Hokie Club
John Szefc – the 2022 ACC Coach of the Year and ABCA/ATEC Atlantic Regional Coach of the Year – leads the Virginia Tech baseball program into 2027 during his 10th season as head coach (his 22nd head coaching season overall). He was hired by Virginia Tech director of athletics Whit Babcock on June 9, 2017, following five defining seasons as the head baseball coach at Maryland.
A name synonymous with winning, Szefc has coached his teams to 15 seasons of 30-plus victories, including four 40-win campaigns. In 2022, he led Virginia Tech to 45 wins, the program's first ACC Coastal Division title, the season's best ACC regular season record and the No. 4 national seed in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship (the Hokies' highest all-time achievement) prior to championing the 2022 NCAA Blacksburg Regional at English Field.
Szefc has guided three NCAA Division I programs to nine combined Regional appearances, reaching the national tournament with Marist (1997, 2000-02), Maryland (2014, 2015, 2017) and Virginia Tech (2022, 2026). Additionally, he has led two programs to three combined Super Regional berths, advancing at Maryland (2014, 2015) and at Virginia Tech (2022).
» Virginia Tech XP: 10th season
» Head Coaching XP: 22nd season
» Career Record: 645-459-4 (.584)
» Record at Virginia Tech: 283-169 (.513)
» Playing XP: Connecticut (1986-87), Drexel (1988-89)
» Alma Mater: Drexel '89
» Family: Wife – Barbara; Children – Anna, John Michael, Sam
Connect with Coach Szefc
» Email: vtbaseball@vt.edu
» X handle: @VTCoachSzefc
» Instagram handle: @vtcoachszefc
| COACHING TIMELINE | ||
|---|---|---|
| Seasons | School | Title |
| 1990-93 | Drexel | Assistant Coach |
| 1995 | Sacred Heart | Assistant Coach |
| 1996-2002 | Marist | Head Coach |
| 2003-08 | Louisiana | Assistant Coach |
| 2009-10 | Kansas | Assistant Head Coach |
| 2011-12 | Kansas State | Associate Head Coach |
| 2013-17 | Maryland | Head Coach |
| 2018-pres. | Virginia Tech | Head Coach |
Through 21 head coaching seasons, Szefc has achieved a performance record of 645-459-4, equivalent to a .584 career winning percentage. During the 2025 season, he celebrated two more milestone victories, earning both his 200th career win at Virginia Tech and his 600th career head coaching victory:
Coach Szefc's milestone wins at Virginia Tech
» Career win No. 400: March 10, 2018, vs. Pitt (W, 3-1)
» Win No. 100 at Virginia Tech: March 29, 2022, at VMI (W, 13-4)
» Career win No. 500: April 15, 2022, vs. No. 2 Miami (W, 13-2)
» Win No. 200 at Virginia Tech: March 1, 2025, vs. Kent State (W, 7-2)
» Career win No. 600: March 23, 2025, vs. No. 16 Louisville (W, 11-4)
Considering his nine seasons at Virginia Tech, Szefc has compiled a 253-200 record in Blacksburg (.558 winning percentage), highlighted most recently by five consecutive 30-win campaigns (33.6 wins per season).
In 2026, Szefc led Virginia Tech back to the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, closing the regular season with four straight ACC series victories against bubble teams to clinch its highest league finish (seventh) since 2022. Ranked No. 17 nationally in strength of schedule, No. 25 in Diamond Sports Ranking (provided by D1Baseball) and No. 42 in the NCAA Division I Baseball RPI, the Hokies earned the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Los Angeles Regional, nearly eliminating the No. 1 national seed, UCLA, from the bracket.
On April 14, 2026, Szefc witnessed five Virginia Tech pitchers combine to no-hit Radford at English Field during a seven-inning game shortened by run rule - the program's first no-hitter of any kind since 2000. From that night, the Hokies proceeded to win 13 of their next 18 games (nine against ACC competition), cementing the program's position in the postseason field.
Szefc's 2026 Virginia Tech squad was led offensively by consensus Freshman All-American infielder Ethan Ball, who led the team in doubles (18), home runs (17) and RBIs (52). On the mound, junior right-hander Brett Renfrow garnered his third consecutive All-ACC accolade, ultimately leading the Hokies' four MLB Draft picks upon being selected at No. 74 overall (second round) by the Minnesota Twins.
