Michael Federico

13

Position: Assistant Coach/Pitching Experience: 4th Season

If anyone understands the Southern Miss baseball program, assistant coach Michael Federico does. He was a player for the Golden Eagles under Hill Denson from 1995-97 and became a graduate assistant coach under Corky Palmer during the 1998-99 seasons, helping the Golden Eagles to a NCAA Regional in his final year as a graduate assistant.

After stops at Meridian Community College and the University of Memphis, Federico has returned to his roots and begins his fourth season as the school's pitching coach.

In just three short seasons as the team's pitching coach, Federico has mentored players to six first-team All-Conference USA selections and three more to second team honors. His pitchers have garnered a share of three league individual awards as Todd McInnis was named the Pitcher of the Year in the league in 2011, while Golden Eagle starter Andrew Pierce earned Newcomer of the Year honors. Mason Robbins, who spent much of the year on the mound for Southern Miss, also was named Freshman of the Year in the league in 2012.

During McInnis' run to the league's top pitcher in 2011, the righthander was also named All-American giving Federico his first player to be crowned with this achievement.

After his initial stint at Southern Miss, Federico became an assistant coach under Scott Berry at Meridian Community College in 2000, a team that played in the JUCO world series, and while Scott Berry was the head coach at MCC and current Golden Eagle assistant coach Chad Caillet was his top assistant from 2002-04.

Since leaving Meridian in 2004, he had competed against Southern Miss each season as the top assistant at Conference USA foe Memphis for the five seasons from 2005-2009 in charge of the Tigers' pitching staff , as well working with the catchers and led the Tigers recruiting efforts.

Under Federico's coaching, the Tiger pitching staff improved in his first two years, and then, despite an influx of injuries to its starting pitching rotation, earned a berth in the 2007 NCAA Tournament, the Tigers' first appearance since 1994.

Prior to joining the Memphis staff in 2004, he was the head coach at Meridian Community College (2002-04), where he was a two-time Junior College Coach of the Year honoree, In 2003 and 2004, he led his squad to the JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, Colo.

Federico led MCC to a 46-14 finish and a ninth-place finish in the JUCO World Series in 2004. Several of his players received accolades following the 2004 season, as two players were named as All-Americans, four players received All-Region 23 honors, and nine Eagles were voted to the All-State team. Federico was named Region XXIII and Southeastern District Coach of the Year.

In 2003, he led the Eagles to a fifth-place finish in the Alpine Bank JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, Colo. The Eagles also won the MACJC Central Division, Region XXIII and Southeastern Regional Championships. Federico was honored with Region XXIII and Southeastern District Coach of the Year accolades for his accomplishments in 2003.

Before taking over the head duties, Federico served as the assistant coach for two years, working with pitchers and catchers. As an assistant, he helped lead the Eagles to two conference championships, one region, and one sectional championship and a trip to the 2000 JUCO World Series.

Prior to joining the staff at Meridian, Federico served as a graduate assistant coach at Southern Miss for two years under Corky Palmer. In 1999, his last year with the Golden Eagles, he helped the Golden Eagles to the NCAA Southeast Regional, in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

As a player, Federico was a catcher at Southern Miss from 1995-97, serving as the team captain his senior year. He started his collegiate career at Hinds Community College (1993-95), where he was the starting catcher and helped his teams to back-to-back Division II World Series appearances.

Federico received both his undergraduate degree in physical education (1998), and his master's degree in sports administration (1999) from Southern Miss.

A native of Slidell, La., Federico attended Pope John Paul II High School, where he was the starting catcher for four years. During this time, he was named All-State, All-District, All-Metro and team captain.

Federico is married to the former Hannah Sosa of Bush, La., who is also a Southern Miss graduate (1999) and former Golden Eagle Diamond Darling. The couple has two sons, Hayden and Brycen, and a daughter, Isabella.