UNF Baseball Camps
Joe Mercadante was tabbed as the fourth head coach in program history as announced by director of athletics Nick Morrow Friday, June 23.
Mercadante’s most recent stop was at the University of Pittsburgh where he was the assistant coach from 2021-23, his second stint with an Atlantic Coast Conference team after working with the University of Miami for seven seasons.
A native of Gainesville, Fla., Mercadante has extensive Florida roots having spent 17 years in coaching within the Sunshine State across five different collegiate programs at the Division I, high school and travel ball levels.
A great hitting instructor and recruiting specialist, Mercadante worked primarily with the program’s hitters and outfielders while assisting in the nationwide recruiting initiatives for Pitt. Each season the Panthers worked their way to the ACC Tournament in one of the nation’s top leagues, while making the semis in 2022 and developing all-league outfielder Kyle Hess.
Prior to that, Mercadante spent four years in the opposing dugout at Stetson University as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Hatters. During that stint, SU hosted a regional and eventually went to the 2018 Super Regionals, finishing just one win shy of the College World Series. That Stetson team achieved as high as a No. 7 ranking nationally, finishing with 48 wins.
Mercadante’s recruiting success while at Stetson was set up by a 13-year stretch between stops with the Central Florida Gators (2013-17), UCF Knights (2011-12) and Miami (2004-11). The Gainesville, Fla., native came to Stetson after four years with the Central Florida Gators where he helped three players to Under Armour All-American game and Perfect Game All-American game appearances.
The magical 2018 season at Stetson wasn’t the only year that Mercadante was part of a No. 7 nationally ranked mid-major, as the 45-17 UCF Knights were ranked as high as No. 7 during the 2012 season. The dynamic UCF offense finished in the top 40 in the country in scoring, runs, hits, home runs per game, stolen bases and walks. Ronnie Richardson, D.J. Hicks and Darnell Sweeney were all picked up in the MLB Draft that season.
His first stop in the NCAA coaching world began with a seven-year stretch in Coral Gables as a volunteer assistant and eventual assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Miami Hurricanes. During that period the Canes made the NCAA Regionals seven times, four super regionals and a pair of College World Series. Eight all-americans and four MLB First Round Draft picks were produced in well-known major leaguers Ryan Braun, Yonder Alonso, Jemile Weeks and Yasmani Grandal. His work expanded to managing the Jim Morris Baseball Camps and national-scale recruiting for the ACC stalwart.
Mercadante attended P.K. Yonge in Gainesville before helping Jefferson Davis Community College to a Junior College World Series berth. After one year at Delgado Junior College in New Orleans, Mercadante finished up his collegiate career with the Gators and hit .471 off the bench.
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Joe Mercadante was tabbed as the fourth head coach in program history as announced by director of athletics Nick Morrow Friday, June 23.
Mercadante’s most recent stop was at the University of Pittsburgh where he was the assistant coach from 2021-23, his second stint with an Atlantic Coast Conference team after working with the University of Miami for seven seasons.
A native of Gainesville, Fla., Mercadante has extensive Florida roots having spent 17 years in coaching within the Sunshine State across five different collegiate programs at the Division I, high school and travel ball levels.
A great hitting instructor and recruiting specialist, Mercadante worked primarily with the program’s hitters and outfielders while assisting in the nationwide recruiting initiatives for Pitt. Each season the Panthers worked their way to the ACC Tournament in one of the nation’s top leagues, while making the semis in 2022 and developing all-league outfielder Kyle Hess.
Prior to that, Mercadante spent four years in the opposing dugout at Stetson University as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Hatters. During that stint, SU hosted a regional and eventually went to the 2018 Super Regionals, finishing just one win shy of the College World Series. That Stetson team achieved as high as a No. 7 ranking nationally, finishing with 48 wins.
Mercadante’s recruiting success while at Stetson was set up by a 13-year stretch between stops with the Central Florida Gators (2013-17), UCF Knights (2011-12) and Miami (2004-11). The Gainesville, Fla., native came to Stetson after four years with the Central Florida Gators where he helped three players to Under Armour All-American game and Perfect Game All-American game appearances.
The magical 2018 season at Stetson wasn’t the only year that Mercadante was part of a No. 7 nationally ranked mid-major, as the 45-17 UCF Knights were ranked as high as No. 7 during the 2012 season. The dynamic UCF offense finished in the top 40 in the country in scoring, runs, hits, home runs per game, stolen bases and walks. Ronnie Richardson, D.J. Hicks and Darnell Sweeney were all picked up in the MLB Draft that season.
