Rob Sheppard -

Rob Sheppard

Position:	Head Coach
Alma Mater:	Seton Hall
Graduating Year:	1992
Experience:	7 Years
Email:	shepparo@shu.edu

Rob Sheppard was named the head coach of the Seton Hall baseball program on June 30, 2004, becoming the 17th head coach in the history of the baseball program, and just the third since 1948. He inherited a winning tradition and legacy left by his father, Mike Sheppard, Sr., who won 998 games in 31 years as coach from 1973-2003. Rob is no stranger to the Seton Hall program, having served as an assistant coach for nine seasons under Mike, Sr. After seven seasons as top assistant to his father, Rob was promoted to associate head coach during the summer of 2001.

Sheppard has built an experienced coaching staff that includes former Seton Hall pitcher Phil Cundari, Long Island University stand-out and former assistant coach of his alma mater and Fairleigh Dickinson Chris Bagley, as well as former NJIT pitcher Zach Porcello.

“I think as a coaching staff we’re all on the same page,” said Sheppard. “With our backgrounds as college players, we are able to reach back into our experience and communicate how to be successful in the league and in baseball.”

During his first three seasons, Sheppard continued to force a hard-work ethic into his team, and watched it pay off. After finishing the 2006 season 17-games under .500, the Pirates ended the 2007 season 25-25. In 2008, Sheppard’s crew reached the 30-win plateau and the BIG EAST Conference Tournament for the first time since 2001.

In 2009, Sheppard and his staff coached nine players to New Jersey Collegiate Baseball Association (NJCBA) awards. Included in the honors was Keith Cantwell who was named the Co-Pitcher of the Year as well as Dave Phelan, Will Walsh, and Henry Warner who were honored on the JNCBA All-Rookie Team.

In addition to the in-state recognition, Sheppard also watched five of his players be named to the postseason All-BIG EAST Teams, the most since 1995. Cantwell and Chris Affinito were named to the first team, while Sean Black and Matt Smedberg took home second team honors, followed by Matt Singer who earned his place on the third team.

The 2008 season also saw nine players named to the NJCBA squads including Corey Young – NJCBA Pitcher of the Year and Chris Roach – NJCBA Rookie Pitcher of the Year. In addition, Young and Greg Miller were honored with post-season, All-Conference awards with Young earning All-BIG EAST First Team, and Miller All-BIG EAST Third Team.

Despite the struggling 2006 campaign the Pirates upset No. 11 Notre Dame and won two of the three games in the series. Dan McDonald was an All-BIG EAST Third team selection and nine players were named to the NJCBA team with three first team selections: Luis Fernandez, Dan McDonald and Dan Merklinger. In 2005, freshman Dan McDonald was named the NJCBA Rookie of the Year, the first SHU player since 1999. John Walsh, Tim Pahuta and Dan Merklinger were also honored by the NJCBA, earning first team, and two second team honors, respectively. The Pirates also had two MLB draft picks, with Pahuta and Tim Sabo being chosen in the 18th round. Pahuta was taken in the 534th overall pick by the Washington Nationals, while Sabo followed at the 545th overall pick by the Chicago White Sox under the tutelage of Sheppard.

Rob was the acting head coach in 2004, guiding the Pirates to a 17-33-1 record. Seton Hall was hampered by injuries, but managed to post some noteworthy accomplishments in Sheppard’s first season. SHU took a 4-2 decision over 4th-ranked Notre Dame at Owen T. Carroll Field on April 23 and followed that with a memorable one-hit, 20-0 win over Villanova on “Mike Sheppard Day”. Senior Joey Scott was named the NJCBA Co-Player of the Year and also earned All-BIG EAST Second Team honors, while senior Chris Noonan was picked in the 17th round of the MLB Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals all under the guidance of Sheppard.

During the 2001 season, Rob earned his first head coaching experience at the collegiate level when he served as interim head coach while Mike, Sr., recovered from triple bypass heart surgery. After a slow start with Seton Hall winning just three of its first 12 games, he rallied the Pirates to a 14-4-1 record in April. After clinching a BIG EAST Tournament berth in the final weekend of the regular season, Sheppard guided Seton Hall to three straight victories and the Pirates’ first conference championship since 1987.

In the NCAA Clemson Regional the following week, Seton Hall defeated top-seeded South Alabama twice to advance to the championship round. It marked the Pirates’ most successful run in the NCAA Tournament since 1984. After helping Seton Hall to a 34-23-1 record, Sheppard was recognized for his efforts as he was selected NJCBA Division I Coach of the Year.

Sheppard has been involved with every aspect of the program since joining the staff as an assistant coach. A proven recruiter, he has helped to annually attract the top talent in New Jersey to Seton Hall. He has served as the third base coach and oversaw the defensive alignments as associate head coach. He has also overseen the off-season strength and conditioning program of the players.

A 1992 graduate of Seton Hall’s Stillman School of Business, Sheppard was the third member of his family to play the middle infield for the elder Sheppard. Older brothers Mike and John played shortstop and second base, respectively, in the 1980s. As a college player, Sheppard helped Seton Hall to four BIG EAST Tournament appearances and served as a captain of the Pirate team that finished as the runner-up at the BIG EAST Tournament during his senior season. That year, Sheppard ranked fifth on the team in hitting and led the squad in sacrifice bunts with 15. Sheppard concluded his collegiate career with a .278 batting average, 130 hits and 58 RBI in 158 games as a Pirate.

Sheppard broke into the coaching profession in 1993 as an assistant coach with the Vailsburg American Legion team which reached the New Jersey state finals three out of four seasons. In 1994, Sheppard served as the interim head coach for the Immaculate Conception High School baseball team. Sheppard is the latest in a long line of family members to become a baseball head coach in New Jersey. Mike Sr., served as head coach of Seton Hall from 1973-2003. Rob’s oldest brother, Mike Sheppard Jr., is currently the head coach at Seton Hall Prep, while his brother John is the head baseball coach and athletic director at Morristown Beard Prep School.

Sheppard holds master's degrees in Business Information Systems (December 1996) and Sports Management (May 1997) from Seton Hall. He and his wife Kelly currently reside in Millington, NJ. They have an nine-year-old son, Robert Jr., born during the Pirates’ trip to the 2000 NCAA Tournament, and a eight-year-old son, Patrick.