Kraig Kupiec enters his second season as Head Baseball Coach at Newbury College looking to follow up a historic 2011.  In his first year at the helm, the baseball program broke single season record in wins (18-17) surpassing the total from the four previous years.  The Nighthawks improved in all facets of the game breaking single season team marks in batting average, slugging percentage, on base percentage, hits, runs, RBIs, stolen bases, and ERA.  At season’s end, Kupiec earned the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Coach of the Year Award and was named Newbury College Coach of the Year.

Prior to Newbury, Kupiec served as the hitting coach at UMass-Boston where he helped lead the Beacons to the Little East Conference Championship, NCAA Regional Championship, and the College World Series in 2010.  In his tenure as hitting coach from 2007 to 2010, the team improved to become one of the most dominant offenses in all of Division III baseball.  The team batting average improved 56 points to .325 with nine single season team records being surpassed including hits, runs, RBIs, total bases, slugging percentage, stolen bases, doubles, and homeruns.

He was selected by the Houston Astros in the MLB draft following his senior season at Durfee High School in Fall River, Mass., but opted to accept a baseball scholarship at Division I, Wake Forest University. He patrolled centerfield for four seasons for the Demon Deacons in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Kupiec was selected to the ACC All-Scholastic Team in 1993 and enjoyed a season with the Wareham Gateman in the legendary Cape Cod League the following summer. A severe quad injury during his senior season ended his post-college playing career.  After graduating from Wake Forest in 1995, Kupiec attended the University of Southern Mississippi where he earned a Masters degree in 1998.

During his playing career, Kupiec made a name for himself with his hard-nosed, aggressive style of play.  This reputation is carried over to his coaching where he encourages his players to strive for excellence, both in the classroom and on the playing field.  Coach Kupiec is a strong advocate of player development and believes that teaching and improving baseball fundamentals is the path to success.  This strategy, in part, parallels his belief that successful collegiate athletes demonstrate high levels of achievement in all parts of their life.  A former history teacher at Randolph High School, Kupiec emphasizes academic accomplishment as much as athletic success.

For nine years before joining UMass Boston, Coach Kupiec operated and served as 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.

In addition to his duties as Head Baseball Coach, Kupiec serves as Newbury’s Assistant Sports Information Director, Athletics Recruiting Coordinator, First Year Seminar (FYS) Instructor, and Student-Athlete Academic Program (SAAP) Coordinator.

Coach Kupiec resides in Lakeville, Mass with his wife Melissa and daughter Maya (1).

Anthony Lauretto enters his second season as the Nighthawks pitching coach.  In his first year, Lauretto saw the pitching staff surpass single season records in ERA, earned runs, strikeouts, and opponent's batting average.  Before coming to Newbury, Lauretto served as the pitching coach athis alma mater, UMass Boston along side coach Kupiec.  He helped lead the Beacons to the Little East Conference Championship, NCAA Regional Championship, and the College World Series in 2010.  

Coach Lauretto brings an astute understanding of teaching and coaching the mental and physical parts of baseball to the Nighthawk pitching staff. Lauretto just finished his third season as co-Head coach of the Duxbury Legion Post 225 team helping them reach the American Legion South Sectionals. Lauretto also serves as an instructor at RBI Academy in Foxboro, MA, where he teaches pitching lessons and helps coach the Hawks AAU baseball team. Just this past summer, Lauretto participated in the Team USA showcase, helping to evaluate top high school baseball players in the New England Region.

As a player, Lauretto began his collegiate career at Eastern Nazarene College before transferring to UMass Boston and established himself as a formidable reliever.  In three seasons at UMass, he ranked second in the school’s all-time career appearances and tied a program career saves record with six.

In addition to coaching the pitching staff, his duties include team wide strength and conditioning.  A Pembroke, MA native, he earned his BA in Business Management from UMass Boston in 2009.

Jim Perry enters his first season as assistant baseball coach under Head Coach Kraig Kupiec. A 2006 graduate of Duke University, Perry brings a wealth of baseball experience to Newbury.

At Duke, Perry lead the Blue Devils staff in ERA in 2003 (1.75) and 2005 (5.36).  In his junior season, he appeared in a team high 23 games on the mound, including two starts, and held opponents to a .276 batting average.  Perry will bring his knowledge and experience to Newbury’s coaching staff that already includes two coaches who played at the Division I level, Head Coach Kraig Kupiec (Wake Forest) and Jim Chapman (University of Vermont).

In addition to being a solid right-handed arm for the Blue Devils from 2002-2006, Perry was also an outstanding student-athlete in the classroom as a four-time ACC Academic Honor Roll selection.  After graduating with a Bachelor’s of Science in Civil Engineering, he continued to pursue academic excellence, obtaining his Master’s in Engineering Management from Duke the following spring.  

“Perry is a perfect fit for the culture of Newbury baseball,” Kupiec begins.  “Excellence in the classroom and on the diamond is what we’re all about.  I am excited for what he will bring as a coach and as a role model for our players.”

Prior to coming to Newbury, Perry spent three years at various engineering technology companies along the east coast with his most recent stop at Parsons Inc., in Boston where he was a Structural Engineer.  On the baseball diamond, he played and coached alongside Coach Lauretto in the most premier amateur baseball league in Greater Boston, the Boston Park League.

A native of Huntington, WV, Jim currently resides in Boston, Mass with his wife Katy Lowry.

Jim Chapman enters his second season as assistant coach at Newbury College. Coach Chapman brings to the program a wealth of playing and coaching experience.  In his first season, he helped the Nighthawks to a team-best 18-17 overall record and 9-9 in the NECC while breaking single-season highs in 10 categories.

Chapman played and started four years at the University of Vermont, a Division I program, where he was named team captain his Junior and Senior seasons. During the summers of 2004 and 2005, respectively, Chapman played in the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) and New York Collegiate Baseball League (NYCBL). A middle infielder at the collegiate level, Jim's duties will include both hitting and training and developing the best infield in the conference.

Chapman earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at the University of Vermont in 2007. He now runs his own baseball training website www.HotStreakHitting.com. Jim began teaching baseball professionally in 2000 with a national franchise. Since then, Jim has become well versed in the topic of Sports Psychology and aims to prepare players to have the all of the tools necessary to achieve high-level success.

Chapman currently resides in Bourne, MA.

Ryan Gill enters his first season as Assistant Baseball Coach at Newbury College where he brings his championship experience to the veteran Nighthawks program.  With a reputation as a strong defensive catcher, he brings his knowledge and expertise to Newbury’s catching position which includes All-New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) First Team recipient Pat Curry.

Gill began his college playing career at University of Massachusetts –  Lowell helping the River Hawks to a Northeast 10 Conference Championship in 2004.  He transferred to Curry College his sophomore season and quickly earned the starting catching position for the next three years.   He was named team captain his junior season and lead the Colonels to a Commonwealth Coast Conference Championship as well as a NCAA Regional appearance in 2007.  Gill graduated from Curry College in 2008 with his Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice.

Before Newbury Coach Gill spent two years with the AAU South Shore Spartans and three years with Kingston American Legion.  He  currently resides in Carver, Mass.