Kean University Men's Baseball

Neil Ioviero is entering his 30th season at the helm of the Kean University baseball program. Coach Ioviero Highlights NCAA Division III National Championship – 2007 NCAA Division III World Series Appearances – 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2025 ABCA/Rawlings Division III National Coach of the Year – 2007 NCAA Super Regional Championships - 2025 NCAA Regional Championships – 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2025 NCAA Tournament Appearances – 1998, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2025, 2026 NCAA Division III Regional Coach of the Year – 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2025 NJCBA Coach of the Year – 2007, 2008, 2012 NJAC Tournament Appearances – 1998, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 NJAC Regular Season Championships – 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2025 NJAC Championships – 2002, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2015 NJAC Coach/Coaching Staff of the Year – 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2016, 2019, 2025 Winningest Coach of any sport in the Kean department history 14 All-Americans 40 first-team regional selections One Division III Academic Team Member of the Year Three Division III Pitchers of the Year One NJAC Athlete of the Year Three Regional Pitcher of the Year 38 first-team All-State selections 54 first team All-NJAC selections (18 named either NJAC Player of Pitcher of the Year) 16 Players played professionally Four Players Drafted in MLB Draft 8 Gold Glovers One Academic All-American In 2026, the Cougars made their second straight NCAA Tournament appearance and reached the regional finals. Lucas White was named NJAC Pitcher of the Year along with Cole McGourty, Justin Teixeria, Jude Clough and Tyler Stone. Clough, White and Stone were all Regional selections by both D3Baseball and ABCA.  In 2025, the Cougars returned to the NCAA College World Series after capturing both the NCAA Union Regional and Union Super Regional Championships. Boston Red Sox Draftee Jason Gilman helped Kean collect 41 wins, including an NJAC Regular Season Title. Gilman posted a 2.08 ERA with 150 strikeouts as the senior ace was named the ABCA Division III Pitcher of the Year and CSC Division III Baseball Academic Team Member of the Year. The Cougars earned nine All-NJAC selections, including Kyle Adorno (Player), Gilman (Pitcher), Jason Basilicata (Fireman) and Neil Ioviero (Coaching Staff) all earning major awards from the Conference. In 2024, Ioverio reached 800 career victories as the Cougars earned a top two seed in the NJAC Tournament. Kean had four All-NJAC selections as the Cougars defeated six nationally ranked opponents, including the eventually National Champions. In 2023, Kean finished with a 27-17-1 record and a 12-5-1 mark in the NJAC.  Kean was one win shy of the NJAC Championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance.  Seven Cougars earned All-NJAC selections, including Collin Kiernan being named NJAC Pitcher of the Year. Kiernan, who was also named the ECAC Pitcher of the Year, was an All-NJAC First Team selection with Gianni Marano. Marano was an All-Region selection with Phil Marcantonio, Kiernan, Nolan Rowan and Christian Pellone.  In 2022, Kean finished with a 31-13 record and a 12-6 mark in the NJAC. Seven Cougars earned All-NJAC selections, including Justin Diefenbach being named Co-Pitcher of the Year and Kyle Adorno tabbed named Rookie of the Year. Diefenbach, the lone first team selection, earned All-Region selections with Phil Mahlik, Collin Kiernan and Micheal Lapczynski from the ABCA and D3Baseball.com. Kiernan would earn a third team All-American nod from the ABCA as well.  Ioviero reached another coaching milestone during the 2021 season, when he collected his 700th career victory.  Ioviero guided Kean to a 31-16 overall mark and a 14-4 record in the NJAC in 2019. The Cougars earned the second seed in the conference tournament and an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament. Ioviero was named the NJAC Coach of the Year for the sixth time in his career, along with five All-NJAC selections.  In 2016, Ioviero guided the Cougars to a 30-18 record, marking the 12th straight season Kean won at least 30 games. The team won the NJAC regular season title and earned a bid to the NCAA Championship, where they were among the final 16 teams standing in the nation. Ioviero was named the NJAC Coach of the Year for the fifth time in his career at the end of the season. Ioviero, who collected his 600th career win during the course of the 2016 season, currently boasts a 873-383-4 (.694) record.  