Clingersmith named an ABCA/ATEC Regional Coach of Year for ninth time

For the ninth time in his tenure, SUNY Niagara baseball head coach Matt Clingersmith was selected as the North District recipient of the NJCAA Division III Coach of the Year award Tuesday. The honor was presented by the American Baseball Coaches Association and ATEC for its NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA, NJCAA Divisions I, II and III, Pacific Association Division and high school categories.

Completing his 19th season as head coach, Clingersmith led the Thunderwolves to a fourth-place finish in the NJCAA Division III World Series and a 51-2 record this season. The 51 wins are a new single-season record in program history since the school opened in 1962.

Clingersmith previously received the ABCA/ATEC Regional Coach of the Year honor following the 2009, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2021, 2022 and 2023 seasons. The 2012, 2017 and 2021 campaigns resulted in SUNY Niagara’s only national runners-up appearances in the NJCAA Division III World Series in program history. 

Also an eight-time NJCAA Region III Coach of the Year winner, Clingersmith and the Thunderwolves have won at least 40 games 10 times, including in each of the last four seasons.

A Niagara Falls native and graduate of the former Niagara Catholic High School, Erie Community College and Canisius University, Clingersmith has a 699-227-1 record with SUNY Niagara.