Baseball

 

Chris Malec '01 - Varsity Head Coach / Program Director

Santa Margarita alumnus Chris Malec (01’) is in his sixth season as the head coach of Santa Margarita Catholic High School Baseball. Malec was appointed head coach in December 2017. He has a career record of 78-60with the Eagles, who have made the playoffs in three of his four full seasons.
 
In 2019, Malec’s second season at the helm, the Eagles went 26-11 and won the CIF Southern Section Division 2 championship. Malec was chosen Division 2 Coach of the Year and a “Coach of Character” by the OrangeCounty Athletic Director’s Assn.
 
Before coming to Santa Margarita, Malec was Associate Head Coach / Associate Faculty at Saddleback College from 2012-15. He primarily worked as the infield coach and hitting coach in addition to running the Gauchos’offense. While at Saddleback, 41 of Malec’s players moved on to play at four-year universities. The three starting shortstops he coached all matriculated to four-year schools and, eventually, professional baseball -- Josh Fuentes with the Colorado Rockies, Colby Schultz with the Kansas City Royals and Luke Jarvis with the Miami Marlins. The Gauchos made the playoffs in three of Malec’s four seasons, advancing to Super Regionals twice.
 
In 2014, while coaching at Saddleback College, Malec founded the Saddleback Cowboys Baseball Club, a developmental youth (ages 11-17) baseball program. The Cowboys have grown into a nationally recognized organization, both for their tournament success and ability to assist players in moving to the next level. More than 75 former Cowboys have gone on to play at four-year universities and the program has placed in the top four at the USA National Team Championships numerous times at different age-group levels.
 
As a player at Santa Margarita, Malec earned All-Serra League honors three consecutive seasons and was selected to the All-Orange County team. He then attended UC Santa Barbara, where he became a Freshman All-American. By the time Malec finished his college career, he was a three-time All-Big West Conference selection. He had also been chosen by Baseball America as a Summer All-American for his performance with the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox in the prestigious Cape Cod League, where he was an All Star.
 
During his senior season at Santa Barbara, Malec gained national media attention when he was diagnosed with cancer. After missing four weeks while undergoing surgery and chemotherapy treatments, Malec returned to action against Long Beach State and hit a grand slam in the first at-bat of his first start. He continued treatments through the season while continuing to play. The cancer has been in remission since the summer of 2005.
 
Malec began his professional career in 2005, after being drafted in the 16th round of the Major League Baseball draft by the New York Yankees. During his minor-league career, his teams won three league championships. He was a 2008 Eastern League (Double-A) All Star and he reached as high as the Triple-A level, one step from the major leagues.
 
Malec had more career walks than strikeouts when he retired from professional baseball after the 2010 season, one reason he was once recognized by Baseball America as the minor leaguer with “The Best Plate Discipline.”
 
Malec resides in Rancho Santa Margarita with his wife Caitlin, a teacher at Santa Margarita Catholic High School, and their children, Tomás (8), Colin (6) and Emilia (2).
 
Malec in the media:
• “Malec’s Dreams Become a Reality” -- ESPN http://www.espn.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=crasnick_jerry&id=2084487
• “Malec’s Return Inspires Gauchos” -- ESPN http://www.espn.com.au/collegesports/news/story?id=2056624
• Jim Rome Show -- Featured Guest, June 2005
• “Beating Cancer Bonds Two Ballplayers” – New York Timeshttp://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/27/sports/baseball/27curtis.html
• “UCSB Celebrates Chris Malec Day “ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McDVgCgN9Ag ; http://www.ucsbgauchos.com/sports/m-basebl/2014-15/releases/2015012660r72r
• “Malec’s Return Sparks UCSB” -- Santa Barbara News Press http://newspress.com/Top/Article/article.jsp?Section=ARCHIVESW&ID=564449271475208209&Archive=true

Willie Kuhl - Varsity Associate Head Coach / Program Pitching Coordinator

Coach Kuhl is in his fifth season as varsity pitching coach. In his debut season at Santa Margarita, he helped guide the Eagles to the 2019 CIF Southern Section Division 2 championship. The Eagles posted a 2.31 earned-run average in 2019 and had a 1.83 ERA in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. In 2019, Eagles pitcher Alex Schrier was first-team All-Trinity League and Spencer Edwards and Matthew McClure were second-team selections. McClure was second-team All-CIF.
 
Kuhl began his coaching career in 2016 at his alma mater, Mission Viejo High, before becoming pitching coach at Fullerton College from 2017-18. In his two seasons at Fullerton, he guided the careers of four all-conference pitchers and had several players from his staff earn scholarships to four-year universities. In 2018, the Hornets pitching staff finished in the top three of the Orange Empire Conference in ERA and (fewest) walks allowed. In his second season, Hornets’ pitchers lowered their ERA and averages for hits and walks per nine innings while increasing their strikeouts per nine innings.
 
