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Head Coach
Adam Gawason
Email: agawason@salemcc.edu
Phone: (856) 351-2693
On July 16, 2007 Adam Gawason received a double promotion. He became the new Head Baseball Coach at Salem Community College, while also assuming the duties of Acting Director of Athletics. "First and foremost, I would like to thank both Salem Community College President Dr. Peter B. Contini and Vice President of Student Services Dr. Reva Curry for this opportunity. I could not be more excited about the chance to lead our entire athletic department into the next stage of development, which I believe pairs nicely with our progress as an institution. I hope to continue forward with the excitement and progress generated by Ron Palmer, whom I have succeeded as both the Director of Athletics and Head Baseball Coach. While it will by no means be an easy task I feel that my previous experience, both in collegiate athletics and higher education, has prepared me to fulfill all expectations, including my own. My two years here at SCC provide an excellent foundation and invaluable insight, which will allow me to hit the ground running."
The 2007-2008 season marks Coach Gawason’s third at Salem Community College and his ninth overall at the collegiate level. After eight seasons as a pitching coach, Adam will look to build upon the momentum created by last season’s conference championship run and a school-record 25 wins in his first opportunity at the helm. “I am proud to say I was a part of what Ron built here at Salem. The excitement that was created during last year’s drive was a fitting end to what was built from the ground up only four short years ago. Being able to add the program’s first-ever conference crown was a good way for our sophomores to cap their careers here. The progress we have made is a testament to hard work, both on and off of the field.”
Coach Gawason is a native of Woodbury, N.J. and a 1995 graduate of Woodbury Junior-Senior High School. At Woodbury, Gawason played for South Jersey Hall of Fame Inductee Rick Santarone. Adam’s career was highlighted by two Carpenter Cup selections, including a spot on the 1995 champion Olympic-Colonial squad. Gawason still holds several single season and career pitching marks for the Thundering Herd. Following his days there, Adam began his collegiate career at Montclair State (N.J.) University. After two seasons, Coach Gawason transferred to Rutgers University-Newark. There he contributed to the Scarlet Raider staff for two seasons, working both as a starter and out of the bullpen. Adam’s career closed with the earning of the Coach’s Award following the 1999 season.
Following the end of his playing career, Adam accepted a job as bullpen/bench coach at his alma mater for the 2000 season. After one season serving in that capacity, Coach Gawason was promoted to pitching coach for the 2001 season. A season highlighted by the Scarlet Raiders climbing to as high as #9 in the Division III national rankings after a 17-0 start, in addition to a victory over defending national champion Montclair State.
In 2002 Adam accepted the opportunity to join the staff at Division I Western Illinois University. There he served as pitching coach for the Leathernecks, as well as a graduate assistant coach for the women’s basketball program. During his only season in Macomb, Coach Gawason guided the Leatherneck staff to road wins over the University of Missouri and Big 12 tournament semi-finalist Kansas State.
Coach Gawason then spent two and a half years directing the pitching staff at West Hills (Calif.) College. Under his tutelage the Falcons produced an all-conference selection on the hill each season, as well as topping the Central Valley Conference in complete games in both 2003 and 2004. In addition, all six Falcon sophomore hurlers under Gawason earned scholarship offers. Half of those offers came from Division I schools, including San Jose (Calif.) State, Fresno (Calif.) State and the University of Pittsburgh.
The following spring, Adam oversaw the pitching staff at Illinois Central College. The 2005 season saw the Cougars set a school record for wins (33), collect a CCCI conference single season record for wins (22) and compile a 31-5 record versus NJCAA DII opponents. Also, ICC hurlers inked a pair of Division I (Eastern Illinois University and Western Illinois University) and a Division II scholarship (Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville), with a total of four sophomores continuing their playing careers at the four-year level.
The 2005-2006 season featured three sophomore hurlers currently continuing their careers at the four-year level. Former Oaks’ pitchers Jeff England (Southern Wesleyan (S.C.) University), C.J. Nilsen (Wesley (Del.) College) and Julian Lugo (Keene (N.H.) State) are all competing as student-athletes as they pursue bachelor’s degrees from their respective colleges.
The 2006-2007 campaign saw two more sophomore Oaks’ hurlers ink four-year scholarships. Sean Gorham (Wilmington (Del.) College) and Kyle Thomas (Alcorn (Miss.) State) look to make immediate contributions at the next level and continue the success they had in the green and white.
Adam earned a B.A. in English from Rutgers University-Newark University in 2000 and an M.S. in physical education from Western Illinois University in 2004. Adam and his wife Beth reside in Carneys Point with their Beagle pup Dugan.