Baseball
Leary, Sean
Sean Leary
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- spl3@lehigh.edu
- Phone:
- 610-758-4315
The 2025 season will mark Sean Leary’s '93 30th season as head coach at Lehigh and 35th overall with the baseball program.
Leary, a three-time Patriot League Coach of the Year who led the Mountain Hawks to league titles in 2006 and 2015 and regular season titles in 2002, 2006 and 2021, captured the 500th win of his career on February 27, 2021 in a 9-0 victory over Coppin State and enters the 2024 season with a 573-710-7 all-time career mark. On March 31, 2012 in a 10-2 victory over rival Lafayette, Leary won his 327th game, which set the all-time wins mark in school history, surpassing Stan "Skip" Schultz.
In 2024, Leary's team shocked the college baseball world on the season's opening weekend, earning two Big Ten wins over Michigan State and #20 Iowa. The team finished with a 24-23-1 record, including a 10-8 mark at J. David Walker Field. Four Mountain Hawks earned All-Patriot League team selections (Tyler Young, Jake Whitlinger, Cole Leaman, Rafe Perich) while Leaman and Perich earned spots on the Patriot League All-Academic team. In addition, Perich and RHP Alex Bouchard were selected in the 2024 MLB Draft, becoming the 15th and 16th players to be drafted under Leary's leadership.
In 2022, Leary led Lehigh to a 26-24 record, including a 12-6 mark at J. David Walker Field at Legacy Park. Casey Rother earned his second consecutive Patriot League Player of the Year award after batting .366 with 50 RBIs and nine home runs on 74 hits. Rother's win marked the fifth time that a player had won the award under Leary's guidance. The Mountain Hawks also had two players drafted to the MLB in 2022, those being C Adam Retzbach (Baltimore Orioles, Round: 14, Overall Pick: 407) and RHP Carlos Torres (Colorado Rockies, Round: 20, Overall Pick: 596).
Leary led the Mountain Hawks to one of their best seasons in program history in 2021, earning the program's third-ever Patriot League Regular Season title and the first one outright, claiming the No. 1 seed in the Patriot League Tournament. Lehigh finished the year 24-19 with a winning record for the first time since 2014 and at 17, had the most Patriot League wins in program history. Under Leary's guidance, Mason Black became the program's second Patriot League Pitcher of the Year selection and Casey Rother was named Patriot League Player of the Year. Leary earned his third-career Patriot League Coach of the Year honor. Eight Mountain Hawks earned All-Patriot League selections under Leary on the season, a new program-record total. In addition, two right-handed pitchers, Black and Matt Svanson, were selected in the 2021 MLB Draft, the 12th and 13th players drafted under Leary's leadership.
The 2016 season saw Lehigh earn its third-straight trip to the Patriot League Tournament and record its third-straight 25-win season under Leary’s guidance. The Mountain Hawks used a 10-1 stretch in their final 11 games to secure the No. 3 seed in the Patriot League Tournament. Five Mountain Hawks garnered All-Patriot League recognition, including 2016 Patriot League Player of the Year Mike Garzillo. Garzillo ’16 was drafted in the 25th round of the MLB Draft by the Miami Marlins, marking the second straight year that a Mountain Hawk was taken in the draft. Academically, Leary mentored Lehigh to its best-ever spring semester team cumulative GPA and a league-leading three Mountain Hawks earned Academic All-League distinction, while Garzillo also garned CoSIDA Academic All-District honors.
Leary guided Lehigh to its second ever Patriot League Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2015. The Mountain Hawks turned the season around at the start of Patriot League play, going 12-8 in league action to earn the No. 2 seed in the Patriot League Tournament. Following a three-game semifinal series win over Holy Cross, the Mountain Hawks took down top-seeded Navy in Annapolis, Md. to earn the league title before going on to compete in the Baton Rouge Regional at LSU. For the first time in program history, two Mountain Hawks were drafted in the MLB first-year player draft in 2015 as Justin Pacchioli ’15 (San Diego Padres, 10th round) and Mike Garzillo ’16 (New York Yankees, 38th round) were selected. Several Mountain Hawks earned league and national laurels during the 2015 campaign, including Garzillo earning All-America honors from Baseball America, District I Player of the Year accolades from the NCBWA and All-Region laurels from ABCA. Strong in the classroom as well, the 2015 team posted on of its best team GPAs in recent history, landed 12 Mountain Hawks on the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll and had two student-athletes earn Academic All-League honors.
