Wagner College Athletics

Ralph “Butch” Pepe is in his ninth season as an assistant coach with the Seahawks. A retired Lieutenant Firefighter in New York City (FDNY) and Marine, Pepe has nearly two decades of softball coaching experience to his credit. 

Pepe’s presence on the coaching staff has coincided with the program’s resurgence as the Seahawks have posted a 232-212-2 record since he joined the staff. 

Overseeing the Wagner hitters, he has helped increase the team batting average appreciably. In 2008, the Seahawks finished seventh in the nation in batting with a .320 average, had two players finish in the top 20 in batting, and were No. 1 nationally in doubles per game. Throughout his tenure at Wagner, Pepe has played an instrumental role in directing the Seahawks’ offense to numerous team and individual program records for runs scores, home runs and RBI. 

A force on the national, regional and local recruiting scene, Pepe is a fixture on the summer league and high school circuit and has assisted Coach Payne in attracting top-flight student-athletes from across the country.