Justin Karn enters his third year as an assistant baseball coach at Ave Maria University. He came to Ave Maria after serving as the Pitching Coach at NCAA Division II St. Thomas Aquinas College (NY). Prior to STAC, Karn was head coach at Ulster County Community College in 2012.Â
During his two years at St. Thomas Aquinas, the Spartans won their first two conference championships, achieved their first national rankings (23rd in 2013, 8th in 2014), and advanced to the Division II College World Series for the first time in program history. The Spartan pitching staff broke school records for career wins, career strikeouts, career saves, single season strikeouts, single season saves, and single game strikeouts. Additionally, individual Spartan pitchers were twice awarded national pitcher of the week, earned a rookie of the year award, and were as recognized as a semifinalist for national player of the year. In 2012 while serving as Head Coach at SUNY Ulster, Freshman Pitcher Cody Markle finished the season ranked 1st in the nation in Earned Run Average (.79)
Karn has also served as both a Head Coach and Assistant Coach in several summer leagues, including the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League and the Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League.
Prior to the start of his coaching career, Coach Karn played for Division I Iona College in New Rochelle, NY. He was a two-year team captain and was selected to the All-MAAC Academic Team in 2006. During his four year academic career he maintained a 3.1 GPA en route to completing a B.S. in Political Science.
Before college, Coach Karn was three-year varsity letter-winner at Arlington High School, earning All-League, All-County and All-Section honors. He was named to Baseball Digest's preseason All-American honorable mention as a senior and pitched at the Empire State Games in 2003 for the Hudson Valley. In 2004 he played in the Connie Mack World Series for the South Troy Dodgers.
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Coach Karn now resides in Ave Maria, Fla.
