STAFF


All instruction is lead by The University of Tampa Associate Head Coach Sam Militello, with assistance from the UT coaching staff, current UT players, and former professional baseball players. Camp staff may include those not listed below.


Camp Director Sam Militello


Former Spartan All-American Sam Militello is in his 22nd season as a member of the coaching staff at The University of Tampa. He was promoted from assistant coach to associate head coach prior to the 2009 season.

Militello has served as the top assistant coach for Joe UrsoHear how to pronounce Joe Urso's entire tenure at UT, as the duo became the fastest in NCAA Division II history to reach 500, 600, 700 and most recently 800 career wins. In his tenure with the Spartans, a total of 20 of his pitchers have been named All-Americans.

In 2021, Militello's tutelage helped Jordan LeasureHear how to pronounce Jordan Leasure become SSC Pitcher of the Year and an All-American, prior to being drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers. The team would advance to the 2021 NCAA Division II National Championship Series semifinals. Leasure would conclude his Spartan career with a 0.94 ERA in 2021. He led the nation in strikeout rate as he struck out 60 batters in 38.1 innings. A four-year letterwinner, Leasure would post his lone sub-3.00 ERA season in his last year as he concluded his Spartan career-high with single-season highs in every pitching category.

Guiding the program to its eighth national title in 2019, Militello's squad was a perfect 9-0 in postseason play, including extra-inning victories in both the South Regional and Super Regional clinching games over Nova Southeastern and Delta State. His team then used a combination of excellent hitting and shutdown pitching in the NCAA Championship Series in Cary, outscoring its opponents 26-5 in the four games. The magical run concluded with a 3-1 win over top-seed Colorado Mesa to capture Militello's fifth championship as the top assistant and pitching coach for the Spartans. Pitcher Jacinto ArredondoHear how to pronounce Jacinto Arredondo was named the Most Outstanding Player for the championship series.

The pitching coach for five national championship teams, Militello coached David LebronHear how to pronounce David Lebron to National Pitcher of the Year honors in 2018. Lebron was a two-time South Region Pitcher of the Year, making a total of eight Spartans who earned the honor under Militello.

In the national championship season of 2015, Militello was charged with leading a pitching staff that was without its top two starters due to injury. He guided Michael Calkins from a reliever to starting pitcher, as the lefty would conclude the season with a complete game victory over Catawba in the national championship game en route to Most Outstanding Player honors.

Additionally, Mike Adams was the SSC and South Region Pitcher of the Year during the championship season of 2013. He became the second consecutive Spartan to earn the top SSC honor en route to also being a first-team All-American.

During his coaching career at his alma mater, he has also coached a total of 35 pitchers who have been selected in the MLB Draft. At least one Spartan pitcher has been selected in 13 of the last 14 drafts.

As Joe UrsoHear how to pronounce Joe Urso’s top assistant, Militello is in charge of the pitching staff. Militello capped a brilliant three-year career with the Spartans by capturing the NCAA II National Player-of-the-Year award in 1990 when he posted a 15-2 record, 1.75 ERA and 182 strikeouts as he led Tampa to a third place finish in the NCAA II National Championship Series.

Militello owns UT single-season school records for victories (15), strikeouts (182) and innings pitched (143.2) and the school career record for strikeouts (340).

A member of the UT and Sunshine State Conference Hall of Fame, Militello is also one of three Spartans to have their number retired.

He was a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Award, given to the top collegiate player in the country. At the time, he was only the second NCAA II player to be nominated for the Golden Spikes Award. Militello was a three-time All-American, all-South Region and all-Sunshine State Conference selection and was twice the South Region Pitcher of the Year. In 1990, he was selected to the NCAA II National Championship Series all-tourney team. He was named to the Sunshine State Conference Silver Anniversary team and the SSC and UT Athletic Hall of Fame.

A sixth-round draft pick of the New York Yankees, Militello broke into the "Show" in style with a 6-0 shutout of the Boston Red Sox in July 1992, going seven innings and striking out five while surrendering just one hit and three walks. He surged to a 3-0 record and finished his inaugural season at 4-4.

He pitched in the Yankees system from 1990-94, signed with the Florida Marlins (1994-95) and again with the Yankees ('96) until retiring to a coaching job with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (1997-98). Prior to joining the Spartans, he spent the previous two seasons as a pitching coach in the Cleveland Indians organization with Burlington and Columbus, Ga.


Joe Urso​

Head Baseball Coach UT


Former Spartan All-American Joe UrsoHear how to pronounce Joe Urso, the most accomplished active head coach in all of college baseball, is in his 23rd season as head baseball coach of the University of Tampa. During his tenure, he has won more national championships than any college baseball coach. Reaching the pinnacle of success, his program is widely-regarded as a collegiate baseball powerhouse under the leadership of a staff that garners respect from MLB teams for the character and talent within the program.