As a player, Kuhl in 2011 helped Mission Viejo High win its first CIF Southern Section Division 2 championship. He got the win in the title game, giving him 22 in his career -- a school record at the time. Kuhl then pitched four years for Cal State Fullerton, helping the Titans reach the NCAA playoffs each season, advance to a pair of Super Regionals, and make a College World Series appearance in 2015.
 
Kuhl’s 87 career appearances ranks ninth in the Titans’ storied history, and his 1.37 ERA in 2014 led the team. In his college career, Kuhl posted a 6-6 record with two saves, 137 strikeouts in 110 innings (11.01 strikeouts per nine innings) and a 3.13 ERA.
 
Kuhl teaches IB Business Management at Santa Margarita. He and his wife JD reside in Lake Forest with their infant daughter, Kennedy.

Ryan Crowe - Varsity assistant / Program Catching Coordinator

Coach Crowe is in his third season with the SMCHS baseball program. In 2020, before joining the Eagles, he was an assistant at Biola University, a perennially nationally ranked Division II program.
 
In the Fall of 2022, Crowe served as Defensive Coordinator for Rigby High School in Idaho, helping guide the Trojans to the state’s 5A (highest classification) championship. He returned to coach Eagles baseball in December. Before accepting the post at Rigby, Crowe coached football for six seasons at his alma mater, SanJuan Hills High. He helped build that program into one that won a 2019 Southern Section championship.
 
A two-sport athlete, Crowe graduated from San Juan Hills in 2012 after leading the baseball team to its first playoff appearance in school history.
 
Crowe started his college playing career at Santa Barbara City College and later won a Gold Glove as a catcher for Westmont College, where he received NAIA All-American honors. He finished his college career at Hope International, helping his team win a Golden State Athletic Conference championship in 2019.

Josh Nicoloff - Varsity assistant / Program Hitting Coordinator

Coach Nicoloff, a 2017 SMCHS graduate, is in his first year as a coach with Eagles Baseball after a stellar college career as both an athlete and student.

Nicoloff was a career .293 hitter for Columbia University, where he played three seasons and helped the Lions to the 2018 Ivy League championship as a freshman. He was All-Ivy League as a sophomore, when he was among the team’s leaders with a .313 batting average, .374 on-base percentage, 50 hits, 10 doubles, 67 total bases and eight  stolen bases. After that 2019 season, he played in the Northwoods Summer Collegiate League and was a Major League Dreams Top Prospect invitee. As a junior at Columbia, in the COVID shortened 2020 season, he led the Lions with a .394 batting average.

The Lions’ 2021 season was canceled because of COVID, but Nicoloff graduated from Columbia with a degree in Political Science. He played the 2022 season at Kansas State, starting all 58 games for the Wildcats and finishing with seven home runs, 27 runs batted in, 12 multiple-hit games, a 13-game hitting streak and a team-leading 19-game on-base streak. He also earned Big 12 Conference Newcomer of the Week and was a finalist for the American Baseball Coaches’ Assn./Rawlings Gold Glove Award as a second baseman.

As a player at SMCHS, Nicoloff was a three-year letter winner, a 2016 Trinity League All Star and in 2017 was the Eagles’ team captain and a member of the South Team in the Orange County All-Star game.

In 2020, Nicoloff helped found the Whitecaps Baseball Academy. He is a substitute teacher at SMCHS.

Michael Willett - Junior Varsity Blue Head Coach

Coach Willett is in his 14th year with SMCHS baseball and has multiple Trinity League championships to his credit at the junior varsity and freshman levels. Willett has coached at every level in the Eagles’ program, and his leadership has been instrumental in preparing the younger players for success at the varsity level.
 
Willett has coached youth, club and high school baseball in Orange County for 30 years and has been a member of the American Baseball Coaching Association for 22 years. Several of Willett’s former players have gone on to play baseball at the college and professional levels.
 
Willett played baseball at Mt. San Antonio College as well as football and baseball at Pomona High. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Business from the University of Redlands.
 
Willett and his wife, Beth, will celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary in 2022. They have resided in Mission Viejo for 37 years and have been a part of the Santa Margarita Eagles family for more than two decades. Their three children and their son-in-law are SMCHS graduates: Megan and Jordan in the Class of 2003, Kyle ‘07 and Troy ‘10.
 

Tony Gray - Junior Varsity Gold Head Coach

Coach Gray is in his first year with Eagles Baseball and has been involved with baseball his entire life as a player, coach, volunteer and executive.
 
Gray was an all-state second baseman in high school and helped lead McNary High in Keizer, Oregon, to a second state championship in four years. He played in college at the NAIA level for Western Oregon and later club ball at Oregon as a middle infielder. Professionally, Gray has spent the last 20 years in sports – most of it at Nike World Headquarters in finance and product development, including making shoes for MLB and college players.
 
Outside the office, Gray has been a coach and administrator for baseball programs in Orange County the past 12 years. He has coached players 4-18 years of age to several championships and also formed South Orange County’s first all-girls Little League Baseball team (which had just one loss in three years). He doubled the size of Aliso Viejo Little League’s Challenger Program during his time as league President. Gray is currently in his fourth year as Little League District 55 Administrator, directing the operations of seven leagues.
 
