33 Joshua MacDonald Position: Assistant Coach Experience: First Season

Josh MacDonald joins Jim Penders' staff for his first season in 2012. MacDonald, a UConn alum, spent the last two years as the pitching coach with the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League and served as an assistant coach in the CCBL All-Star Game for the West Division in 2010. During his time with the club, the Braves won the CCBL championship during 2009 and then won the Western Division championship in 2010. As an integral part of the coaching staff, MacDonald also guided one of his players to become the 2010 CCBL Outstanding Pitcher of the Year.

Prior to his stint with the Bourne Braves, he served as a pitching coach for Long Island University from 2007-2009, where he tutored four pitchers who went on to play professionally. MacDonald finished his collegiate playing career in 2006, after helping the Huskies to a second place finish during the BIG EAST regular season and a then school record 39 wins. At the time, he was third on the all-time pitching appearance list at UConn and is currently fifth after the 2011 season.

MacDonald served as the head baseball coach of the St. Thomas More Prep squad from 2010-2011, along with stints as head junior varsity basketball coach and assistant football coach. He was also a history teacher atSt. Thomas More Prepduring that time.

"Josh's experience in the Cape developing some of the best collegiate pitchers in the country, along with evaluation and recruiting skills honed at LIU provide a great foundation for what I believe is going to grow into a great coaching career," Penders said. "His loyalty to UConn and passion for teaching are going to be so well received by our student-athletes. I can't wait to work with him again."

MacDonald pitched in 62 games over the course of his career with the Huskies. He posted a 10-8 record out of the bullpen and owned a 4.85 earned run average. MacDonald struck out 86 batters in 154 innings and earned two saves, both in his senior season. He earned the first win in the Jim Penders era at UConn with an 8-3 win over Butler on March 3, 2004. In the summer of 2005, MacDonald was an All-Star in the Valley League and helped his team to a Northern Division Championship.

A 2001 graduate of Notre Dame High School of West Haven and a Milford native, MacDonald was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 47th round of the 2001 MLB Amateur Draft. At ND, he was a part of the 2000 Class LL State Championship squad and in 2001 was named the

New Haven Register All-Area MVP. MacDonald was twice named to the Zone 2 Legion Section "Dream Dozen" and in 2001 was the Most Valuable Pitcher of the Connecticut Legion Tournament. He was also named the Most Valuable Pitcher in the 2001 Connecticut vs. Massachusetts High School All-Star Game.

MacDonald resides in Manchester.