During the 2007 campaign, the Cougars set many milestones including then, their first-ever trip to the World Series, a regional championship and a new standard for wins in a season with 43.  After receiving one of 14 national "wild-card" bids, the Cougars would go on to win eight straight post-season games, including four in regional play.  In an ironic twist, Kean needed 10 innings in both the regional and World Series championship games and defeated both of their opponents by an identical score of 5-4. In 2002, Kean University captured the school’s first ever NJAC Championship and with a 33-12 record advanced to the NCAA Tournament. That year the Cougars then set school records for most wins and best winning percentage. In his first season, 1998, Ioviero led the Cougars to a 25-9 mark and earned an invitation to the Division III Regional Tournament, only the second time in school history then that the Cougars had made the national tournament. A standout pitcher in college, Ioviero played for legendary coach Fred Hill at Rutgers University. As a Scarlet Knight, Ioviero pitched on two NCAA Division I tournament teams, in 1990 and 1992. As a sophomore in 1991, he posted a 7-1 mark and was named to the New Jersey Baseball all-state squad. Ioviero has played professionally in the independent Northeast League and the Frontier League. He also participated in the prestigious amateur Cape Cod Summer League and in the Atlantic Collegiate Summer Baseball League. Ioviero earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications from Rutgers in 1994, adding a postgraduate degree in physical education and health from Kean University in 1996. He received his master's degree in supervision and administration from Kean in 2002. He currently resides in Woodbridge with his wife Letizia and their children Marcello and Letizia. Head Coach Neil Ioviero Career Summary Year Record Postseason 1998 25-9 NJAC Tournament, NCAA Regionals 1999 19-17 2000 22-15 ECAC Tournament 2001 21-13-1 ECAC Tournament 2002 33-12 NJAC Champions, NCAA Regionals 2003 29-12 NJAC Tournament 2004 24-13-1 2005 34-9 NJAC Regular Season Champions, NJAC Tournament 2006 31-17 NJAC Tournament, NCAA Regionals 2007 43-8 NJAC Regular Season Champions, NCAA Mid-Atlantic Region Champions, NCAA Division III National Champions 2008 39-11 NJAC Regular Season Champions, NJAC Tournament Champions, NCAA Mid-Atlantic Region Champions, NCAA World Series 2009 39-11 NJAC Regular Season Champions, NCAA Mid-Atlantic Region Champions. NCAA World Series 2010 39-12 NJAC Tournament Champions, NCAA Regionals 2011 42-11 NJAC Regular Season Co-Champions, NJAC Tournament Champions, NCAA Mid-Atlantic Region Champions, NCAA World Series 2012 37-12 NJAC Regular Season Champions, NJAC Tournament Champions, NCAA Mid-Atlantic Region Champions, NCAA World Series 2013 39-13 NJAC Regular Season Champions, NCAA Mid-Atlantic Region Champions. NCAA World Series 2014 35-14 NJAC Tournament, NCAA Regionals 2015 35-12 NJAC Tournament Champions, NCAA Regionals 2016 30-18 NJAC Regular Season Champions, NCAA Regionals 2017 23-19 NJAC Tournament 2018 21-23 NJAC Tournament 2019 31-16 NJAC Tournament, NCAA Regionals 2020 8-2* *- Remainder of season cancelled due to COVID-19 Pandemic 2021 17-15 NJAC Tournament 2022 31-13 NJAC Tournament 2023 27-17-1 NJAC Tournament 2024 27-15 NJAC Tournament 2025 41-11 NJAC Tournament, NJAC Regular Season Champions, NJAC Union Regional Champions NJAC Super Regional Championship, NCAA World Series 2026 31-13-1 NJAC Tournament, NCAA Regionals   Updated 6-30-26

Michael Matera joins the Cougars for his eighth season in 2026. Matera comes to Kean after serving as an assistant at the County College of Morris for three seasons. He also played two seasons at CCM in 2013 and 2014. As a coach, the Titans were ranked in the Top 25 during the 2016 and 2017 seasons. The 2017 squad ranked as high as fourth in the country and broke the school record for wins. Matera helped the pitching staffs to national ranking in ERA during the 2016 and 2017 seasons. As a player, he currently ranks second all-time in saves and was a two-time Academic All-Conference selection. Matera earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Rutgers University in 2016. He is currently a general manager with the Morris County Cubs. Updated 8-5-25