Mingione Brings New Energy to Kentucky Baseball Program
When coaches, players and media members were asked to give
their thoughts on new Kentucky baseball head coach Nick Mingione, the response
was nearly universal.
Almost every respondent mentioned the word energy when
describing the 37-year-old Florida native, who returns to Kentucky where he
served as an assistant coach on the Wildcats’ staff under John Cohen from
2006-07.
Mingione displayed that energy at a press conference on
Tuesday where he was introduced as the 26th coach in the school’s
history.
“It was almost 11 years ago, almost to the day, I had
never been on the campus of the University of Kentucky,” Mingione said of
his first trip to the Commonwealth. “I drove up on the campus, saw the
most beautiful green grass I’ve ever seen. Saw the beautiful campus. Went and
saw the field. It was at that moment that I thought to myself, I want to call
this place home. There was no doubt in my mind that this was a place that you
could win at.”
Mingione was on Cohen’s staff during the magical 2006 season,
when Kentucky went 44-17 and won its only SEC baseball regular season
championship. And Mingione was on Cohen’s staff at Mississippi State this
season, when the Bulldogs won their first regular season SEC title in 27 years.
“It’s impressive, what Nick has done,” UK Athletic Director
Mitch Barnhart said on Tuesday. “We knew from the time Nick was with us that
one day, he would be in this spot.”
Cohen, who has had Mingione on his staff for a total of nine
years, is a huge fan of the new Kentucky skipper.
“He is a combination of a high-energy,
extreme-competitiveness with an intellectual component, an extremely creative
mind with a single – there’s a purpose to everything he does,” Cohen told
Jon Hale of the Louisville
Courier-Journal. “I guess the best way to say it is Nick Mingione does
not give away one day of his life. Every day there’s purpose.”
Mingione’s hard work and high energy have paid off for his
teams. He has recruited as well as any coach in the country, evidenced by the
fact that his last three recruiting classes have been ranked third, third and
second nationally. He has had 53 players drafted, has coached 35 All-Americans
and five conference players of the year.
One of those conference players of the year came when
Mingione was at Kentucky. In 2006, Wildcat first baseman Ryan Strieby earned
the honor. On Tuesday, Strieby endorsed Mingione’s hiring.
“It’s an incredible hire, and (Mingione) has the type of
energy and passion that is rare,” Strieby said. “He’s an intense competitor and
he’ll set a standard for excellence.”
A pair of Strieby’s teammates agree with that assessment.
“The energy and the always-positive atmosphere that he
devises, that’s what I think of the most,” said former Kentucky standout John
Shelby III, who is now a scout in the Milwaukee Brewers organization. “He talks
the talk and walks the walk. It’s definitely much-deserved for him to be in
this position right now.”
“I’ve known Nick since his first year at Kentucky in
2006,” former Kentucky All-American Collin Cowgill said. “From day
one ever since he stepped on the scene, we had an incredible relationship. We
have similar personalities as far as work ethic and how we care about our team
and the program in general. He was always there. I would call him at 10 o’clock
at night to go hit and he’d meet me at the cage. He’s just an incredible human
being. He’s got an incredible work ethic. He truly cares about kids and the
program.”
Mingione didn’t hide from expectations in his introductory
press conference.
“I want to create a culture where we will mention Omaha daily,”
Mingione said of the home of the College World Series. “We will mention Omaha
on a daily basis. We’re trying to get to Omaha. If you get to Omaha, you have a
chance to win a national championship.”
Media members were also enthusiastic about Kentucky’s hiring
of Mingione.
“Along with his strong coaching credentials, he will bring
energy, confidence and kindliness to the Wildcats,” said Teddy Cahill of Baseball America.
D1Baseball.com’s Kendall Rogers agrees.
“Nick is one of the more dynamic personalities in the Southeastern
Conference,” Rogers said. “He will bring some serious energy to the Kentucky
program.”
Beginning on Tuesday, the Big Blue Nation saw that energy in
action. And from the rave reviews that Mingione is receiving, that energy will undoubtedly
boost the Kentucky baseball program.