The 2014 season was one to remember for the Mountain Hawks as Leary guided Lehigh to its first Patriot League Championship Series since 2006. Highlights included a four-game sweep over Holy Cross and taking two-of-three against defending league champion and co-regular season champion Army to win the semifinal series. The 2014 season saw Lehigh’s lowest team ERA in 35 years and a league-leading batting average. Five Mountain Hawks garnered All-Patriot League Recognition, including two first team selections, while two were named to the Academic All-Patriot League squad.
In 2011, the baseball team went 24-21 overall and placed 14 student-athletes on the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll, including eight Mountain Hawks who posted a GPA of 3.50 or higher. On the field, Lehigh had three players honored on the Second Team All-Patriot League.
In 2010, Leary took a team that was predicted to finish last in the Patriot League to a 12-8 second place finish in the Patriot League standings. With those efforts, Leary was rewarded Patriot League Coach of the Year for the second time.
In 2006, Leary led the team to its first-ever Patriot League Tournament championship and its first appearance in the NCAA tournament. The 2006 season also gave the Mountain Hawks their second highest win total in school history, second Patriot League co-championship and fifth consecutive appearance in the Patriot League Tournament – a feat never-before accomplished in the program’s history. As a result of the team’s achievements, Leary was selected as the 2006 Patriot League Coach of the Year for the first time.
During his 29 years as head coach, Leary has coached 18 teams to 20 or more wins, including eight of the last nine seasons. The 2002 Mountain Hawks won a school-record 29 games under Leary’s guidance and captured the school’s first share of the regular season Patriot League title.
Leary has brought a disciplined style of play to the Lehigh program over the past 29 seasons, emphasizing pitching, defense and fundamentals. His players quickly adopted his philosophy, as Lehigh finished 13th in the country in fielding in 1997 – his first season at the helm. Leary brings a wealth of knowledge and a high degree of enthusiasm to the clubhouse, making him one of the brightest coaches in the Patriot League.
"Coach Leary was extremely enthusiastic in every facet of his game as a player, especially defense," says former teammate and player Chris Querns ’96. "You can definitely see how that has translated into his coaching philosophy. He can relate to his players and motivate them to put enthusiasm into their game."
Leary has coached five All-Americans (Casey Rother, Mike Garzillo, Pat Hollander, Jesse Novalis and Matt McBride), four freshman All-Americans (Joe Ercolano, McBride, Jack Muscalus and Levi Stoudt), seven All-Region selections (Rother, Luke Rettig, Garzillo, Eric Hoffman, McBride, Jacen Nalesnik and Mason Black), two Patriot League Pitchers of the Year (Black and Dave Cerminaro) and four Patriot League Players of the Year (Casey Rother, Garzillo, Novalis and McBride). He has also coached and mentored 12 players who have moved on to play professional ball, including Ben Talbott, Kyle Collina, Andrew Berger, McBride, Mike Lebo, Justin Pacchioli, Garzillo, Mark Washington, Stoudt, Jason Reynolds, Black, Matt Svanson, Carlos Torres and Adam Retzbach.
A 1993 graduate of Lehigh, Leary earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting and master of arts in education. He played four years at Lehigh – starting at shortstop his senior year – batting .296, with one home run and 15 runs batted in.
In August of 2008, the Northampton County Legion honored Leary by inducting him into its Hall of Fame, joining assistant coach John Bisco in the exclusive group. Then in November of 2010, he was inducted into the Blue Mountain League Hall of Fame.
Among his various contributions to the Lehigh baseball program, Leary helped lead a fundraising campaign that transformed the team's field from a sandlot park into one of the finest athletic venues in the Patriot League. The multi-phase renovation project was completed in the fall of 2017 and was formally unveiled under the new name, J. David Walker Field at Legacy Park. The first phase of the project was completed before the start of the 2015 season, which included the installation of a synthetic turf infield, dugouts, bullpens, a press box, bleachers and permanent bathrooms. The second phase took place during the summer of 2017, which included the construction of a new outfield fence, the installation of a new scoreboard and a synthetic turf mound, the construction of a right field pavilion and new entranceways to go along with the addition of various branding aesthetics throughout the park.
About his time as head coach at Lehigh, Leary said: "I love the sport, but impacting the lives of student-athletes both on and off the field is the reason I coach."
Leary and his wife, Jennifer, reside in Bethlehem with their daughter, Ashlyn, who is a sophomore at Lehigh.
