CHRIS DOTOLO
HEAD BASEBALL COACH

Chris Dotolo is now in his seventh season as head coach of the Hofstra Baseball program. Dotolo, the 12th baseball coach in Hofstra history, took over the reigns of the program when Hofstra joined the competitive Colonial Athletic Association in 2002. In his six seasons, Dotolo has posted a 106-208-1 record. Dotolo is just the third Hofstra coach to win 100 games for the Pride, a feat he accomplished with a 10-9 win over James Madison on April 21, 2007, joining Jack Smith (179 wins) and Rich Martin (127 wins).

The Pride posted their third consecutive 20-win season in 2007 and their 11 CAA victories tied their best showing since joining the CAA in 2002, matching the mark set in 2006. Freshman Matt Prokopowicz starred for Dotolo, earning CAA Rookie of the Year honors while also garnering several Freshman All-America accolades, including Baseball America.

The 2006 season saw the Pride post a 24-31-1 record, the second consecutive 24-win campaign in Dotolo's tenure and the first time the Pride has won 24 games in back to back seasons since 1994 and 1995. The Pride also posted 11 conference victories, the most since joining the league in 2002. The 2006 season also saw one of Dotolo's first recruits - third baseman Ricky Caputo - get drafted by the Washington Nationals in the Major League Baseball Draft, marking the first time since 1995 that a Hofstra player has been selected in the MLB Draft (Mike Miller, Detroit Tigers).

In 2005 Dotolo led the Pride to a 24-32 overall record, a 10-14 conference record and the programs first trip to postseason since 1998 - a spot in the six-team Colonial Athletic Association Tournament. The 24 wins marked just the seventh time in 65 years that a Hofstra Baseball team has posted 20+ wins in a season and the teams overall seven game improvement from 2004's 14-36 record ranked 22nd in the nation. In addition, the 2005 squad broke eight team records and tied one other, while eight players set team individual single season records.

Dotolo has also increased the talent level of the Pride and in 2004, two of Dotolo's recruits - Mike Walsh and Caputo - were named to the All-CAA first and second teams, respectively, marking the first time that Hofstra had more than a single all-conference selection. The Pride followed that up with four second team selections - Caputo, Josh Stewart, Matt Kougasian and Jeff Denlea - in 2005. Kougasian was also named to the CAA All-Rookie squad.

Since his arrival at Hofstra, Dotolo has upgraded all facets of the program. The team plays a rigorous non-conference schedule that has included trips to Auburn, Florida, Florida State, North Carolina State and the College of Charleston. Dotolo spearheaded a renovation of University Field that resulted in sunken dugouts, a Competition Turf infield, an improved drainage system and a new scoreboard.

Dotolo brought an extensive baseball background to the Pride. He had been an assistant coach for seven years, including five on the Division I level, and also played four seasons of professional baseball. Before accepting his current position he spent two seasons as an assistant coach at St. John's University in Jamaica, New York. At St. John's, Dotolo worked with the catchers, outfielders and hitters, and served as the recruiting coordinator.

Before arriving at St. John's, Dotolo spent four years (1995-99) as an assistant coach at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. While with the Big Green, he worked with the infielders and outfielders in addition to coordinating all team travel, organizing practices and overseeing the ordering of equipment and maintenance of the baseball facility.

In addition to his Division I coaching experience, Dotolo served as an assistant coach for one season (1994-95) at Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, Virginia and for one season (1995) at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He has also coached in the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League, serving as assistant coach with the Harwich Mariners in the summer of 1995.

Prior to joining the coaching ranks, Dotolo played four seasons (1991-94) in the San Francisco Giants (MLB) organization, finishing his career in the Pacific Coast League (AAA) with the Phoenix Firebirds in 1994. 

A former two-time all conference selection in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, Dotolo graduated from Virginia Wesleyan College in Virginia Beach, Virginia in 1991 with a bachelor's in history. He also spent two years at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, and was a member of the 1988 squad that advanced to the NCAA Division I Regionals. Dotolo earned a master's in sports administration from George Mason University in 1997.

Dotolo and his wife, Lily, have three daughters - Gina (10), Savanna (8) and Maria (3).

CHRIS DOTOLO AT HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY

2002                           12-40                             

2003                           12-35                             

2004                           14-36                             

2005                           24-32                             

2006                           24-31-1

2007                           20-34

Total                           106-208-1/6 years

ASA GRUNENWALD
ASSISTANT COACH

Asa Grunenwald, a four-year letterwinner and two-year starter at St. John's University, is in his fifth season as an assistant coach at Hofstra University and his third as the Pride's lead assistant. Grunenwald coordinates Hofstra's recruiting efforts and coaches the Pride's pitchers and catchers.

