Jamie Apicella is in his 13th season as the head softball coach at C.W. Post. Since taking over as head coach in 1999, Apicella has transformed the program into a nationally competitive team and has become one of the most accomplished coaches in the region.
He has guided the Pioneers to a 466-184 mark and is the program’s all-time winningest coach. The Pioneers have won seven East Coast Conference titles and have qualified for the NCAA Championships in 11 of the last 12 seasons.
During the 2007 and 2008 campaigns, Apicella guided the Pioneers to their highest ascent in the history of the program, capturing the East Region title to advance to the College World Series.
Playing one of the strongest schedules in the region, Apicella’s teams have annually won 30-plus games and C.W. Post’s active streak in that category now stands at 15 years. Apicella, who was honored by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association for reaching 400 wins in the 2009 season, has helped distinguish C.W. Post as one of the premier programs in the country. The Pioneers have averaged 38 wins a season since his arrival in 1999 and Apicella ranks tenth among all active Division II coaches in winning percentage, and eleventh among all-time.
Apicella has mentored four NFCA All-Americans and 73 All-Conference selections, including nine Players of the Year, three Pitchers of the Year and five Rookies of the Year. Yodowitz, who graduated in 2008, was a pitcher for the Philadelphia Force in 2009, a member of the National Pro Fastpitch league.
In addition, Apicella and his staff have been honored as NFCA Coaching Staff of the Year in 2000, 2002, 2007 and 2008. He was also voted Coach of the Year by the former NYCAC conference in 2002.
Apicella led the 2010 team to its ninth straight NCAA Tournament appearance and the Pioneers posted a 41-16 season record. C.W. Post finished atop the ECC regular season standings and was ranked in the NFCA national poll throughout the season. Christie Softy put the finishing touches on her stellar career by setting numerous career batting records, including home runs (48), doubles (56) RBI (216) and games played (235). Melissa Medina was one of the premier outfielders during her four years and also set new career marks in at bats (747), runs scored (188) and hits (294). For the fifth straight year, Apicella’s squad earned NCAA Division II All-Academic team recognition and placed 10 student-athletes on the ECC Commissioner’s Honor Roll after finishing the season with a 3.35 cumulative GPA.
The 2009 Pioneers were once again one of the highest ranked teams in the region as they won their second straight ECC title and advanced to NCAA Regional play for the eighth straight year. The Pioneers were ranked as high as No. 14 in the NFCA national poll during the season. Six players were named All-Conference and pitcher Sarah Kiser garnered Pitcher of the Year honors while infielder Kerry Fisher was the Rookie of the Year. Kiser dominated in the pitching circle with an 18-4 record and a conference-leading 1.03 ERA. Softy had a strong year at the plate and was recognized as an NFCA All-Region First Team and ECC First Team selection for the third straight season as well as a Daktronics All-Region First Team selection and ECAC All-Star. Softy, Kiser and Medina were named to NFCA/Louisville Slugger and Daktronics All-Region teams.
In 2008, Apicella led his team to a 48-16 record, setting a new school record for wins for the third straight season en route to a seventh consecutive NCAA Division II Tournament berth. The Pioneers captured their second consecutive NCAA Division II Northeast Region championship, and advanced to the Division II College World Series in Houston, Texas. Yodowitz was named the ECC Player of the Year, and seven players were named to All-Conference teams. Four players earned Daktronics All-Region honors and five players earned NFCA/Louisville Slugger All-Region recognition. In addition, Yodowitz was named an All-American for the second time in her career. Apicella and assistant coach Kelsey Walker were distinguished as the 2008 NFCA East Region Coaching Staff of the Year for the second straight year.
In 2007, C.W. Post finished the season ranked No. 8 nationally in the Division II poll, matching the highest ranking in Apicella’s tenure. The Pioneers also featured two-time All-American, pitcher Samantha Yodowitz and catcher Christie Softy, eight All-ECC selections including Rookie of the Year (Softy), and six NFCA All-Region selections. He was rewarded for his efforts when he and assistant coach Kelsey Walker were named the 2007 NFCA Northeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year, with Apicella receiving the honor for the second consecutive year.
The 2007 squad also performed well in the classroom, with Jill Fisher earning ECC Scholar-Athlete of the Year accolades and the team achieving NCAA Division II All-Academic Team recognition, as well as finishing fifth among all Division II softball programs in the country with a 3.49 cumulative GPA.
2006 saw Apicella guide C.W. Post to a 44-11 record, including a perfect 18-0 regular season conference record and a 3-0 sweep to win the East Coast Conference Championship. The Pioneers made their fifth consecutive appearance in the East Region Championships and advanced for the second straight year to the final game before finishing as regional runner-up. Danielle Stallone was named the ECC Pitcher of the Year and Jill Fisher was named the ECC Player of the Year. Seven players were named to the All-NYCAC teams and five were named to the NFCA All-Region teams. In addition, Apicella and assistant coaches Michelle Bettles and Katie Houst received the 2006 NFCA Northeast Regional Coaching Staff of the Year Honors.
In 2005, Apicella led the team to 39 victories and a New York Collegiate Athletic Conference regular season title, leading the team to a runner-up finish in the Northeast Region Championships.
Apicella originally joined the team as an assistant, but was elevated to the top spot shortly before the start of the 1999 season. Prior to his arrival, Apicella spent three seasons in the coaching box for the C.W. Post baseball team.
He was a three-year standout baseball player for C.W. Post, compiling a batting average of over .350 with 21 home runs and 126 runs batted in for his career. His 49 RBI in 1994 ranks as the fifth best single-season total in school history, while his 113 total bases ranks fourth.
He was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 1994 and played in the Giant’s minor league system, and was inducted into the C.W. Post Baseball Hall of Fame in February 2000, in recognition of his achievements on the field. He was also inducted into the Smithtown Hall of Fame.
Apicella serves on the NCAA East Regional Advisory Committee and is in his second term as the NFCA East Region Top 25 Committee representative. In addition to his coaching and associate athletic director duties at C.W. Post, Apicella is the owner and director of the New York Softball Academy.
Apicella and his wife Kimberly reside in Hauppauge, N.Y., with their two children, Madison (6) and Alexander (4).
Jamie Apicella's Collegiate Coaching Career
| Year |
Team |
Record |
Postseason |
| 1999 |
C.W. Post |
33-19 |
NCAA Northeast Regional |
| 2000 |
C.W. Post |
42-18 |
NYCAC Champions, NCAA Northeast Regional |
| 2001 |
C.W. Post |
33-15 |
|
| 2002 |
C.W. Post |
39-16 |
NYCAC Champions, NCAA Northeast Regional |
| 2003 |
C.W. Post |
36-12 |
NYCAC Champions, NCAA Northeast Regional |
| 2004 |
C.W. Post |
32-13 |
NYCAC Champions, NCAA Northeast Regional |
| 2005 |
C.W. Post |
39-13 |
NCAA Northeast Regional |
| 2006 |
C.W. Post |
44-11 |
NYCAC Champions, NCAA Northeast Regional |
| 2007 |
C.W. Post |
45-17 |
NCAA Division II College World Series |
| 2008 |
C.W. Post |
48-16 |
ECC Champions, NCAA Division II College World Series |
| 2009 |
C.W. Post |
34-18 |
ECC Champions, NCAA East Regional |
| 2010 |
C.W. Post |
41-16 |
NCAA East Regional |
| Totals |
12 seasons |
466-184 (.716) |
7 Conference Titles, 11 NCAA Appearances, 2 Division II College World Series Appearances |