Among Tech’s notable 2022 feats, the Hokies won 45 games – their fourth highest single-season wins total all-time – setting program records in both ACC series victories (nine, as won consecutively) and ACC regular season wins (19). Tech spent eight consecutive weeks ranked in D1Baseball’s top 25 poll, including seven straight weeks inside the top 10, peaking on May 23 as the consensus No. 2-ranked program by college baseball’s six leading national publications.
Under Szefc’s direction, Virginia Tech championed the ACC Coastal Division for the first time during its 18-year league tenure, locked up the No. 1 seed at the ACC Baseball Championship with the conference’s best regular season record and earned the No. 4 national seed in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, presenting the Hokies with their first home NCAA Regional since 2013. In front of historic crowds, Tech swept its competition at the NCAA Blacksburg Regional to win the program’s first regional title, punching its first ticket to NCAA Super Regional weekend featuring a top-10 matchup against No. 9* Oklahoma.
Behind Szefc’s 2022 success, he mentored Virginia Tech’s most decorated All-American class to date, celebrating in 13 combined honors for shortstop Tanner Schobel (six), sophomore outfielder Jack Hurley (four), freshman pitcher Drue Hackenberg (two) and third-year outfielder Gavin Cross (one). Additionally, he placed five student-athletes onto ABCA/Rawlings Atlantic All-Region Teams (tying for the fourth most all-region selections nationally) while setting a program record with eight ACC all-conference honorees, including four All-ACC First Team nods.
During the 2022 MLB Draft, Szefc produced Virginia Tech’s highest all-time selection in Gavin Cross, who was taken at No. 9 overall by the Kansas City Royals. In total, six members of Tech’s 2022 roster inked pro contracts at season’s end with four of the Hokies’ five MLB Draft picks coming off the board during the opening five rounds.
Since taking over in Blacksburg ahead of the 2018 season, Szefc has coached 16 MLB Draft picks, including seven players who have earned selection during the opening 10 rounds. He has mentored six All-Americans, three Freshman All-Americans and eight All-ACC honorees (nine awards).
Szefc’s first four seasons at Virginia Tech were highlighted by great outlook and turnaround. During the 2021 season, the Hokies debuted in D1Baseball’s top 25 rankings for the first time during the outlet’s history, staying up for seven weeks and peaking at No. 17 (April 12).
By 2020, Szefc had Tech on the verge of a breakthrough season, despite the COVID-19 pandemic wiping out the Hokies’ window of opportunity. Led by All-Americans and MLB Draft products Carson Taylor (catcher) Ian Seymour (pitcher), Tech posted an 11-5 record before the shutdown.
Prior to his tenure in Blacksburg, Szefc led Maryland to three NCAA appearances during his five seasons at the helm of the Terrapins, achieving a 180-122 record (.596 winning percentage). He became the first Maryland baseball coach to lead the Terrapins to the NCAA Super Regional round, accomplishing the feat twice behind the program’s first two 40-win seasons and its first two NCAA Regional crowns.
Nationally, Szefc’s Maryland teams achieved the program's highest year-end rankings, placing No. 14 nationally at the conclusion of the 2014 and 2015 seasons. He also led the Terrapins to their first ACC tournament final in 38 years (2014), returning to the conference final during the program’s 2015 debut at the Big Ten tournament.
Szefc’s head coaching start was earned in 1996 at Marist, where he led the Red Foxes to four conference championships, four NCAA Regional appearances and a 212-137-4 record (.606 winning percentage). At Marist, he was named the 1997 Northeastern Conference Coach of the Year, later collecting 2001 ABCA Northeast Region Coach of the Year honors.
Between head coaching stints, Szefc enjoyed a six-season tenure as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Louisiana-Lafayette (2003-08) under the late, legendary head coach Tony Robichaux. Continuing on, he became the assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator at Kansas (2009-10) before transitioning in-state to serve as the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at Kansas State (2011-12).
Szefc began his coaching career with assistant coach titles at Sacred Heart (1995) and at Drexel (1990-93). He also managed the New York Generals in the Atlantic College Baseball League (ACBL) during the summers of 1995 and 1996, leading the club to a 47-28 record, two consecutive division titles and the 1996 ACBL championship game.
