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).