Assistant Coach Justin Blood

Justin Blood is in his third season as an assistant coach at UConn.  He spent the summer of 2005 as the pitching coach for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod League before joining the University of Connecticut baseball program in August.  Blood, a former professional baseball player, is the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator for the Huskies.

Under Blood’s direction, the UConn pitching staff posted a 3.47 earned run average in 2006, its lowest since the 1989 season. The Huskies’ team ERA was good for second in the BIG EAST and 17th in the nation. At the conclusion of the season, Tim Norton and Nick Tucci were named to the All-BIG EAST First Team. In fact, Norton, Tucci and John Slusarz were each taken in the Major League Baseball Draft in early June.
 

“Justin is an excellent communicator,” said Penders.  “His professional experience, work ethic and organizational skills are true assets to our program.”

Blood was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in 2001 and excelled in the minor leagues before retiring to pursue coaching on the collegiate level. Upon retirement, Blood had accumulated a 3.97 ERA in 82 games as a minor league player with a 7-4 record. He helped to lead the Inland Empire 66ers to the California League Class A title in 2003, posting a 5-2 record with two saves and a 3.07 ERA with 77 strikeouts and just 27 walks in 58.2 innings out of the bullpen.

The New Hampshire native joined the coaching staff at Quinnipiac University in 2003, serving as a volunteer coach. In 2004, he returned to his alma mater, Franklin Pierce College, to complete his degree and work as the baseball team’s student assistant. Prior to assisting, Blood played three years for Franklin Pierce before being drafted. He ranks among career leaders at the college with 235 strikeouts (second), 12 wins (fourth) and a 4.62 ERA (seventh) in 204.2 innings (fourth) over 38 appearances (third) with 12 complete games (fourth). In 2001, he struck out a program-record 20 New Hampshire College batters, which still ranks fifth in NCAA Division II single-game history.

Blood married the former Hannah Walters in September 2006.  The couple resides in Vernon, Conn. 

Assistant Coach Bruce Elliott

Bruce Elliott begins his third season as an assistant coach at the University of Connecticut after serving for three years as an assistant baseball coach for Palomar College in San Marcos, Calif.  With Elliot at the helm, Palomar College was able to reach the State Community College Championship game by winning its first two games in the 2005 State Final Four. Palomar was also the 2005 Pacific Coast Conference Champions.

In addition, while at Palomar College, Elliot helped lead the team to the 2004 California State Regional playoffs and to the 2003 Pacific Coast Conference Championship. As Palomar's recruiting coordinator, the 2004 freshman class was ranked in the top-10 for California. Moreover, Elliot helped in placing many of Palomar's sophomores at the Division I, II, III, NAIA and professional baseball levels. Elliot's focus at UConn will be to work with the outfielders and assist with the hitters.

Elliot is also a nationally active instructor. In the past two years he has instructed camps at Stanford, Vanderbilt, Clemson, Virginia Tech, Virginia, Sacred Heart and the TPX Top 96 circuit. He also serves as the camp director for the Connecticut Baseball School and has expanded attendance to record levels for all of the year-round camps.

Elliott began his career in coaching at the high school level. He served as the head baseball coach at San Dieguito Academy High School from 1998-2002. The school earned a California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) playoff regional bid in 2002, the first in school history. In addition to being a coach, Elliot has served as a professional hitting instructor at the San Diego School of Baseball from 2002. The San Diego School of Baseball is the largest summer and winter baseball camp in the San Diego County.

As a player, Elliott was an outfielder for Mt. San Antonio Community College. His team was a member of the South Coast Conference and reached the state playoffs in two consecutive years.

“The value Bruce has added to our program is impossible to measure,” said Penders. “It is so large. He is an incredibly positive, detail oriented, driven and dedicated teacher. His passion for the game and our program is second to none.”

Elliott is a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association, and holds a Master’s Degree in physical education from Azusa Pacific University. He is a 1992 graduate of California State Polytechnic University, at which he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. Elliott and his wife, Cindy, have a son, Wyatt, born August 13, 1998, and a daughter, Ainsley, born December 23, 2002.  The Elliott's now make their home in Mansfield Center, Conn.

Assistant Coach Christopher Podeszwa

Chris Podeszwa enters his fifth season as an assistant coach at the University of Connecticut. Podeszwa’s focus is primarily on the instruction of infielders and hitters.  

After graduating from UConn in 1993, Podeszwa served as an envoy coach for Major League Baseball International in New York and Europe. His responsibilities included preparing the German Junior National Team for the European Championships and organizing and developing coordinated clinics for youth players and coaches.

"Dez is a full-time teacher and there is nobody that works harder than he does," said Penders. "His energy is contagious and his contribution to our success is immeasurable."

In 1995, Podeszwa moved to Sweden to become the head coach of the Skelleftea Bears Baseball Club in Skelleftea, Sweden. His stay in Scandinavia was highlighted by his U-19 team capturing the Swedish National Championship.

In 1996, Podeszwa was hired as the assistant baseball coach at Mitchell College in New London, Conn., and in 1998, he became the assistant baseball coach for the University of Connecticut’s Avery Point branch under head coach Roger Bidwell. At Avery Point, Podeszwa helped lead his squads to the NJCAA Region XXI Championship in 1999 and 2000. Avery Point also captured the Northeast Region Championship in 1999 and earned a trip to the NJCAA Division II World Series.

In between summer evaluation and recruiting assignments for the Huskies, Podeszwa continues to serve as a part-time assistant baseball coach for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League, who won the league championship in 2004, 2006 and 2007. Since 1997, he has assisted in the recruitment of players nationwide and is the coordinator of defensive strategies.

Podeszwa played at UConn from 1990-93. He was part of the 1990 BIG EAST Championship club and played every position for the Huskies except center field. He and Penders were teammates at UConn for two seasons.

Podeszwa is married to UConn alum, Isabella Basile, and the couple has three children, Sophia, Connor and Emilia.  The Podeszwa's reside in Waterford, Conn.