Collegiately, Szefc played two years at Connecticut before transferring in 1987 to Drexel. During his senior campaign with the Dragons, he was tabbed an All-East Coast Conference outfielder.
A native of Middletown, New York, Szefc graduated from Drexel in 1989 with his bachelor’s degree in corporate communications. He also holds a master's degree in sports administration from Temple.
Szefc and his wife, Barbara, have a daughter, Anna, and two sons, John Michael and Sam.
* Denoted rankings per D1Baseball
| CAREER HEAD COACHING RECORD | ||||
| Season | School | Overall | Conference | Postseason |
| 1996 | Marist | 16-24-1 | 8-13, Northeast | -- |
| 1997 | Marist | 32-19 | 14-7, Northeast | NCAA East Regional |
| 1998 | Marist | 30-17 | 18-8, MAAC | -- |
| 1999 | Marist | 27-23 | 14-12, MAAC | -- |
| 2000 | Marist | 33-19-2 | 16-11, MAAC | NCAA Lafayette Regional |
| 2001 | Marist | 33-21-1 | 17-10, MAAC | NCAA Palo Alto Regional |
| 2002 | Marist | 41-14 | 22-5, MAAC | NCAA Lincoln Regional |
| 2013 | Maryland | 30-25 | 11-19, ACC | -- |
| 2014 | Maryland | 40-23 | 15-14, ACC | NCAA Columbia Regional NCAA Charlottesville Super Regional |
| 2015 | Maryland | 42-24 | 14-10, Big Ten | NCAA Los Angeles Regional NCAA Charlottesville Super Regional |
| 2016 | Maryland | 30-27 | 13-11, Big Ten | -- |
| 2017 | Maryland | 38-23 | 15-9, Big Ten | NCAA Winston-Salem Regional |
| 2018 | Virginia Tech | 21-33 | 8-22, ACC | -- |
| 2019 | Virginia Tech | 26-27 | 9-21, ACC | -- |
| 2020 | Virginia Tech | 11-5 | 1-2, ACC | Season canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2021 | Virginia Tech | 27-25 | 16-20, ACC | -- |
| 2022 | Virginia Tech | 45-14 | 19-9, ACC | NCAA Blacksburg Regional NCAA Blacksburg Super Regional |
| 2023 | Virginia Tech | 30-23 | 12-17, ACC | -- |
| 2024 | Virginia Tech | 32-22 | 14-16, ACC | -- |
| 2025 | Virginia Tech | 31-25 | 12-18, ACC | -- |
| 2026 | Virginia Tech | 30-26 | 15-15, ACC | NCAA Los Angeles Regional |
| VIRGINIA TECH MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS (34) | |||||
| YEAR | SCHOOL | NAME | ROUND | PICK | MLB CLUB |
| 2018 | Virginia Tech | Andrew McDonald | 9th | No. 259 | Cincinnati |
| 2018 | Virginia Tech | Connor Coward | 26th | No. 783 | St. Louis |
| 2019 | Virginia Tech | Kerry Carpenter | 19th | No. 562 | Detroit |
| 2019 | Virginia Tech | Nic Enright | 20th | No. 610 | Cleveland |
| 2019 | Virginia Tech | Jack Dellinger | 32nd | No. 952 | Detroit |
| 2020 | Virginia Tech | Ian Seymour | 2nd | No. 57 | Tampa Bay |
| 2020 | Virginia Tech | Carson Taylor | 4th | No. 130 | Los Angeles (N.L.) |
| 2021 | Virginia Tech | Shane Connolly | 10th | No. 289 | Kansas City |
| 2021 | Virginia Tech | TJ Rumfield | 12th | No. 355 | Philadelphia |
| 2021 | Virginia Tech | Chris Gerard | 12th | No. 361 | St. Louis |
| 2021 | Virginia Tech | Anthony Simonelli | 16th | No. 469 | Kansas City |
| 2022 | Virginia Tech | Gavin Cross | 1st | No. 9 | Kansas City |
| 2022 | Virginia Tech | Tanner Schobel | 2nd | No. 68 | Minnesota |
| 2022 | Virginia Tech | Nick Biddison | 4th | No. 135 | Los Angeles (N.L.) |
| 2022 | Virginia Tech | Cade Hunter | 5th | No. 153 | Cincinnati |
| 2022 | Virginia Tech | Graham Firoved | 16th | No. 567 | Baltimore |
| 2023 | Virginia Tech | Drue Hackenberg | 2nd | No. 59 | Atlanta |
| 2023 | Virginia Tech | Jack Hurley | 3rd | No. 80 | Arizona |
| 2023 | Virginia Tech | Christian Worley | 9th | No. 275 | St. Louis |
| 2023 | Virginia Tech | Brady Kirtner | 12th | No. 366 | New York (N.L.) |
| 2023 | Virginia Tech | Carson Jones | 15th | No. 457 | Seattle |
| 2024 | Virginia Tech | Carson DeMartini | 4th | No. 130 | Philadelphia |