His first stop in the NCAA coaching world began with a seven-year stretch in Coral Gables as a volunteer assistant and eventual assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Miami Hurricanes. During that period the Canes made the NCAA Regionals seven times, four super regionals and a pair of College World Series. Eight all-americans and four MLB First Round Draft picks were produced in well-known major leaguers Ryan Braun, Yonder Alonso, Jemile Weeks and Yasmani Grandal. His work expanded to managing the Jim Morris Baseball Camps and national-scale recruiting for the ACC stalwart.
Mercadante attended P.K. Yonge in Gainesville before helping Jefferson Davis Community College to a Junior College World Series berth. After one year at Delgado Junior College in New Orleans, Mercadante finished up his collegiate career with the Gators and hit .471 off the bench.
Eight-year Major League Baseball veteran and College Baseball Hall of Famer, Brad Wilkerson, joined the UNF baseball coaching staff as associate head coach in August of 2024.
Wilkerson will be charged with leading the UNF hitters. Wilkerson most recently worked as assistant hitting coach with the New York Yankees during the 2023 season.
The native of Owensboro, Ky., went on to be a dominant two-way player at the University of Florida. With the Gators Wilkerson earned three first-team all-american honors while leading UF to College World Series appearances in both 1996 and 1998. In 1998 Wilkerson became the first player to post 20 home runs, 20 stolen bases and 10 wins on the mound in the same season. He was inducted into the UF Hall of Fame in 2010 as well as the National College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2012.
Wilkerson was taken 33rd in the 1998 MLB Draft by the Montreal Expos. He would set the Expos’ rookie home run record with 20 in 2002 and was named Rookie of the Year by The Sporting News. In 2000 he helped the United States to a gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. After an eight-year tenure in the MLB, Wilkerson finished with 122 home runs and 399 RBI at the big league level.
On the coaching side, Wilkerson also spent time as an assistant with Jacksonville University and with USA Baseball.
Mike Petrowski At a Glance
Arrives from Rider where he helped it to two NCAA Tournaments
- Set the Rider program team single season strikeouts record twice (432, 423)
- Helped produce ABCA All-American closer Dan Kirwin who finished 2nd in the nation in saves in 2023
- Knocked off No. 9 Duke, No. 10 Coastal Carolina
- Also defeated 2022 national runner-up Oklahoma
Mike Petrowski and the Broncs set a program record for wins in 2023 while winning a dramatic opening round regional contest against the Chanticleers.
Petrowski joined his alma mater as the pitching coach in 2019, helping the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference program to two conference titles. That wasn’ the only title that Petrowski won at Rider as he helped the program to the 2008 MAAC Championship before graduating in 2009.
Rider set the program team strikeouts record in consecutive seasons under Petrowski, with the Broncs spinning 432 and 423 respectively. Closer Dan Kirwin was a big reason for that success as the hurler finished second in the nation in saves and earned third team American Baseball Coaches Association All-American honors.
Rider knocked off No. 9 Duke in the regular season as well as No. 10 Coastal Carolina in their home regional. The Broncs also earned a win against 2022 national runner-up Oklahoma.
Additionally, a total of 21 draft picks, three major leagues and seven current minor leaguers have come up under Petrowski’s direction throughout his career.
“I am extremely excited to have Mike joining us here at UNF,” head coach Joe Mercadante said. “Mike has done a tremendous job at Rider over the past four seasons, going to the NCAA Tournament twice and setting the school single season strikeout record twice. He is highly regarded as a great developer of his pitching staffs from top to bottom. He knows what it takes to get to an NCAA Regional and most importantly, he prioritizes the student-athletes and his relationships with his players. I know Mike will do a great job with our players and we look forward to seeing the impact he will have with our team this fall.”
“I’m really excited to help get UNF to NCAA regionals and beyond,” Petrowski said. “With Joe and the staff’s coaching pedigree and postseason success, this was a no brainer for me. I want to win and win at the highest level. When you have regional experience two out of the last three years, you create a drive to back every year. The support from the president, AD and on down seems second to none and I’m appreciative of UNF for giving me this opportunity.”
The pitching coach held a variety of positions throughout the Garden State, working at the high school, collegiate summer league and junior college levels. He worked as the pitching and assistant coach at Hamilton West and Nottingham High Schools and also as the head coach at Rowan College at Burlington County. At RCBC, Petrowski and the team paced all of NJCAA Division II in team ERA with a 2.86 mark.
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