He has compiled a 913-268-1 record as the winningest coach in program history. He has also directed the winningest program among all NCAA ranks in the 2000s, with his teams capturing five national championships since 2006. His success coaching MLB draft selections along with highly publicized wins over the Philadelphia Phillies and the Netherlands National Team make him one of the most respected coaches in all of college baseball.

In his time as Spartan head coach, Urso has led Tampa to 16 Sunshine State Conference titles and 11 NCAA South Regional championships. He also has coached the program to five national championships, coming in 2006, 2007, 2013, 2015 and 2019. He also led UT to a second-place finish in the 2003 National Championship Series.

UT’s all-time winningest baseball coach, Urso has led the Spartans to 40-plus victories in 16 of his 22 seasons at the helm. He is also the lone UT coach to guide his team to 50-plus victories in a season, as he did in 2006, 2007 and 2014. In 2006 and 2014, Tampa won a program-record 54 games under Urso’s leadership.

The program has been recognized on the national level as 74 Spartans have been selected in the Major League Baseball Draft since 2001, including a school-record nine in the 2010 MLB Draft. With nine selections, the Spartans ranked sixth among all colleges in players chosen in 2010.

Guiding the program to its eighth national title in 2019, Urso's squad was a perfect 9-0 in postseason play, including extra-inning victories in both the South Regional and Super Regional clinching games over Nova Southeastern and Delta State. The 2019 season also marked the sixth time in his tenure that he was honored as the ABCA National Coach of the Year. His team then used a combination of excellent hitting and shutdown pitching in the NCAA Championship Series in Cary, outscoring its opponents 26-5 in the four games. The magical run concluded with a 3-1 win over top-seed Colorado Mesa to capture Urso's fifth championship at the helm of the Spartans. The 2019 season also included a milestone 800th career win for Urso, becoming the fastest coach in NCAA history to the mark.

His national championship run in 2015 came from the rare underdog tag, as his Spartans entered the postseason as the No. 3 seed in the NCAA South Region. His team would go a perfect 8-0 in tournament action, with a 3-1 victory over Catawba College in the national championship. In 2015, Urso's Spartans also became the fourth NCAA team to defeat a Major League Baseball opponent as UT defeated the Philadelphia Phillies by a 6-2 score in an exhibition game at Brighthouse Field.

Tampa set the NCAA Division II record for regular-season winning percentage in 2014, going 47-2 with a .959 regular-season mark. Additionally, Tampa's .931 winning percentage in 2014 also set an NCAA II record. The Spartans won the SSC and NCAA South Regional titles in 2014, while advancing all the way to the national semifinals. Urso also led UT to 16 straight weeks at the No. 1 spot, marking a new school record for consecutive weeks at the top of the rankings.

Urso returned to Tampa following a four-year stint as coach and manager in the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim organization. Most recently, Urso was manager of the Angels' minor league affiliate in Butte, Mont. Prior to that, he was manager of the Angels' Instructional League team and assistant coach with the Lake Elsinore (Calif.) Storm and Boise (Idaho) Hawks since 1997.

Urso is a 2006 inductee to the University of Tampa Athletics Hall of Fame, as his No. 7 has also been retired by the University. In 2018, Urso was inducted to the Sports Club of Tampa Bay, joining local legends in the city's longest-standing and historic sports club. He is married to Julie and they have two sons, J.D., and Preston.


Jose Jimenez​

Assistant Coach/Recruiting Director


Jose JimenezHear how to pronounce Jose Jimenez is in his ninth season as an assistant coach for his alma mater. In his first season on staff, he was part of the 2013 NCAA national championship team after winning a pair of titles as a player.

He now has three national championships as a member of the coaching staff, as he serves as the team's recruiting coordinator, first base and hitting coach.

Following his Spartan career which dated from 2006-09, Jimenez was selected by the Los Angeles Angels in the Major League Baseball Draft in the 47th round with the 1431st selection.

Jimenez led all Spartans with a .390 batting average as the senior infielder/catcher finished his UT career with 52 home runs to rank second in school history behind Tino Martinez. Also a 33rd round selection of the Angels in the 2008 MLB Draft, Jimenez concluded his four-year UT career as one of the best players to come through UT.

A 2006 All-American, Jimenez was also a first-team all-South Region selection that season. He was also a two-time all-Sunshine State Conference honoree.

A three-year captain for the Spartans, Jimenez won national championships as a player in both 2006 and 2007, as he was a four-year starter for head coach Joe UrsoHear how to pronounce Joe Urso.

Prior to attending UT, Jimenez graduated from Miami Pace High School. He batted .485 his senior season with seven home runs and 31 RBI on his way to all-county and all-state awards and was selected Dade County Hitter of the Year. He was also honored as a 2008 Florida Collegiate League all-star and MVP of the all-star game while also playing in the Cape Cod League.

Jimenez is a graduate of the University of Tampa. He is married to Whitney and has a son, Cooper, and daughter, Penelope.