Dean College Men's Baseball

Now entering his fifth season at the helm of the Dean College baseball program in 2021, Coach Ernie May has restocked and replenished the program with the talent to compete for league championships in the coming years. In addition to his role as head coach, May is an assistant professor and program coordinator for the Colleges sport management program as well as assistant director of the institutions Center for Business, Entertainment and Sport Management. A veteran field general with more than 30 seasons of collegiate coaching experience, May has coached and had success at the Division I, II and III levels. May began coaching baseball while still in high school in Amherst, Massachusetts before competing at Keene State, which was a Division II institution at the time. After two seasons as a high school coach after graduation, May went on to work in operations for the Class A New York Mets affiliate in Pittsfield, Massachusetts and quickly rose the ranks and became their general manager the youngest in minor league baseball. May then transitioned back into collegiate athletics where he took a graduate assistantship at Springfield College under the tutelage of legendary coach Charlie Roys. While with the Pride, May helped guide the perennial Division II power to a second place finish at the NCAA Northeast Regional and four students-athlete from that team were drafted by major league baseball teams. In the summer of 1993, May secured an internship with the Atlanta Braves, working in the scouting and player development department and then returned to coaching at the collegiate level at Division II Wofford College as an assistant coach. Over the next 15 seasons, May would make stops at Division I University of Massachusetts-Amherst and then return to Wofford as head coach and an instructor in the physical education department where he was instrumental in the schools leap from Division II to Division I. After the 2010 season in Amherst, May moved on to Trinity College, where he served as an assistant for the then-reigning national champion Bantams. He was there until 2013 when he was named head coach at Northland College in Wisconsin and immediately took a Lumberjack team of just 14 student-athletes to a second-place finish in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference Tournament and was named the UMAC Coach of the Year in 2014. In 2015, using the knowledge gained during his internship with the Braves, May delivered a lineup of 41 student-athletes from 13 different states and two foreign countries as the Lumberjacks once again earned the second seed in the UMAC Tournament. While at Northland, May also served as the Director of Intramurals, contest manager for mens and womens soccer, basketball, mens hockey and womens volleyball as well as serving on several hiring committees and the campus diversity committee. In the summer of 2015, May took an assistant coach position at Division I Harvard University, where he oversaw team logistics while working with the teams pitchers and catchers. During his coaching career, May has been associated with more than 30 collegiate student-athletes who were drafter by major league clubs and at one point during the 2009 MLB season, three of Mays former student-athletes were members of the Houston Astros. Dr. May holds a bachelors degree in physical education with a minor in sport management from Keene State. He then went on the earn a Master of Education from Springfield College where his thesis focused on the performance of major league baseball players following mid-season trades. In January 2019, he completed his doctoral work in Educational Leadership and Management with a concentration in Athletic Administration at Drexel University. His dissertation research looked at concussion protocols for athletes from youth leagues to the professional ranks in the United States and how they relate to Return to Play (RTP) protocols and guidelines for key stakeholders. Enrie May's Coaching Accomplishments: Northland College, UMAC Coach of the Year, Northland College, 2014Northland College, UMAC Conference Tournament #2 Seed, Division III, 2014 & 2015Trinity College, NESCAC East Division Champions, NESCAC Tournament, Division III, 2013Trinity College, NESCAC Conference Champions, Division III, 2012Trinity College, NCAA New England Regional, Division III, 2012University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Division I, Atlantic 10 Tournament, 2009University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Division I, Atlantic 10 Tournament, 2001Wofford College, Division I, Southern Conference Tournament Team, 1998University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Division I, Atlantic 10 Conference Champion; Top 25 Team in Final National Poll, 1995Springfield College, Northeast-10 Conference Champion, NCAA Regional, 1992Springfield College, NCAA Regional, Division II, 1992 Coached 30 players that were drafted or signed by Major League Baseball Clubs

Tyler Fitzgerald enters his first season as Head Baseball Coach. He was hired prior to the 2025-26 academic year. Fitzgerald joins Bulldog Nation after spending one season with the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. There, he served as an Assistant Coach for the Division I River Hawks baseball program. His primary focus was with the pitching staff. Fitzgerald helped the River Hawks produce an impressive strikeout percentage of 62 percent, strikeout to walk ratio of 1.63, and 11 combined saves. Coach Fitzgerald's specialty resides in pitching. He was a college pitcher himself, playing for both Keene State College and Southern New Hampshire University. In 2020, Fitzgerald tossed an incredible 1.13 ERA across five appearances for the Owls. He appeared in two games for the Penmen after the COVID-19 pandemic and contributed to a Division II College World Series run. After his playing career, Fitzgerald went to work for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball as a Player Development Assistant. He eventually returned to his alma-mater, Keene State, as an Assistant Coach. His efforts aided the Owls back to Little East Conference (LEC) Glory. Several of their current starters were recruits under Fitzgerald’s direction. As a coach at SNHU, Fitzgerald helped the Penmen earn a Pitcher of the Year award and several All-Conference selections. He also made a second appearance at the College World Series. Fitzgerald earned his bachelor’s degree in business management from Keene State. He also earned his master’s degree from Southern New Hampshire.  

Alex Luccini enters his first season as an assistant coach with the Dean College baseball program, bringing a strong foundation in player development, offensive strategy, and leadership. Coach Luccini now works primarily with the team’s outfielders, hitters, and base runners. Prior to Dean, Coach Luccini cultivated his skills during his standout career with the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. With the River Hawks, Luccini played in over 200 career games, amassing 199 career hits, 20 home runs, and 40+ stolen bases as well as serving as team captain.  

Coach Jay Sanford enters his first season with the Dean College baseball coaching staff, bringing with him a wealth of leadership, discipline, and player development experience. A retired United States Marine Corps veteran, Sanford has successfully translated his military background into his coaching philosophy—emphasizing teamwork, accountability, and mental toughness both on and off the field.   Sanford earned his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Rhode Island College, where he developed a deep understanding of motivation, performance, and mental conditioning—skills that have become central to his approach to coaching and player development.   Before arriving at Dean, Sanford served as a Varsity Assistant Coach at Bishop Hendricken High School in Warwick, Rhode Island. During his tenure, he helped lead the Hawks to the 2025 Rhode Island Division I State Championship, contributing to one of the state’s most successful high school baseball programs. Prior to his time at Hendricken, Sanford spent four years as the Varsity Assistant Coach at Cranston High School East, where he played a key role in player development and program growth.   In addition to his collegiate and high school coaching roles, Sanford serves as the Program Director and 18U Head Coach for the Rhode Island Devils Baseball Organization. Under his leadership, the Devils have earned a reputation for excellence and player advancement, achieving over 250 wins and two national rankings from Perfect Game—in 2021 and again in 2025, when his 18U team was ranked #1 in the Northeast and 27th in the country. In just over five years, Sanford has built the program into one of the top developmental baseball organizations in the region, known for preparing athletes to compete at the collegiate level.   Coach Sanford’s combination of military discipline, academic insight, and competitive coaching success make him a valuable asset to the Dean College Bulldogs program. His commitment to developing complete student-athletes—both as players and as individuals—reflects the core values of the Dean College athletic community.