Leary, a three-time Patriot League Coach of the Year who led the Mountain Hawks to league titles in 2006 and 2015 and regular season titles in 2002, 2006 and 2021, captured the 500th win of his career on February 27, 2021 in a 9-0 victory over Coppin State and enters the 2024 season with a 573-710-7 all-time career mark. On March 31, 2012 in a 10-2 victory over rival Lafayette, Leary won his 327th game, which set the all-time wins mark in school history, surpassing Stan "Skip" Schultz.
In 2024, Leary's team shocked the college baseball world on the season's opening weekend, earning two Big Ten wins over Michigan State and #20 Iowa. The team finished with a 24-23-1 record, including a 10-8 mark at J. David Walker Field. Four Mountain Hawks earned All-Patriot League team selections (Tyler Young, Jake Whitlinger, Cole Leaman, Rafe Perich) while Leaman and Perich earned spots on the Patriot League All-Academic team. In addition, Perich and RHP Alex Bouchard were selected in the 2024 MLB Draft, becoming the 15th and 16th players to be drafted under Leary's leadership.
In 2022, Leary led Lehigh to a 26-24 record, including a 12-6 mark at J. David Walker Field at Legacy Park. Casey Rother earned his second consecutive Patriot League Player of the Year award after batting .366 with 50 RBIs and nine home runs on 74 hits. Rother's win marked the fifth time that a player had won the award under Leary's guidance. The Mountain Hawks also had two players drafted to the MLB in 2022, those being C Adam Retzbach (Baltimore Orioles, Round: 14, Overall Pick: 407) and RHP Carlos Torres (Colorado Rockies, Round: 20, Overall Pick: 596).
Leary led the Mountain Hawks to one of their best seasons in program history in 2021, earning the program's third-ever Patriot League Regular Season title and the first one outright, claiming the No. 1 seed in the Patriot League Tournament. Lehigh finished the year 24-19 with a winning record for the first time since 2014 and at 17, had the most Patriot League wins in program history. Under Leary's guidance, Mason Black became the program's second Patriot League Pitcher of the Year selection and Casey Rother was named Patriot League Player of the Year. Leary earned his third-career Patriot League Coach of the Year honor. Eight Mountain Hawks earned All-Patriot League selections under Leary on the season, a new program-record total. In addition, two right-handed pitchers, Black and Matt Svanson, were selected in the 2021 MLB Draft, the 12th and 13th players drafted under Leary's leadership.
The 2016 season saw Lehigh earn its third-straight trip to the Patriot League Tournament and record its third-straight 25-win season under Leary’s guidance. The Mountain Hawks used a 10-1 stretch in their final 11 games to secure the No. 3 seed in the Patriot League Tournament. Five Mountain Hawks garnered All-Patriot League recognition, including 2016 Patriot League Player of the Year Mike Garzillo. Garzillo ’16 was drafted in the 25th round of the MLB Draft by the Miami Marlins, marking the second straight year that a Mountain Hawk was taken in the draft. Academically, Leary mentored Lehigh to its best-ever spring semester team cumulative GPA and a league-leading three Mountain Hawks earned Academic All-League distinction, while Garzillo also garned CoSIDA Academic All-District honors.
Leary guided Lehigh to its second ever Patriot League Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2015. The Mountain Hawks turned the season around at the start of Patriot League play, going 12-8 in league action to earn the No. 2 seed in the Patriot League Tournament. Following a three-game semifinal series win over Holy Cross, the Mountain Hawks took down top-seeded Navy in Annapolis, Md. to earn the league title before going on to compete in the Baton Rouge Regional at LSU. For the first time in program history, two Mountain Hawks were drafted in the MLB first-year player draft in 2015 as Justin Pacchioli ’15 (San Diego Padres, 10th round) and Mike Garzillo ’16 (New York Yankees, 38th round) were selected. Several Mountain Hawks earned league and national laurels during the 2015 campaign, including Garzillo earning All-America honors from Baseball America, District I Player of the Year accolades from the NCBWA and All-Region laurels from ABCA. Strong in the classroom as well, the 2015 team posted on of its best team GPAs in recent history, landed 12 Mountain Hawks on the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll and had two student-athletes earn Academic All-League honors.
