Gwynedd-Mercy College Men's Baseball

Joe Brooks was named Gwynedd Mercy University's Head Baseball Coach in October of 2022. He most recently served as an assistant at Atlantic East Conference (AEC) rival, Immaculata University (December 2021 – September 2022) where he helped lead the Mighty Macs to a 29-14 overall record, a 14-4 conference standing, and a 2022 AEC Championship. Prior to – and during - his time with the Mighty Macs, Brooks was a volunteer coach with the University of Pennsylvania (August 2019 – September 2022), as well as a head assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Penn State Abington (August 2017 – July 2019). Coach Brooks also served as an assistant with Timber Creek High School (2017) and Brooklawn American Legion (2013-2017). In Gwynedd Mercy University's first season under Coach Brooks, the Griffins played the entirety of the 2023 season on the road. Coach Brooks earned his first collegiate career on March 5th with a 5-3 win over Dominican University (III.). The Griffins finished with a 19-18 overall record and a 6-12 conference record.  With a series sweep against AEC conference foe Marywood University (W, 2-1 on Apr. 26 and W, 5-4 on Apr. 27/ W, 8-3 on Apr. 27) and taking two of three from Neumann University (W, 6-2 on May 3 and W, 6-5 on May 4)  in the final series of the 2024 season Coach Brooks lead the 2024 Griffins to a 14-26 overall record and 7-11 conference record earning the Griffins a spot in the AEC Tournament for the first time since 2019. The #4 Griffins fell to #1 Marymount University (L, 5-8 on May 8) and the #2 Cabrini University (L, 0-13 on May 10).    As a member of the Immaculata University baseball coaching staff, Coach Brooks helped lead the Mighty Macs to a 29-14 overall record, a 14-4 conference standing, and a 2022 AED Championship. Immaculata University’s 2022 season extended to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Regional Tournament, where a 1-2 stretch versus #4 Keystone College (L, 5-7 on May 20/L, 5-6 on May 22) and #2 Montclair State University (W, 9-5 on May 21) led to their eventual expiration. The 2022 Mighty Macs featured three American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings All-Region performers in sophomore pitcher Jason Hughes (Warminster, Pa.) (1st Team), junior catcher Josh Crowding (Mickleton, N.J.) (3rd Team), and senior second baseman Frank Margiotta (Congers, N.Y.) (3rd Team) and the D3Baseball Region 5 Coach of the Year in Josh Copsky.   The Nittany Lions enjoyed a program record 25-13 finish in 2018. That year, Coach Brooks guided an offense that improved in every statistical category from the year prior. Major contributions from five freshmen and four sophomores helped Penn State Abington set six program records including runs scored (344), on-base percentage (.424), sacrifice flies (27), runs-batted-in (295 RBI), hit by pitch (81), and homeruns (13). They ranked among the Top-25 in the nation for runs scored per game (9th, 9.1), hit by pitch (9th, 81), on-base percentage (15th, .424), and walks (20th, 221). They also ranked 31st in the nation in sacrifice flies (27) and 41st in total runs scored (344). Defensively, the Nittany Lions ranked 1st in the nation for double plays per game (1.21) while seeing a 0.23 point increase in fielding percentage from the year prior.   Coach Brooks mentored Penn State Abington’s freshman infielder Ryan McCarty, who was selected as a D3Baseball (Rookie of the Year) and the first American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) All-American in program history. McCarty was also selected as the Mid-Atlantic Region Rookie of the Year and North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Rookie of the Year honors. He went on to establish single-season program standards for hits (65), runs scored (49), and RBI’s (47) in before being invited to play for the Alpharetta Aviators of the Sunbelt Collegiate Baseball League. Coach Brooks also mentored sophomore outfielder Stevie Stevenson, who received All-NEAC First Team honors.   During his collegiate career, Brooks accomplished more in his three years at Rutgers-Camden than most players do in their four-year careers. He led the Raptors to the only two regular-season New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) titles in school history (2014, 2015) and helped them reach their National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Baseball Championship Tournament. While at Rutgers-Camden, Brooks earned all-conference honors both athletically and academically, set several program standards, and conducted a three-year hitting clinic on the collegiate level.   After transferring from East Carolina University, Brooks started all 125 games during his three years at Rutgers-Camden. He finished his collegiate career as the Raptors’ all-time leader batting average (.386), while also ranking second in career on-base percentage (.473), second in career hits (187), third in runs scored (112), fifth in walks (65), fifth in total baes (230) and ninth in RBI (82). As a freshman in 2014, Brooks hit a career-high .421 with 67 hits, 49 runs scored, and a .523 on-base percentage en route to a D3Baseball.com All-American honor.   A stellar student as well, Brooks was a member of Rutgers-Camden’s inaugural Athletic Director’s Honor Roll (Fall 2015) as one of five student-athletes on that team to post a perfect 4.0 grade point average (GPA). Brooks graduated from Rutgers-Camden in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in history and a concentration in secondary and special education. He currently resides in Blackwood, New Jersey. Overall Conference Year W L W L Notes 2023 19 18 6 12 2024 14 26 7 11 AEC Tournament (#4) Totals 33-44 (.428) 13-23 (.361)

Lucas Rollins joined the Gwynedd Mercy University baseball coaching staff as an assistant under Head Coach Joe Brooks prior to the 2023 season. Coach Rollins worked side-by-side with Coach Brooks at Immaculata University during the Mighty Macs’ 2022 Atlantic East Conference (AEC) Championship season. Under his direction, the Immaculata University pitching staff established a program record in wins (29). He also worked with the Mighty Mac outfielders.   Rollins played collegiately at National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I, Saint Joseph’s University (2015-2021). There, he led the conference and ranked ninth nationally in strikeout per walk (K/BB) ratio (7.1) during a 2016 season that earned him the Saint Joseph's University Baseball Co-Rookie of the Year award and a spot on the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team. In 2017, his 5.0 K/BB ranked 44th in the country. During his career, Rollins was a three-time Philadelphia Big 5 Pitcher of the Week.   Academically, Rollins was named to the 2020 Atlantic 10 Commissioner’s Honor Roll and Saint Joseph’s University Athletic Director’s Honor Roll.   Rollins graduated from Saint Joseph’s University in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He earned a master’s in organizational development and leadership from the University in 2021. He currently resides in Pennsauken, New Jersey, with his fiancé Becca and their dog, Gator.