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Baseball - Meet the Coaches

Alan Sumner

Alan Sumner has been coaching Geneva’s baseball team for 24 years consecutively and 25 years overall.  During his career, which is the longest in Geneva College history, he has reached some significant milestones like becoming the only Geneva coach in any sport to reach 500 victories. With an overall record of 549-463, Sumner has won more games as a Geneva coach than any other in any sport.

Sumner began his Geneva career as a student-athlete. He still holds the school record for 183 consecutive games played. After graduation, Sumner became an assistant coach with the Golden Tornadoes prior to taking over as the head coach for one season in 1988 before taking over the reins for good in 1990.

During his tenure, Sumner has led Geneva to a pair of NAIA World Series appearances and numerous trips to the NCCAA nationals.

“We have built something very special at Geneva College,” said Sumner. “We have a great group of guys who have experienced success based on their hard work and dedication. It is very rewarding to see that hard work pay off with success on the field. “

After his undergraduate work at Geneva, Sumner moved on to the U.S. Sports Academy where he received his master’s in Sport Management. Sumner continues to work in that field as a teacher in Geneva’s sport management major.

Sumner is also charged with the position of assistant athletic director for the Golden Tornadoes and assumes responsibility of athletic liason with the admissions department.  “We have a great thing going on at Geneva,” said Sumner. “I have been around this campus for a long time and I am convinced that Geneva is a tremendous place for student-athletes to grow in all aspects of their lives.”

Sumner’s baseball team has continued to grow and prosper throughout his tenure at the helm. “We take pride in having our teams compete at a very high level. But we also demand student-athletes with great character and a commitment to academics. Our job as coaches is to develop these athletes in more than just x’s and o’s. We feel as though we are making a difference in the lives of these young men, both in athletics and in life.”

Sumner and his wife Linda, the women’s soccer coach at Geneva, reside in Chippewa Township with their daughters Jamie and Erica.

Andy Hiskey

After a very successful career on the field for the Golden Tornadoes, Andy Hiskey joined the Geneva College coaching staff for the 2009 campaign and will begin his fifth season on Alan Sumner’s staff. Hiskey, who played four years in the Geneva College infield, will continue to focus the majority of his duties on infield defensive play. An outstanding defensive player in his own right, Hiskey will continue to help Geneva reach one of its goals of becoming the best defensive team in the PAC.

A native and graduate of Beaver Falls, Hiskey remains in the valley to begin his coaching career and help give back to the Golden Tornadoes program.

Hiskey resides in his native Beaver Falls and works in the Dick’s Sporting Goods Corporate office when he is not on the diamond.

Joe Jurinko

One of Geneva’s all-time greats on the mound joined the Geneva staff in 2010 to handle the pitching staff. Joe Jurinko picked up 16 career saves in the years of 1984-85. He held the record for over 20 years before it was surpassed in 2008.

The father of two more Geneva stars in Joe Jr. (2010) and Jon Jurinko (2011), Joe Sr. will continue to help mold a young pitching staff into a solid unit for the 2013 campaign.

When he is not working with young pitchers, Jurinko works at McElwain Motors in Ellwood City as a salesman. He resides in Beaver Falls and the Riverside School District with his wife Tracy.

Phill Shallenberger

Phill Shallenberger completed a very successful career with the Golden Tornadoes in 2010. He will continue to work on Geneva’s staff this season as a graduate assistant. Shallenberger has also been charged with the team’s strength and conditioning coach while also working with male student-athletes throughout Geneva’s athletic department in the areas of strength and conditioning.

In addition to his coaching responsibilities, Shallenberger is enrolled in Geneva’s Masters of Higher Education program. Shallenberger resides in Beaver Falls.

Joel Gatti

Following an outstanding career for the Geneva College baseball team, Joel Gatti joins the coaching staff as a volunteer coach for the 2013 season. Gatti completed his playing career last year while he began work on his Master’s Degree in Geneva’s Higher Education program. Gatti is on schedule to graduate from that program this spring.

                On the field, Gatti posted a career batting average of .350 while hitting six home runs and knocking in 95 runs. Last year, Gatti led the Golden Tornadoes with 39 hits and a .351 batting average. Focusing primarily on the catchers and infielders this year, Gatti spent time at several different positions throughout his four-year playing career with the Golden Tornadoes.