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 JOE
LITTERIO - wagner seahawks
PING!BASEBALL SPOTLIGHT COACH
In the 90’s Wagner head coach Joe Litterio
played infield for Rutgers for legendary coach Fred Hill where
he helped the Scarlet Knights to postseason bids three times
and earned second-team All-Atlantic 10 honors.  “Coach
Lit” continues to coach with the same player’s
mentality he had on the field, leading by example with gritty,
hard nosed determination. His tenacious attitude is further
reflected in his scheduling, inking dates with all comers
such as Virginia, Kent State, Florida International, Winthrop,
Central Florida, Villanova, Rutgers and St. John’s in
hopes of building up experience for a competitive Northeast
Conference schedule.
Now in his tenth season as skipper of the
team, Litterio’s Seahawks have soared to unprecedented
heights has Wagner has made four NEC Tournament appearances
in the last five years. Last season the Staten Island squad
set school-records for overall wins (27) and conference victories
(17) and Litterio became the all-time winningest coach in
school history as he earned his 150th victory – a win
over then No. 22 St. John’s, which was Wagner's first
victory over a ranked team.
A scrappy team that can beat you with the
bat (Wagner outscored opposition 65-5 in four consecutive
games earlier this year) or with pitching (the staff finished
12th nationally with a 3.85 team ERA last season), the Seahawks
are determined to make their second NCAA appearance in school
history and fight their way to the top of the NEC.
After Coach Lit and his club hosted Central
Connecticut at R.C.B. Ballpark this past weekend, he took
some time to answer some questions from Ping!Baseball:
PING!BASEBALL:
Your out of conference schedule is often filled with
top caliber opponents. This year Wagner played Kent State,
Virginia and Winthrop and previous opposition of late has
included schools like Virginia Commonwealth, Florida International,
Central Florida and James Madison. If a big name school like
LSU, Georgia or Texas were to come calling, is it safe to
say you'll be ready to take on the challenge?
LITTERIO:
Yes, If the New York Yankees called I would play them. I believe
the best way to get better is to play the best. It gives the
kids in my program a chance to compete with a team like UVA
who was ranked #7 when we played them. It also showed them
that we can play with a team like that.
PING!BASEBALL:
Annual games against Rutgers not only make sense
due to geography and the quality of opposition, but you also
have a connection to the Scarlet Knight's as a former player.
Do you look especially forward to taking to the field against
your former school?
LITTERIO:
Yes, I have played for Coach Hill, coached with him, and have
been lucky enough to remain close with him to be able to pick
his brain and to get his advise. When we play them I want
to show him what I have taken from him and how I have used
it into building a program like we have at Wagner.
PING!BASEBALL:
I'm a big fan of two way players like Jack Rice who
can hit as well as pitch. Rice not only does that, but when
it comes to taking to the mound, he can start or relieve as
well. Can one over emphasize how valuable a player like that
is in today's compacted schedule?
 LITTERIO:
I think with the compact schedules and now with the 35 man
roster, you will see a lot more dual position players around
college baseball. You never have enough pitching, and when
you find a kid that can do both it only helps the team.
PING!BASEBALL:
In a span of five straight games earlier this season
the Seahawks outscored opposition 65-5. When the team is hitting
(and pitching) on all cylinders like that do you find yourself
looking to keep the mojo rolling by keeping routines or other
superstition?
LITTERIO:
I have gotten caught up in too many superstition. I have found
myself trying to stop a lot of them. I figure if I keep doing
all of them and adding more as we play by the time I am 50
I would drive myself crazy. So this year I've tried to cut
back.
PING!BASEBALL:
Wagner had an ace of a pitcher last season in Joe
Testa, the NEC Pitcher of the Year, who struck out 308 batters
in 300 innings in his college career and who was a big reason
the Seahawks' pitching staff finished just out of the top
ten nationally with a 3.85 team ERA last season; however he
was passed over on draft day. He ultimately was signed by
Minnesota and had an impressive first year as a professional.
How did you feel about Joe getting shutout in the amateur
draft?
LITTERIO:
I did not understand that one. Joe is not your typical pro
body type, but he has a live arm. When he did't get drafted
his junior year, I thought for sure he would his senior year.
Joe needs to use that as motivation now that he is in the
minors.
PING!BASEBALL:
When you have a player like Testa, or Kyle Morrison
and Vin Avella this year, who can generate interest from the
professional ranks, do you try to be more careful with him
to make sure he leaves campus in one piece and doesn't get
injured and jeopardize an opportunity of playing professionally?
LITTERIO:
Whether it is a kid who has a chance to get drafted or not,
I believe you have to use your head when it comes to potentinaly
hurting a kid. I do not believe in over using a kid. That
can only hurt the program.
PING!BASEBALL:
What is one baseball decision you made as a coach
that you would like to take back?
LITTERIO:
My first year as a head coach I had a freshman who was every
coaches dream. He was a hard nose player, who could not get
enough of baseball. The kind of kid who was in the cages before
practice and after practice. I made him the captain, trying
to get the message out that this was the type of guys I wanted
on my team. The seniors didn't take to that well, and I assume
they must of rode him about that off the field. Looking back
on that, I put to much pressure on the freshman.
PING!BASEBALL:
Barring a transformation of the northeastern section
of the country's climate into a year long sunny, temperate
environment, the Northeast Conference is often going to be
limited to a single entry into the NCAA tournament. How do
you feel about the NEC regular season champion, a team that
stands above the others for three months, being left home
while another team can put together an extended weekend of
winning in the conference tournament and get to advance instead?
LITTERIO:
I believe the problem with that situation is that the team
that wins the regular season title does not get anything for
it. I feel the they should gain some type of advantage in
the NEC tournament. But as far as that team staying home while
the winner of the tournament goes to a regional, I am okay
with that. If your the best team in the conference, then you
should find a way to win the tournament.
PING!BASEBALL:
In order to get a few more days of warm weather in
the Northeast to practice and play do you ever secretly go
out and spray aerosols or use Styrofoam cups in hopes of further
deteriorating the ozone layer?
LITTERIO:
No, that's why they made turf and long sleeves. If it's above
30 and no snow on the ground, we will be outside.
PREVIOUS COACH SPOTLIGHTS
2008
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