BROCKTON, Mass. ---- Kraig Kupiec, a former Division I player with eight years head coaching experience at the NCAA Division III level, was recently named the next head baseball coach at Massasoit Community College by Athletics Director Julie Mulvey.
Kupiec becomes the seventh head baseball coach in Massasoit history, since the program's first season back in 1969. He replaces Hall of Fame head coach Tom Frizzell, who retired following the 2018 campaign after 28 seasons guiding the Warriors.
"We are very excited to have Coach Kupiec be our next head baseball coach here at Massasoit" Athletics Director Julie Mulvey said. "Our baseball program has been a consistent winner with decades of success thanks to Coach (Tom) Frizzell and we believe Kraig can continue on that success. He is extremely organized and will hit the ground running on the recruiting trail for the upcoming season."
Kupiec comes to Brockton after serving the last eight years as head baseball coach at Newbury College in Brookline, Mass. While with the Nighthawks, Kupiec tallied 132 wins, produced 21 All-New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) selections and was named the 2011 NECC Coach of the Year. Kupiec also coached two NECC Players of the Year and Rookies of the Year and one NECC Pitcher of the Year during his tenure at Newbury.
In his first season with the Nighthawks in 2011, Kupiec turned the Newbury program around in a hurry. The Nighthawks went 18-17 under Kupiec's watch in his first season, as Newbury had only won 17 contests in the four previous seasons combined.
In 2012, the Nighthawks won a school record 23 games and finished runner's up at the NECC Tournament and captured a school best 11 league victories that year. In addition, Newbury also made its first-ever postseason appearance, competing in the ECAC Tournament.
"I could not be more excited to be a part of a program with such a historic past and legendary coach in Coach Frizzell," Kupiec said. "I have very big shoes to fill and I am excited to start this next chapter of my head coaching career at a college I have wanted to coach at for many years. This is an incredible opportunity and I am thankful to Athletics Director Julie Mulvey and the hiring committee for bringing me aboard to be the next baseball coach at Massasoit."
In addition to his coaching duties at Newbury, Kupiec also served as assistant and associate athletic director, recruiting coordinator and student-athlete academic program (SAAP) coordinator during his eight-year tenure, taking part in a number of different avenues within the scope of athletics.
"I would also like to thank my former Athletic Director, Jonathan Harper, for allowing me to grow in my position both as a coach and as an administrator during my time at Newbury. It was a great eight years with the Nighthawks and I hope nothing but the best for the athletics department and baseball program moving forward."
Prior to taking the head coaching reigns at Newbury, Kupiec spent three seasons as an assistant coach/hitting coach at nearby UMass Boston. He helped guide the Beacons to the Little East Conference Championship, NCAA Regional Championship and the College World Series in 2010.
For nine years before joining UMass Boston, Kupiec operated and served as the lead hitting instructor at Inside the Park, Inc. Indoor Batting Cages in Fall River, Mass. In 2006, a book written by Kupiec was published entitled "Hitting Made Simple: A Guide for Parents and Coaches" which brings to print his uniquely simple and successful philosophy on hitting.
A former standout at B.M.C. Durfee High School and 2012 Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, Kupiec played collegiately at Wake Forest University where he graduated with a bachelor of arts in political science in 1995. He later received his master of science degree from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1998.
Kupiec was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 1991 Major League Baseball draft, but opted to play in college at Wake Forest where he was a four-year outfielder. Kupiec was named ACC All-Scholastic in 1993 and spent a summer playing for the Wareham Gateman in the Cape Cod League in 1994.
A native of Fall River, Mass., Kupiec resides in Lakeville, Mass with his wife Melissa and two daughters - Maya and Chloe.