The 2014 season was one to remember for the Mountain Hawks as Leary guided Lehigh to its first Patriot League Championship Series since 2006. Highlights included a four-game sweep over Holy Cross and taking two-of-three against defending league champion and co-regular season champion Army to win the semifinal series. The 2014 season saw Lehigh’s lowest team ERA in 35 years and a league-leading batting average. Five Mountain Hawks garnered All-Patriot League Recognition, including two first team selections, while two were named to the Academic All-Patriot League squad.
In 2011, the baseball team went 24-21 overall and placed 14 student-athletes on the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll, including eight Mountain Hawks who posted a GPA of 3.50 or higher. On the field, Lehigh had three players honored on the Second Team All-Patriot League.
In 2010, Leary took a team that was predicted to finish last in the Patriot League to a 12-8 second place finish in the Patriot League standings. With those efforts, Leary was rewarded Patriot League Coach of the Year for the second time.
In 2006, Leary led the team to its first-ever Patriot League Tournament championship and its first appearance in the NCAA tournament. The 2006 season also gave the Mountain Hawks their second highest win total in school history, second Patriot League co-championship and fifth consecutive appearance in the Patriot League Tournament – a feat never-before accomplished in the program’s history. As a result of the team’s achievements, Leary was selected as the 2006 Patriot League Coach of the Year for the first time.
During his 29 years as head coach, Leary has coached 18 teams to 20 or more wins, including eight of the last nine seasons. The 2002 Mountain Hawks won a school-record 29 games under Leary’s guidance and captured the school’s first share of the regular season Patriot League title.
Leary has brought a disciplined style of play to the Lehigh program over the past 29 seasons, emphasizing pitching, defense and fundamentals. His players quickly adopted his philosophy, as Lehigh finished 13th in the country in fielding in 1997 – his first season at the helm. Leary brings a wealth of knowledge and a high degree of enthusiasm to the clubhouse, making him one of the brightest coaches in the Patriot League.
"Coach Leary was extremely enthusiastic in every facet of his game as a player, especially defense," says former teammate and player Chris Querns ’96. "You can definitely see how that has translated into his coaching philosophy. He can relate to his players and motivate them to put enthusiasm into their game."
Leary has coached five All-Americans (Casey Rother, Mike Garzillo, Pat Hollander, Jesse Novalis and Matt McBride), four freshman All-Americans (Joe Ercolano, McBride, Jack Muscalus and Levi Stoudt), seven All-Region selections (Rother, Luke Rettig, Garzillo, Eric Hoffman, McBride, Jacen Nalesnik and Mason Black), two Patriot League Pitchers of the Year (Black and Dave Cerminaro) and four Patriot League Players of the Year (Casey Rother, Garzillo, Novalis and McBride). He has also coached and mentored 12 players who have moved on to play professional ball, including Ben Talbott, Kyle Collina, Andrew Berger, McBride, Mike Lebo, Justin Pacchioli, Garzillo, Mark Washington, Stoudt, Jason Reynolds, Black, Matt Svanson, Carlos Torres and Adam Retzbach.
A 1993 graduate of Lehigh, Leary earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting and master of arts in education. He played four years at Lehigh – starting at shortstop his senior year – batting .296, with one home run and 15 runs batted in.
In August of 2008, the Northampton County Legion honored Leary by inducting him into its Hall of Fame, joining assistant coach John Bisco in the exclusive group. Then in November of 2010, he was inducted into the Blue Mountain League Hall of Fame.
Among his various contributions to the Lehigh baseball program, Leary helped lead a fundraising campaign that transformed the team's field from a sandlot park into one of the finest athletic venues in the Patriot League. The multi-phase renovation project was completed in the fall of 2017 and was formally unveiled under the new name, J. David Walker Field at Legacy Park. The first phase of the project was completed before the start of the 2015 season, which included the installation of a synthetic turf infield, dugouts, bullpens, a press box, bleachers and permanent bathrooms. The second phase took place during the summer of 2017, which included the construction of a new outfield fence, the installation of a new scoreboard and a synthetic turf mound, the construction of a right field pavilion and new entranceways to go along with the addition of various branding aesthetics throughout the park.
About his time as head coach at Lehigh, Leary said: "I love the sport, but impacting the lives of student-athletes both on and off the field is the reason I coach."
Leary and his wife, Jennifer, reside in Bethlehem with their daughter, Ashlyn, who is a sophomore at Lehigh.
Baseball vs. Coppin State
Tuesday, April 29
Baseball vs. Penn
Wednesday, March 19
Baseball vs. UAlbany
Sunday, March 16
Season Preview Baseball
Thursday, February 13