| 2024 | Virginia Tech | Wyatt Parliament | 7th | No. 211 | New York (A.L.) |
| 2024 | Virginia Tech | Eddie Micheletti Jr. | 8th | No. 247 | Toronto |
| 2024 | Virginia Tech | Jordan Little | 15th | No. 449 | Cincinnati |
| 2024 | Virginia Tech | Christian Martin | 18th | No. 531 | St. Louis |
| 2025 | Virginia Tech | Mathieu Curtis | 14th | No. 427 | Atlanta |
| 2025 | Virginia Tech | Jared Davis | 17th | No. 500 | Athletics |
| 2025 | Virginia Tech | Griffin Stieg | 18th | No. 542 | Seattle |
| 2025 | Virginia Tech | Andrew Sentlinger | 20th | No. 586 | Chicago (A.L.) |
| 2026 | Virginia Tech | Brett Renfrow | 2nd | No. 74 | Minnesota |
| 2026 | Virginia Tech | Luke Craytor | 9th | No. 255 | Chicago (A.L.) |
| 2026 | Virginia Tech | Griffin Stieg | 13th | No. 378 | Pittsburgh |
| 2026 | Virginia Tech | Madden Clement | 15th | No. 449 | Kansas City |
On John Szefc's arrival at Virginia Tech …
» “John did a tremendous job taking Maryland baseball to new heights. The foundation John laid helped put Maryland on the college baseball map. He created a winning culture that we could all be proud of. Because of this success, including consecutive NCAA Regional championships and a school record, 42 wins in 2015, Maryland has placed itself among the top destinations in college baseball. We wish John and his family the very best.” – Kevin Anderson, former Director of Athletics, University of Maryland
» “John Szefc is one of the best coaches in America. I have known John for quite some time and each and every one of his teams from Marist to Louisiana-Lafayette to Kansas to Kansas State to Maryland have always played with an edge. He will no doubt make Virginia Tech a winner in a short period of time.” – Rob Childress, Assistant Baseball Coach, University of Nebraska (former Head Baseball Coach, Texas A&M University)
» “John is a really nice get for Virginia Tech baseball. [He has] had success at Maryland, reached Super Regionals. [It is a] nice change of pace at Tech. Virginia Tech is a step up. The AD there, Whit Babcock, is building a brand new stadium [and] more money [is] being filtered into baseball.” – Kendall Rogers, Managing Editor & Writer, D1Baseball
» “I am very excited to hear John Szefc has become the next head coach at Virginia Tech. Obviously, he has had an outstanding career so far helping guide each program he’s been with to the NCAA tournament. He's a wonderful husband and father, and brings a great knowledge of the game to the program. John is one of the best in the country when it comes to hitting and recruiting. The future of the Virginia Tech baseball program is in good hands under his leadership.” – the late Tony Robichaux, Head Baseball Coach, University of Louisiana
» “John is one of the best teachers and coaches in the college game. I have tremendous respect for him as a person and his way of mentoring student-athletes at this level. He will be a fine addition to the entire Virginia Tech system as a whole.” – Tim Corbin, Head Baseball Coach, Vanderbilt University
» “John Szefc is a man of great integrity, competitiveness, loyalty and commitment. He genuinely cares about his students – past, present and future – and will maximize their development intellectually, athletically and as leaders. Whit and his staff have made an exceptional hire and Virginia Tech will benefit from John's leadership for many years to come.” – Dr. Brad Bates, Vice President, Consulting at Collegiate Sports Associates (former Director of Athletics, Boston College)
» “John is truly one of the outstanding coaches and people in college baseball. It is awesome that he is returning to the ACC.” – Dan Radakovich, Vice President & Director of Athletics, University of Miami