Ross Natoli

Head Coach

Head Coach Ross Natoli, in his 25th season at Catholic University, has built the Cardinals into one of the most respected and competitive NCAA Division III programs in the East. He has led CUA to an average of 20 or more victories over the past 11 years and in 2008 picked up his 400th career victory. In 2008, the Cardinals won the inaugural Landmark Conference Championship and finished the season with a 10 game winning streak en route to a 26-13-1 overall record. The Cardinals repeated as Landmark Conference Champions in 2009, winning 10 of their last 12 games including an 11-3 victory vs The Merchant Marine Academy in the Landmark Championship game, and placing 6 players on the 2009 All-Landmark Conference team.

Under Natoli's direction, the Cardinals' on-field personality reflects his own philosophy that perseverance, team unity and a commitment to academic and athletic excellence form the foundation for a successful program. He continues to strive to develop his teams with the goal of being consistent contenders for NCAA tournament play in the future while emphasizing the importance of academic success in the classroom throughout their careers. 14 members of his 2009 team achieved a cumulative or spring semester GPA of 3.0 or above.

A native Washingtonian, Natoli was a standout outfielder at cross-town rival George Washington University, from which he earned his bachelor's degree in civil engineering in 1981. After playing for two teams that advanced to NCAA Division I tournaments (1977, 1979), he served as the Colonials' top assistant coach from 1981-1984. He became the Cards' head coach in the fall of 1985, and is also widely recognized for founding and directing the highly regarded Ross Natoli Instructional Baseball Camps & Clinics for youth in the Washington metropolitan area.

Throughout his career, Natoli has continually upgraded CUA's baseball facilities, which are widely considered to be among the finest in the region. State-of-the-art walk-in dugouts, indoor and outdoor batting cages, bullpens, practice pitching mounds and a quality playing surface are among the key facility components that provide an environment conducive to productive practice and exciting games. In the fall of 2000, Natoli's significant fundraising efforts produced the baseball field's first electronic scoreboard. It coincided with the dedication of Robert J. Talbot Field, named for the former CUA athletic director, Hall of Famer and baseball coach, who in 1977 led the "Cardiac Cardinals" to the NCAA Division I playoffs.

Over the past 5 years, Natoli has worked closely with the current athletic administration and CUA's Office of Development in managing the Cardinal's Competitive Edge Campaign, a major fundraising initiative designed to considerably upgrade the entire CUA athletic complex. Through the generous contributions of over 250 alumni, several major baseball facility enhancements have recently come to fruition. These include a newly resurfaced, state-of-the-art infield installed by the Ripken Design Group, 300 stadium-style chair-back seats, a modern press box, sound system, warning track, fencing renovations, full infield tarp, professional quality bullpens and upgraded outdoor batting cages. Natoli feels that the Cardinals' current playing and practice facilities are among the finest in all of NCAA Division 3 baseball.

Bernie Dennis

Assistant Coach

Assistant coach Bernie Dennis is no stranger to the Catholic University baseball program. Dennis was an All-CAC catcher for the Cardinals leading the squad to one of its best finishes in program history in 2004 with a record of 27-14-1. He ranks in the top ten on a number of CUA all-time lists including doubles, hits, runs, walks and RBI. Dennis was signed as a free agent by the Milwaukee Brewers and played with the minor league Arizona Brewers in 2005 as well as the Helena Brewers in 2006. This summer Dennis will be playing for the San Angelo Colts in the United Baseball League. The Arlington, Va., native went to Bishop O'Connell High School and currently resides in the Washington, D.C., area.

John Nolan

Assistant Coach

John Nolan begins his third year with the Cardinals after a successful career playing Division I baseball. While at CUA the team managed to win it's first Landmark Conference Championship, John also had a d3baseball.com honorable mention All-American in 2008 in Mike Bzozowski. John played at St. Bonaventure University from 2004-2006, graduated with Bachelor's in History, and a member of 2004 Atlantic 10 Champs and NCAA Regional participant. At Chantilly High School, Nolan was all-district with a 4-4 record and 45 strikeouts in 47 innings. He also lettered in cross country and track and field. Nolan will coach the pitchers this season for CUA. He resides in Fairfax, Va., and will finish a Master's Degree in May at George Mason University. In addtion he will manage the Fairfax Nationals of the Clark Griffith Collegiate Baseball League in the summer of 2009 and is a pitching instructor at the Virginia Baseball Club.

John Schmidt

Assistant Coach

John Schmidt enters his first year at Catholic and will work with infielders and hitters. His previous coaching reord includes Georgetown Prep (2006), and at alma mater Blake High school (2007, 2008; graduated from there in 2001, played baseball). Schmidt was a 4 year starter at third base at Catholic University (2001-2005) and a 2 year captain. During his career John pitched junior and senior year, and had the lowest ERA for a season (1.65) and is in the top 20 for hits (47) and runs (30) in a season. John was the first team all-CAC at third base and part of the 2004 squad, which won the most games under Coach Natoli (27) in his career. Schmidt received bachelor's degree in history with a minor secondary education from Catholic in 2005 and went on to receive a master's degree from Catholic in 2007 in history/secondary education. John currently teaches 7th grade social studies at Farquhar Middle School in Olney, MD, and resides in Gaithersburg, MD