Gray and his wife have been married 19 years and have two children: a son, 16, who is a sophomore soccer player for SMCHS, and a daughter, 10.

Mike Hiserman - Freshman Head Coach

Coach Hiserman is in his third season with the SMCHS baseball program, his second leading the Eagles’freshman team. His first freshman team won the 2022 Trinity League championship.
 
Hiserman coached high-level youth and club teams in Ventura and Orange Counties while completing a 38-year career with the Los Angeles Times, with whom he won several writing and editing awards and rose to Sports Editor.
 
In 2021, Hiserman joined the SMCHS baseball staff as a volunteer. In 2022, SMCHS hired him as Associate Director of College Relations, an advisory role to all Eagles student-athletes who are seeking to compete in college. The program he has established is one of only a handful of its type at high schools across the country.
 
As an athlete, Hiserman played football and baseball at Kennedy High in La Palma. His sons, Stephen and Matthew, graduated from Capistrano Valley High. Stephen is a Captain in the Los Angeles City Fire Department. Matt played on four South Coast League championship teams at Capo before pitching for one season for Santa Clara and three for the University of San Francisco. He was then an assistant for one season at CSUN and was pitching coach for four at USF.
 
Hiserman and wife Ronnie celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary in 2021. They are 23-year residents of Mission Viejo.

Mike Lutterloh - Freshman Assistant Coach

Coach Lutterloh is entering his second season with Eagles Baseball. Last season, he was an assistant at the freshman level. Before that, he was a varsity assistant for the Eagles’ softball program for eight seasons.
 
Lutterloh was also head coach of Firecrackers-Lutterloh, a travel softball team that earned national rankings as high as 6th in Triple Crown, ASA, and PGF.  All of Lutterloh’s former travel players went on to play in college at some of the most prestigious athletic and academic universities in the country, including Harvard, Penn, Duke, Georgetown, Notre Dame, Cal and Oregon.
 
Lutterloh played baseball at El Toro High and earned second-team All-South Coast League as a senior.  He played college baseball at Cal State Los Angeles for legendary Coach John Herbold and was nominated for the U.S. Olympic team his freshman year.  Lutterloh played in the New York Collegiate Baseball League in Up-State New York for two summer seasons and was invited to play in the Houston Astros minor league system.
 
Lutterloh and his wife, Kindra, celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in 2022 and are longtime residents of Rancho Santa Margarita. They have been part of the Eagle family for eight years. All four of their children have graduated from or are currently attending SMCHS: Makenna (2017) played softball for and graduated from Duke; Abby (2020) is a junior volleyball player at Georgetown; PJ is a senior at SMCHS and Jake is a sophomore.

Patrick Visconti '06 - Program Chaplin

Patrick Visconti, a former Eagles player and 2006 SMCHS graduate, is in his fifth year with Santa Margarita Baseball. He is Santa Margarita Catholic’s Assistant Principal in charge of Mission Integration.

Visconti had opportunities to play college baseball but instead pursued a career in education/ministry. He coached baseball at SMCHS the past four seasons and credits his love for the game to his experience playing alongside several future pros and from coaching in the Challenger Baseball League, an organization for players 5-20 with developmental disabilities.

Visconti earned his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of San Francisco and has a Master’s Degree in Theological Studies from Loyola Marymount.

Before returning to Santa Margarita, Visconti was the Campus Minister for Regional Service at LMU. Before that, he taught for six years at Servite High.

Visconti was hired by SMCHS in 2017 as the Director of Campus Ministry, overseeing an office that runs 10+ retreats for students a year, offers multiple liturgies, including all-school masses, and provides a service-learning program that is uniquely built for each grade level.

As Assistant Principal, he assists the school’s mission as a Catholic institution by sitting on the Administrative Board several committees, including Threat Assessment, Mental Health and Wellness, and Curriculum Council. In these roles he works to ensure the charism and mission of the school are present throughout the campus.

Visconti and his wife, Maria, who is also a 2006 SMCHS graduate, reside in Rancho Santa Margarita with their son Rocco, 6, and daughter, Stella, 4.

2017 | Under Armour All-American | Chandler Champlain

Congratulations to senior Chandler Champlain for being selected to the 2017 Under Armour All-American team. The game, which will be played at iconic Wrigley Field on Saturday, July 29th, is the 10th annual event, bringing together the top 40 high school players in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The game will be broadcast on MLB Network.

 

Champlain, a 6’5” 220 right handed pitcher verbally committed to the University of Southern California in his freshman year at Santa Margarita. Chandler is the first Eagle baseball player to be named an Under Armour All-American in the history of the school. By the end of his junior year, Champlain had created a new school record for number of career strikeouts at 303, and will look to add to that number during his senior year. His fastball has been clocked at 95mph, surpassing Griffin Canning’s school record of 93.

CIF Champions- 2014, 2019, 2002, 1995