Grunenwald's recruiting efforts have brought many talented players to the Pride, including 2007 CAA Rookie of the Year and Freshman All-American Matt Prokopowicz. Under his direction last season senior pitcher Charlie Frago turned in one of the finest seasons by a Pride pitcher, posting a 4-2 record and a 3.61 ERA. The 3.61 ERA ranked as the seventh best in Hofstra's single season record book and was the lowest mark since Justin Romano's 3.23 ERA in 1996.

Having played for the Red Storm from 1999 through 2003, Grunenwald was team captain as a senior and was rated the best defensive catcher in the Big East by Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball. He appeared in 129 games for St. John's, starting 98 and batted .248 for his career with 14 doubles, one triple, four home runs and 46 RBIs. In his career, Grunenwald posted a .974 fielding percentage. During his first two collegiate seasons, Grunenwald was coached by current Hofstra Coach Chris Dotolo.

A solid student, Grunenwald was a four-year member of the Big East Academic All-Star team and was awarded the St. Vincent DePaul Society Scholarship for Academic Excellence.

Prior to joining the Hofstra staff, Grunenwald served as assistant coach of the Vermont Mountaineers of the New England Collegiate Baseball League, as well as serving as the Mountaineer's Baseball Camp director.

In addition to his playing experience at St. John's, Grunenwald has played in the New England Collegiate Baseball League (Manchester Silkworms), the Coastal Plains League (Outer banks Daredevils) and the Northeast Collegiate Baseball League (Wellsville Nitros).

Grunenwald, a native of Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, graduated from St. John's with a degree in mathematics in December 2003.

Grunenwald is engaged to Kerri Jantzen, a former Hofstra Field Hockey assistant coach and player, and resides in Forest Hills, New York.

JOSH STEWART
ASSISTANT COACH

Josh Stewart, a three-year letterman for the Pride, is in his third season as an assistant coach at his alma mater. Stewart will work with the outfielders and assist Coach Dotolo in instructing the Pride's hitters.

Under Stewart's tutelage last season the Pride had five players bat over .300 including freshman Matt Prokopowicz, who batted .416 with a school record 82 hits (breaking Stewart's record of 77) and was named to several Freshman All-America teams, including Louisville Slugger and Baseball America.

Stewart played in 147 games in his Hofstra career, starting 146, and compiled 194 hits, 50 doubles, eight triples, 17 home runs, 146 runs, 83 RBIs, 50 stolen bases and a .333 batting average. His 50 doubles rank second all-time at Hofstra, and he ranks fourth all-time in hits and runs, third in triples and fifth in stolen bases. As a senior, Stewart served as a team captain and led the squad with a .347 average, 60 runs, 77 hits, 23 doubles and 25 stolen bases. He earned second team American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings All-East Region and All-Colonial Athletic Association accolades following his senior season.

Stewart began his collegiate career at St. John's University in Jamaica, New York, where he batted .284 in 35 games as a freshman in 2001.

After graduating in May 2005 with a degree in psychology, Stewart signed with the Evansville Otters of the independent Frontier League and played in 28 games. Stewart returned to the Otters in 2006 and played in 16 games. Stewart has also played for the Lenoir Oilers of the Southern Collegiate Baseball League and was a 2003 SCBL All-Tournament selection. During the summer of 2004 he played for the Asheboro Copperheads of the Coastal Plain League and batted .298 with 30 runs and a team-high 20 stolen bases.

A native of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, Stewart was an honorable mention All-Pennsylvania selection as a senior at Bloomsburg Area High School. He is single and resides in East Meadow, New York.

BOBBY CRUZ
VOLUNTEER ASSISTANT COACH

Bobby Cruz is in his first season as a volunteer assistant coach for the Pride. Cruz joins the Hofstra staff after serving as an assistant coach at St. Francis College in Brooklyn, New York, for the last three seasons until the Terriers disbanded their baseball program at the end of the 2006 season.

Cruz, who was a four-year letterman at St. Francis from 1998 through 2001, coached at his alma mater from 2004 through 2006 and was the recruiting coordinator, as well as the hitting and outfielders coach.

Following graduation from St. Francis, Cruz served a san assistant coach at St. Francis Prep during the 2002 season before becoming head junior varsity coach at St. Dominic's High School in 2003.

Cruz is currently a middle school math teacher and is pursuing a master's degree at St. John's University.