Joe Godri Last College: New Mexico State ('96) Position: Head Coach Experience: Seventh Season Career Record: 159-148-3, .518 (6 Years)

Villanova head coach Joe Godri no longer needs to talk about the Wildcats using the incremental team achievements of his first few years as fodder for the program to contend for a playoff spot. That formula came to fruition last season, as Villanova returned to the BIG EAST Championship for the first time in 10 years. Godri begins his seventh season leading the program in 2008 and enters the year with a career record of 159-148-3 (.518). Through his first six years as head coach, the Wildcats have posted at least a .500 record five times while surpassing 25 wins in each of the past four years.

The 2007 campaign was easily the most significant of Godri's tenure, as he led the team to an impressive turnaround down the stretch of the regular season and a spot in the BIG EAST conference tournament. Once in the tournament, Villanova showed that it belonged, knocking out five-time defending champion Notre Dame in an elimination game on the second day. A day earlier, the Wildcats had taken eventual College World Series qualifier Louisville to the wire in their opening game.

During his coaching career Godri has demonstrated his ability to develop individual players into top professional prospects within the context of successful team performances. Both of those traits were evident for the 2007 team. After beginning the conference regular season with a 5-11 mark, the Wildcats rallied to go 7-4 down the stretch, including a 5-4 victory over Rutgers in 12 innings in the second to last game of the regular season to clinch a playoff berth.

Meanwhile, starting pitcher Mike Loree anchored the pitching staff from start to finish during the season and was a draft pick of the San Francisco Giants. In his final collegiate season, Loree broke the career innings pitched records at both Villanova and in the BIG EAST Conference. His final collegiate appearance was one of his best, as he took a no-hitter into the eighth inning of a scoreless game against Louisville in the BIG EAST Championship.

The Wildcats have had at least one player drafted in each of Godri's six years leading Villanova, including multiple draft picks in each of his first five seasons. Godri has gained the notice of his peers for his work with the Wildcats and during the summer of 2006 was named to the USA Baseball selection committee that chose the players for the collegiate National Team.

Godri has developed Villanova into one of the top baseball powers in the region. Over the past four seasons, the Wildcats own a record of 76-30 (.717) against non-conference competition and a mark of 53-27-1 (.660) against opponents from the states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

The team's success on the field has been duly rewarded. In the past two seasons, the Wildcats have had nine selections on the Philadelphia Big Five Baseball All-Big Five team, including at least a share of the player and pitcher of the year awards each year. In addition, Villanova has earned 14 All-BIG EAST honors during Godri's tenure and three players have earned All-America status. In 2007, shortstop Derek Shunk was chosen as the District I Player of the Year and a third team All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

Former Wildcat players continue to make their mark in the professional ranks. Right-handed pitchers Brian Slocum (2002) and Kevin Mulvey (2006) were each second round draft picks that have had success in the pros. Slocum made his major league debut with the Cleveland Indians in 2006, while Mulvey pitched in the highly-regarded All-Star Futures game in 2007 and was named the New York Mets Minor League Pitcher of the Year. Jeremy Hunt (San Diego Padres) and Nick Allen (Seattle Mariners) are among other former players who played in the minor leagues during the 2007 campaign. The selections of Kevin Mulvey and Jeremy Hunt in the 2006 draft continued Godri's reputation of developing players capable of reaching the professional level. Mulvey was the first Villanova player ever chosen with a team's first overall pick (the Mets had no pick in the first round) and Hunt was the team's first position player drafted since 2002.

Wildcat alumni have also gone on to have success playing internationally. After enjoying a stellar senior season in 2005, Mark Cardillo went on to play professionally in Italy. He returned there in 2006 and was joined by another 2005 graduate, infielder Angelo Petracca. Bob Grzenda and John Yeager also played for Godri at Villanova before going on to have success playing in leagues in Germany and Mexico, respectively.

Several highlights of Godri's first five years as head coach came during the 2005 campaign, when the Wildcats achieved many of the goals that he laid out upon his arrival. In only their seventh game of the season, Villanova erupted for 15 hits in an 11-1 rout of the nation's eighth-ranked Florida Gators. Florida was playing its 12th game of the season and eventually reached the final series of the College World Series that spring.

Also during the 2005 season, starting pitchers Nick Allen and Kevin Mulvey threw no-hitters exactly one month apart (on February 26 and March 26). They were the seventh and eighth no-hitters in school history and the first in more than 40 years. Both pitchers were named as National Players of the Week for their achievements, making them the first Villanova players to earn national honors in Godri's tenure.

In his time at Villanova, Godri has stressed the importance of continually growing the program through accomplishments such as the ones listed above. However, the greatest of team and individual achievements are no substitute for victories, and Godri's teams have been successful in the win column as well. In addition to averaging better than 25 wins per season, Godri has led the Wildcats to the 2005 Liberty Bell Classic title.

In the season prior to being named the head coach, Godri served as the associate head coach in 2001 during the final season of George Bennett's 16-year stay on campus. In his position, Godri had the opportunity to recruit the first class that would play for him in 2002. That first recruiting class included recently graduated Villanova stars in Nick Allen, James Baxter, Mark Cardillo, Alan Day and Mike Grodecki. Godri's recruiting classes since then have been on par, as Villanova was voted to have one of the top 100 incoming classes in the country for five straight seasons by the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.

Godri was named the 10th head coach in the illustrious history of Villanova baseball on May 8, 2001. He took over the reigns from George Bennett, a 16-year veteran of the program. Godri's stint as head coach is actually his second at Villanova. He came to the Main Line in 1991 and served as the hitting coach for three seasons, before returning here in 2000 as an assistant coach.

During his first stay at Villanova, Godri coached All-American players Mike Neill and Gene Schall. Both went on to play in the major leagues, while Neill won a gold medal playing for the United States in the 2000 Olympic Games. Godri helped lead the Wildcats to the 1991 NCAA Northeast Regional, the team's second NCAA appearance in three seasons.

Following his first three seasons at Villanova, Godri was the head assistant coach at New Mexico State from 1994-97. While coaching at New Mexico State, two of his three recruiting classes were ranked in the top 40 by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. In addition, the Aggies were ranked in the top 25 for the first time in school history.

With his focus on hitting as a New Mexico State assistant, Godri helped the Aggies crack the top five in several NCAA offensive categories including hitting, runs scored, stolen bases and home runs. He also coached another future major leaguer in Jason Rackers, who would go on to play for the Kansas City Royals. While with the Aggies, Godri coached under current NC State head coach Elliott Avent who was named National Coach of the Year in 2003.

After three seasons at New Mexico State, Godri spent one season as an associate scout for the Cleveland Indians. He then traveled to the University of Utah where he assisted with the pitching staff for two seasons.

Godri played his collegiate baseball at Colorado State and Chipola Junior College in Marianna, Fla. Finishing his degree as a graduate assistant at the University of Pittsburgh with his Bachelor's Degree in Education, Godri went on to receive his Master's Degree in Marketing and Management from New Mexico State.

Godri is married to the former Michelle Simon and the couple currently reside in Linfield, Pa.