This week on the ABCA Podcast, we’re joined by Alex Loparco, the 2025 ABCA/ATEC NCAA Division III Assistant Coach of the Year and assistant coach at Endicott College.

Now in his third season with the Gulls, Loparco has quickly made a major impact, helping guide Endicott to a remarkable 110-17 overall record and 32-2 mark in conference play during his tenure. His work in player development, recruiting, and game planning has helped build nationally ranked offensive and defensive units.

Before transitioning into coaching, Loparco was a standout player at Western New England University, where he hit .335 over four seasons, tallying 200+ hits and earning Commonwealth Coast Conference Player of the Year honors in 2018. That same season, he helped lead the Golden Bears to a conference championship and an NCAA Regional appearance, finishing with a near 1.000 OPS.

In this episode, Loparco shares his transition from player to coach, his approach to developing complete players, and the standards that have helped fuel Endicott’s rapid rise as one of the top programs in Division III baseball.

Baseball is a story told across generations — through the players, the moments, and the gloves that shape the game. Now, that story comes to life in Rawlings’ "The Finest in the Field" book, available now for pre-sale at Rawlings.com! Each of the 50 gloves is presented through detailed photography and paired with immersive essays that place the artifact within its historical context. Captivating imagery, period advertisements, and additional memorabilia further illuminate the era each glove represents.Reserve your copy today at Rawlings.com and be among the first to experience baseball’s evolution as told through the story of these iconic gloves.

The ABCA Podcast is presented by Netting Pros. Netting Professionals are improving programs one facility at a time, specializing in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for backstops, batting cages, dugouts, bp screens and ball carts. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches, dugout cubbies and more.

To learn more about the American Baseball Coaches Association, visit ABCA.org/benefits!