Ohio Christian University Men's Baseball

Evan McDonald is entering his fifth year as head baseball coach at Ohio Christian University, where he has played a key role in transforming the program into a competitive force within the River States Conference and NCCAA Mideast Region. In addition to his coaching responsibilities, he serves as an affiliate professor in the Psychology department. A 2015 graduate of Ohio Christian, McDonald became the institution’s first high school senior to earn an associate degree through early college coursework. He went on to attend Fairleigh Dickinson University, where he earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Psychology in 2019. McDonald was a four-year Division I baseball player at Fairleigh Dickinson and one of the most decorated players in program history. A team captain and cornerstone leader, he earned Iron Knight Award honors, was named Team MVP, First Team All-Conference catcher, and Northeast Conference Male Athlete of the Year. He currently ranks in the top five in program history in home runs, at-bats, and doubles, and is among the top 15 in RBIs and hits. Prior to joining Ohio Christian, McDonald served as the general manager and head coach of the Ohio Marlins in the Great Lakes League in 2020, gaining valuable experience in player development and roster management. Since taking over at Ohio Christian, McDonald has led the program to historic success. Under his leadership, the team has broken school records for total wins and winning percentage, reached the River States Conference playoffs for the first time in program history, produced an All-American, and helped develop a player who advanced to professional baseball. His teams have also rewritten the record books with numerous individual achievements both offensively and on the mound. McDonald is committed to developing student-athletes holistically, emphasizing growth physically, mentally, and spiritually. His approach centers on building disciplined, resilient competitors who excel both on the field and in the classroom. He resides in Circleville, Ohio, with his wife, Lauren, who is employed at Edward Jones, and their two daughters, Elizabeth and Lillian. McDonald is actively involved in his community, frequently volunteering with the Circleville Pumpkin Show. He is deeply committed to his faith, his family, and serving others.

Gary Puccio is entering his third year as an assistant coach for the Ohio Christian baseball team. Gary earned a bachelor's degree at C.W. Post and later received his master's degree from Dowling College. He taught high school math at Island Trees High School for 21 years (ending in 2010).  Gary began his collegiate coaching career at SUNY-Old Westbury, serving as the head coach from 1989-1993. During that time, he took over a winless program and was able to lead it to a Division III Tournament berth in his final season as coach. Gary was also named the Knickerbocker Conference Coach of the Year in 1993. Coach Puccio was named Coach of the Year six other times in his career. He is in his 29th year of coaching at the collegiate level and has 12 years of professional experience as an associate scout for the Seattle Mariners. Over his five head coaching positions, across all levels of collegiate coaching, Gary has amassed over 428 career victories, including being Coach Evan McDonald's head coach at Division 1 Fairleigh Dickinson University.