BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Head coach Sean Leary has announced two coaching staff updates for the upcoming season. John Kochmansky has been named the team’s new hitting coach, while Bob Shebelsky will take over as the Mountain Hawks new pitching coach. “I am very excited and proud to welcome Coach Kochmansky and Coach Shebelsky to the Lehigh baseball program,” Leary said. “Their coaching accomplishments and their technical expertise are impressive. Both coaches have a strong passion for the game of baseball and most importantly they understand and appreciate the special commitment it takes to be a student-athlete at Lehigh. I know our kids will be excited to work with them. They will be great assets to our program."
Both Kochmansky and Shebelsky come to Bethlehem after having served as assistant coaches at East Stroudsburg University. Kochmansky had been at ESU since 2005 where he served as the head assistant coach as well as the recruiting coordinator. His duties included overseeing the entire offense as the hitting instructor and base running coach. In addition, Kochmansky was in charge of all of the recruiting for the program and he assisted with budget management and fund raising. Kochmansky has held coaching positions at Pen Argyl High School, Lafayette College, Virginia Polytechnic, and with the Wilmington Sharks of the Coastal Plain League.
A 1988 graduate of the University of Delaware Kochmansky later earned his masters from Virginia Tech in health and physical education. He batted .368 during his collegiate career and is a member of the Blue Hens 200-hit club. Kochmansky and his wife Shala reside in East Stroudsburg with their son Jake.
Shebelsky had served as ESU’s pitching coach for the past three years, assisting with recruiting as well as catchers and first basemen defense. Prior to that, he worked as an assistant at Pen Argyl High School for four seasons where he was part of the 2004 Colonial League Championship team. Shebelsky also has experience coaching American Legion teams, in the Senior Babe Ruth leagues and with numerous youth teams. Off of the field, Shebelsky is the Chairman/CEO and part-owner of Deputy Real Estate Holdings, LLC, as well as the part-owner of Ski Shawnee, Inc. Shebelsky and his wife Susan reside in East Stroudsburg and have three children, Scott, Sarah and David.
