Rutgers University - Newark Men's Baseball

Rutgers University-Newark has named Conor Kortmann, the former assistant baseball coach at Babson College, head coach of the Scarlet Raiders baseball team.  Kortmann has a strong track record as a baseball coach, helping Babson College to three-straight NEWMAC regular season titles from 2017-19 and consecutive conference championships in 2017 and 2018.  Before returning to Babson College in a coaching capacity, Kortmann spent time with the Boston Red Sox as a Video Ops/Player Development Intern. There he worked with the coaches, players, and front office personnel on all aspects of the Minor League Baseball program.  Kortmann spent seven seasons with Babson College and had tremendous success during his tenure. Before taking on a coaching role, Kortmann played for Babson College where he served as team captain as a senior, started 108 of 116 games while posting a .314 career batting average with 27 extra-base hits, 61 runs scored and 67 runs batted in for the Green and White from 2010-13. Kortmann coached Babson College to its first-ever appearance in the College World Series in 2019, where the team achieved a #3 national ranking, as recognized by d3baseball.com and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA). Under his guidance, Babson also secured the 2019 Regional and Super Region Championships.   Kortmann's coaching career is marked by a series of notable achievements, including back-to-back NEWMAC Conference Tournament Championships in 2017 and 2018. His 2018 squad finished the season ranked #15 nationally, while the 2017 team held a #22 ranking. Additionally, his 2018 team was ranked #1 in the New England Region by the NEIBA Regional Rankings. Throughout his tenure, Kortmann has demonstrated an exceptional ability to develop top-tier talent. He has coached 12 All-Conference selections, 16 All-New England selections, one Conference Player of the Year, and two All-Americans. His leadership and commitment to excellence have solidified his reputation as a top coach in collegiate baseball. Kortmann, whose sister was a four-year member of the Babson softball program and whose father has spent the last 26 years as the head softball coach at LIU Brooklyn, earned his MBA from the College in 2018. In addition to his work with the baseball program, he also has served as equipment room manager, coordinator of intramurals and as an athletics communications assistant during his time at Babson. Kortmann has many ties to the coaching community as his wife, Summer Kortmann, is the head field hockey coach at Drew University while his father, Roy Kortmann, is the head softball coach at LIU-Brooklyn. Kortmann currently resides in Westfield, NJ with his wife Summer. YEAR-BY-YEAR AS HEAD COACH YEAR SCHOOL RECORD 2021 Rutgers-Newark 2-17 2022 Rutgers-Newark 16-18 2023 Rutgers-Newark 21-16-1 2024 Rutgers-Newark 19-19 2025 Rutgers-Newark 15-23 Totals 5 Seasons 63-93-1

Josh Miller begins his first season with Rutgers-Newark as an assistant coach in 2019. Miller graduated from Teaneck High School in 2001 where he was a four-year letter winner. He went on to play collegiate baseball for Guilford College in North Carolina. Miller completed his career there as a captain with the 10th most hits in Guilford history and the fifth-best single season batting average (.414). In 2016, he began coaching at Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood, NJ and in 2018 he helped the team win their first league title since 1963. Josh owns two family restaurants, Roberts Pizzeria and La Cocina, in Newark, NJ.  

Brandon Lopez is a driven and accomplished baseball coach and athlete, dedicated to fostering excellence both on and off the field. A graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University in December 2020, Brandon earned a Bachelor of Art while serving as a Student Athlete and Captain of the baseball team. Prior to this, he excelled as a Student Athlete in baseball at County College of Morris, earning an Associate of Liberal Arts in May 2017. Brandon's coaching journey began at Locked In Baseball in Cedar Knolls, NJ, where he currently holds the position of Head Coach and Social Media Director since January 2017. In this multifaceted role, Brandon manages social media content, produces college recruiting videos, and oversees team development for various age levels. Additionally, Brandon has contributed his expertise as an Assistant Baseball Coach at Centenary University in Hackettstown, NJ, from August 2022 to October 2023. Here, he spearheaded the creation of development plans, implemented strength and conditioning programs, and conducted scouting reports on opponents, all while mentoring players to achieve their fullest potential. Brandon's dedication to player growth extends beyond collegiate coaching, as evidenced by his tenure as Assistant Coach for Boys’ Varsity Baseball at Morristown High School from January 2020 to June 2022. Here, he crafted tailored development plans, coordinated practice drills, and coached in prestigious All-Star Games. Brandon also helps train pitchers at Total Arm Care in Wharton, NJ by using the latest cutting edge baseball technology on the market.  Prior to his high school coaching experience, Brandon served as a Pitching Coach at County College of Morris from July to November 2019, focusing on player development and recruitment. His leadership and expertise were further showcased during his tenure as Pitching Coach and Third Base Coach for the Jersey Pilots from Summer 2019 to Summer 2021, where he achieved remarkable success in stolen bases, earned run average, and player accolades.