., where he played Baseball, he also attended Frostburg State University. Baker has over 20 years of coaching experience having coached at all levels of youth Softball, Baseball and Basketball including Softball Travel teams as well as 3 years as an assistant Varsity Softball coach at St. Vincent Pallotti High School. In 2007, he was awarded Outstanding CYO coach of the year for the Archdiocese of Washington.
Coach Baker brings a high energy level and stresses fundamentals
and work ethic. He works primarily with the outfield and defense.
His daughter Rachel is a senior centerfielder for the Cardinals.
Don is a Sr. Advisory IT/Specialist for IBM in Gaithersburg, Md.,
where he has worked for over 28 years. Don and his wife Karen have
3 daughters, 1 son and two grandchildren. They reside in Riverdale,
Md.
Mike Kriner
In his first
year with CUA, Mike Kriner brings a lot of softball coaching
experience with him. Mike has coached softball for the last 20
years. He coached travel softball, one of his teams qualified for a
National tournament with 8 players. His teams have won 5 World
Series Big League titles. He has also coached McNamara and St
Mary’s Ryken’s high schools. Mike started coaching his
youngest daughter when she began to play softball, she went on to
play college softball. Mike has also coached alumni Heather Holley
in big league play. Mike is happiest on the ballfield.
Mike
and his wife, Lisa, have three children and two grandchildren. Mike
and Lisa reside in Dunkirk, Maryland.
