Staten Island, NY - Wagner sixth-year head baseball coach Jim Carone announced the hiring Wednesday of Craig Noto as the team's new assistant coach.

A longtime assistant at fellow Northeast Conference (NEC) institution, LIU Brooklyn, Noto will serve the program as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, in addition to overseeing the Seahawk offense and working with the catchers on a daily basis.

"We are thrilled that Craig has joined our coaching staff to lead our recruiting efforts and work with our position players," coach Carone said. "He has a tremendous amount of coaching experience, especially in the NEC, which will be a benefit to our student-athletes."

Noto spent nine seasons as an assistant coach with the Blackbirds. On the field, he recruited and coached 14 All-NEC selections to go along with six All-Region honorees while two of his players garnered Rawlings Gold Gloves. He was directly responsible for recruiting the university's first Major League Baseball (MLB) player in James Jones, who was selected in the fourth round of the 2009 MLB Draft by the Seattle Mariners. 

Among his day-to-day responsibilities at LIU Brooklyn, Noto was accountable for all facets of recruitment of prospective student-athletes, which included academic and talent evaluations.  He developed and executed an academic structure and time management seminar for 30 student-athletes on a daily and yearly basis, which translated into the baseball team posting a 3.4 grade-point average between 2009 and 2014. 
 
"I am excited to be joining the Wagner College campus community and the Seahawk baseball program," commented Noto. "Coach Carone is one of the best young coaches in the northeast and has done a great job developing the student-athletes within the program both on and off the field. I'm looking forward to working with the players and coaches in continuing the great tradition of Seahawks baseball as we vie for an NEC Championship." 
 
In addition to his responsibilities as an assistant coach, Noto was also in charge of the Blackbirds Baseball camp and was selected by the university's administration as a member of several hiring committees in 2006, 2008, 2011, 2013 and 2014.
 
Noto's vast coaching experience also includes a two-year stint (2015, 2016) as the Field Manager for the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters of the Northwoods League, an 18-team summer league comprised of teams of top college players from across the nation. In his two seasons as manager, Noto became the winningest coach in team history with an 86-58 record (.597 winning percentage). 
 
This past summer, Noto managed the Rapids Rafters to their first-ever Northwoods League Championship by winning both the first and second half championships as well as securing the leagues' best overall record at 53-23. The Rafters set a total of 21 team records and over a two-year span, 19 of Noto's signed players were either selected in the MLB Draft or inked free agent contracts.
 
His responsibilities with the Rafters also included fostering external relationships between the Rapids Rafters' community and neighboring areas, in addition to leading the implementation of hitting, fielding, pitching and catching camps within the Wisconsin Rapids community.
 
Before his time with LIU and the Rapids Rafters, Noto worked for the Bergen Beach Youth Organization where he served as an assistant, head coach and recruiting coordinator from 1993 to 2005.  During his tenure, he coached/recruited over 120 MLB draft picks, 27 of whom reached the majors, including six who were on active 2016 MLB rosters.
 
Coach Noto has strong ties to Staten Island, as he attended St. Peter's Boys High School and then served as the assistant coach from 1993-96 and again in 2001 before spending two seasons at St. Joseph by the Sea HS under Gordon Rugg Sr.
 
Noto earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology from John Jay College while playing for legendary New York City coach, Louie DeMartino.
 
Noto, who resides in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn, NY, is a member of the American Baseball Coaches' Association (ABCA) and also a member of the NYC MLB Scouts Association. He recently served as the Vice President of the Brooklyn Baseball Association from 2014-2016 where he oversaw all baseball operations for over 300 youth baseball and softball players from Brooklyn & Queens.

Follow us: #CHAOSonthehill
Wagner Athletics       
Wagner Baseball:  
Wagner Gameday: