Purchase College - SUNY Men's Baseball

Adam Taraska enters his 13th season as head coach of the Panthers in 2026. The future remains bright as the Panthers return to the field in 2026 having qualified for the Skyline playoffs in two of the last three seasons. The 2025 season, while hampered by injuries at key positions, will be remembered for one of the best individual seasons in Panther history. Liam Daly racked up a number of high-profile awards after a monster season. He was named Skyline Conference Player of the Year (the third Panther baseball player ever), ABCA/Rawlings and D3Baseball.com 1st Team All-Region, and D3Baseball.com 3rd Team All-American (the second Panther baseball player ever). The 2024 season was one to remember as the Panthers returned to the playoffs for the second straight year. The Skyline Conference and the NCAA Region 3 both took notice of a pair of Panther standouts as sophomore Liam Daly was voted first team All-Conference and was recognized as first team All-Region by both the American Baseball Coaches' Association (ABCA) and D3baseball.com. Freshman Brandon Gonzalez was voted Skyline Conference Rookie of the Year, first team All-Skyline, and was recognized as D3baseball.com's Region 3 Rookie of the Year. 2023 was one of the best seasons in Panther history. The team won 22 games (one shy of the program record), won two elimination playoff games, and advanced to the final semifinals game of the Skyline Conference Tournament. Liam Daly was voted Skyline Rookie of the Year and recognized by the ABCA as second team All-Region.   Over his tenure as head coach at Purchase, Taraska has coached 21 All-Skyline Conference players including two Skyline Players of the Year, three Skyline Rookies of the Year, five All-Region players and multiple Skyline players, pitchers, and rookies of the week.   Taraska came to Purchase in the fall of 2011 and served as an assistant under Bill Guerrero for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. In 2013, Guerrero was named Skyline Coach of the Year.   The 2014 team, Taraska's first year at the helm, was one of the most successful in the program's history. The team advanced to the semifinals of the Skyline Conference Tournament for the first time after finishing the regular season in a first place tie with a 12-4 conference record. The Skyline Conference took notice as seven Panthers were elected All-Conference, and Michael Sarni was named Skyline Conference Player of the Year. Taraska was named Skyline Coach of the Year. The 2014 team was also recognized by the NCAA Division III as the national leader in stolen bases per game (3.86).   Prior to Purchase, Taraska served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at D-1 Fairfield University in 2010 and 2011. He also served as an assistant coach for the 2009 season at Fairfield foe, Iona College. He coached 2010 and 2012 drafted players for the Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres during his time in the MAAC conference.   Taraska started his collegiate coaching career as an assistant at D-2 Caldwell College in 2008, the same year the Cougars won the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference regular season crown and conference tournament, advancing to the D-2 Northeast Regional tournament.   At the high school level, Taraska spent the 2006 and 2007 seasons as head coach at Greens Farms Academy in Westport, CT. In addition, he spent the better part of 20 years as a coach for the AAU Connecticut Blue Jays starting in 2002. In his time with the Jays, he led numerous teams to Top 10 regional and national finishes. He has coached at every level from 13U-18U. He spent the summers of 2023 and 2024 coaching with MVP Baseball out of Long Island. He began a new connection with the Taconic Rangers in the winter of 2024 and coached their 17U squad in the summer of 2025. He is slated to coach with Evolution Baseball in the summer of 2026. Prior to coaching, Taraska was a decorated athlete and four-year starter at the University of Bridgeport. Captain of the Purple Knights in 2003, he earned a B.S. in Human Services. He earned his Master’s Degree in Sport Management from SUNY Cortland. He and his wife, Greta, reside in New Rochelle, NY.

JR Causa enters his seventh season of coaching for the Panthers in 2026. He was a two-way player in college as a pitcher and outfielder with stops at the University of New Haven, St. John's University and The University of Bridgeport. Upon the completion of his college career, he began coaching with the Connecticut Blue Jays in 2002 - an AAU program ranging in ages from 12-18. During his coaching career, he has been part of multiple championships at the 13U, 16U and 18U levels. As a roving instructor, Causa has 20 years of experience at many different age levels. When not working on the baseball field, Causa works as a detective with the New York Police Department and resides in Putnam county. He is the proud father of three children (one Purchase student).

Mark Jurczak enters his 13th season of coaching at Purchase in 2026. His responsibilities include overseeing the Panther pitching staff and recruit management. Following a career as a pitcher at the University of Bridgeport, Jurczak completed a B.S. in Sociology at Southern Connecticut State University. He also achieved a Master's Degree in Higher Education Administration from Post University.   Since 2004, Jurczak had been on staff for the Connecticut Blue Jays as a head coach and lead instructor for every age level. With Jurczak at the helm, the Blue Jays ranked in the top ten nationally for five straight years, won two Connecticut state championships, and six overall tournament wins. In 2010, he led his 14U club to a CABA National Championship in Detroit, MI.   Jurczak currently resides in Purchase, NY.

Jakob is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist currently in the middle of his 5th year at LIFT as a trainer/ strength coach. Prior to LIFT, Jakob received a Bachelors degree in Exercise Science from Springfield College. While at Springfield Jakob completed internships at Iona University and The Citadel where he worked directly with the basketball, baseball, football, soccer, and volleyball teams. Currently Jakob trains a multitude of clients at LIFT ranging from general population adult clients to athletes at all levels. He is also responsible for the creation and implementation of our sports performance training program during the summer.