Matt Spatafora enters his 14th year on Monteagle Ridge and first at Head Coach of the Purple and White.
Spatafora has a knack for identifying talent and has brought tremendous recruiting classes through the NU baseball program during his tenure on The Ridge, helping lead the program to its first MAAC Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2024.
There have been eight MLB Draft picks since Spatafora joined the program in 2012; Wynton Bernard (San Diego Padres, 35th round, 2012), Jordan Schwartz (Oakland A's, fourth round, 2014), Daniel Procopio (Los Angeles Angels, 10th round, 2017), Tanner Kirwer (Toronto Blue Jays, 20th round, 2017), Greg Cullen (Atlanta Braves, 15th round, 2018) and Matthew Brash (San Diego Padres, fourth round, 2019); Ryan Minckler (Washington Nationals, Round 19, Pick 560, 2024), Eric Rataczak (Miami Marlins, Round 16, Pick 484, 2024). Pitcher Cody Eckerson signed a free agent deal with the Los Angeles Angels in 2017 and catcher Tommy Takayoshi signed with the Athletics in 2024. Dawson Bailey and Tyler Prospero signed with the MLB Draft League following the 2022 season.
Niagara has also been at the forefront of Canadian recruiting, with Spatafora bringing in 30 Canadian players in his time at NU so far, including Daniel Procopio, Tanner Kirwer and Matthew Brash.
Niagara clinched the No. 6 seed in the MAAC Championships in 2022. It was the third time in five seasons the Purple Eagles clinched a spot in the postseason. While at the tournament, Niagara made MAAC history, becoming the first No. 6 seed ever to win three tournament games and advance to the final game in the elimination bracket, eliminating the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 4 seeds from the postseason. Dawson Bailey and Matt Ward were both named to the All-Tournament Team following their performances in the MAAC Championships. Marcus Cashman earned All-MAAC Second Team honors.
The Purple Eagles played a conference-only schedule in 2021 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Niagara went 17-17 overall with a 17-15 conference record. The team qualified for the MAAC Championships for the second time in three seasons. Cole Tucker earned All-MAAC Second Team honors and Marcus Cashman was named to the All-Rookie Team.
Before the 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19, the Purple Eagles were on track for a strong season. Niagara opened the season with a 3-1 upset victory over nationally ranked Florida State. It was NU's second victory over a ranked team in the last four seasons. The Purple Eagles went 6-10 overall, also picking up wins against North Carolina Central, Cornell and Boise State.
In 2019, the Purple Eagles went 15-33 overall and 9-15 in MAAC play. Matthew Brash was named the MAAC Pitcher of the Year, as well as to the All-MAAC First Team, the ABCA/Rawlings All-Region Second Team and the 2019 Google Cloud Academic All-District First Team and Max Giordano was named to the MAAC All-Rookie Team
The Purple Eagles finished the 2018 season 24-27, tying for the sixth-most wins in program history and Niagara qualified for the MAAC Championships for the first time since 2006. Niagara led the MAAC in batting average (.286) and doubles (113) and were in the top five in the conference in slugging percentage (.408), on-base percentage (.378), runs scored (335), hits (498), RBI (304), triples (11), home runs (26) and stolen bases (62). Shortstop Greg Cullen, who led the nation in hitting (.458) and on-base percentage (556), was named MAAC Player of the Year and was named to the All-MAAC First Team. He landed on four All-America Teams (Collegiate Baseball All-America Second Team, NCBWA All-America Second Team, ABCA/Rawlings All-America First Team, College Sports Madness All-America Fourth Team) and was named the NCBWA District 2 Player of the Year. Outfielder Trevor McCauley and third-baseman Owen Dziados were both selected to the All-MAAC Second Team.
In 2017, the Purple Eagles went 24-24 overall, which was the sixth-most wins in program history, and 12-12 in MAAC play. Niagara led the conference in doubles (98) and was in the top five in the MAAC in on-base percentage (.367), runs scored (275), RBI (242) and stolen bases (65). Four players (Tanner Kirwer, Cody Eckerson, Greg Cullen, Trevor McCauley) were named to MAAC All-Conference teams and Matthew Brash was named the MAAC Baseball Rookie of the year, as well as being selected as a Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
In 2016, Niagara finished 16-37-1 overall and had a 11-13 conference record and Tanner Kirwer was named to the All-MAAC Second Team. The Purple Eagles finished the season third in the MAAC in stolen bases with 70 and fourth in on-base percentage (.335).
In 2015, Niagara finished with a 13-32-2 overall record and an 8-16 conference record. Tanner Kirwer, Thomas Rodrigues and Michael Fuhrman were named to the All-MAAC Second Team. The Purple Eagles led the MAAC in stolen bases with 85 and were in the top five in batting average (.257), slugging percentage (.357), on-base percentage (.360) and doubles (82).
The Purple Eagles turned in a 20-31 record in 2014 for the most wins since the 2009 season. Anthony Firenzi, Taylor Hackett and Jordan Schwartz were all selected to the All-MAAC Second Team. Niagara was fifth in the MAAC in on-base percentage (.346), RBI (196), triples (nine) and home runs (11).
Niagara finished with a 16-38 record in 2013. Ryan McCauley, Christian Vangeison and Jordan Schwartz were all named to the All-MAAC Second Team.
The Purple Eagles led the MAAC in three offensive categories in 2012: batting average (.290), home runs (30) and slugging percentage (.413). They finished the season with a record of 19-29. Ryan McCauley, Wynton Bernard and Eric Hink were all selected to the All-MAAC First Team and Joel Klock was named to the All-MAAC Second Team.
Spatafora, a native of Toronto, Ontario, came to NU after a three-year stint as the head coach at Mary Ward High School in Toronto. Prior to coaching at Mary Ward, Spatafora was the student assistant coach at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) in 2005.
Before becoming a coach, Spatafora began his collegiate career at Texarkana College. From 2000-02 he helped lead the Bulldogs to two conference championships, one regional championship, and the junior college world series, while being named All-Conference Shortstop both seasons. Spatafora played for the UALR Trojans from 2003-04 where he was named All-Conference Shortstop during his senior season. He also played for the Guelph Royals of the Intercounty Baseball League from 2005-07.
He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in health sciences from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2004.
Spatafora currently resides in East Amherst, N.Y. with his wife, Barbara.
