(Middlefield, Ohio) - On Wednesday January 24th at the regular board of education meeting, Dan Wolf was approved as the Varsity baseball head coach beginning February 19th, 2023. Wolf will take over the duties after Greg Bean stepped down after last season. The Huskies finished the season 12-8, while going 8-4 in the CVC behind Kirtland and Berkshire. Coach Wolf could return four possible seniors including 1st Team All-Conference Troy Domen and Jack Puruczky who earned Honorable Mention. They also bring back Logan Strever, Carter Tucker, Chuck Soltis, Matthew Hissa, and Austin Jones, all who earned Varsity letters a year ago.
Assistant coach Jacob Gotham played for the Huskies under assistant principal and previous high school teacher, Brian George and then later for Seth Klepper. Gotham attended West Liberty University and played for the Hilltoppers for one season. Gotham graduated in 2019.
Head coach Dan Wolf will have a lot of experience to work with this season, including Cardinal graduate Jacob Gotham who was on the coaching staff last season. However the game of baseball is nothing new to Wolf. He will enter his 34th season coaching high school baseball. His previous encounters include Mentor, Madison, Willoughby South, and most recently Fairport Harding. Wolf also has experience at the collegiate level where he coached at John Carroll University for three years and one season at Lake Erie College.
He graduated from John Carroll in 1987, where he represented the Blue Streaks in baseball and football during his time at JCU. During his senior year, Wolf was named co-captain for the baseball team. He now serves as an instructor for the University in their P.E. department for the past 25 years.
“A favorite memory of mine as a player at JCU, which, luckily I was a major part of three conference championships and an appearance to the Division III playoffs, but I will never forget that I am one of only two players in the history of John Carroll Baseball to have ever hit into a triple play,” said Wolf laughing.
In July, Dan and his wife, Christl will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary. The two of them have twin boys, D.J. and Drew where they graduated from Mentor High School in 2019. The family also has a Border Collie named Darby who has captured all of their hearts. Christl graduated from the Miami University of Ohio, majoring in Geology.
One of Dan’s favorite memories as a coach was when he coached son, D.J. at age 11 in a game where they were preparing to play in the championship game within the next couple of days.
“In the semi final championship game, D.J. was on the mound, bottom of the last inning, he had a 3-2 count with the bases loaded,” said Dan. “We were up by four runs, he threw his pitch, the batter lines one back at him. He catches the ball, runs to second base, tags two runners and completes an unassisted triple play to help us win the game. We ended up winning the Championship game two days later.”
D.J. Wolf went on to play football at Mentor under hall of fame coach Steve Trivosonno. He was a four-year letter winner for the Cardinals, and then played defensive back at Case Western Reserve University for five seasons. In his fifth season, D.J. served as a captain and started in all ten games. Drew currently resides in Charlottesville, VA and works with Virginia Energy, where he is looking at earning his Master's program in accounting through CWRU’ graduate program.
Drew ran cross country for the Cardinals. The Cardinals were always middle of the pack for the Greater Cleveland Conference. He majored in Geology and also graduated from the Miami University of Ohio last year and was a member of the Striders Running Club.
Coach Wolf is eager to get things started for this Spring, and appreciates all of the previous coaches that have played into his baseball career.
“At Cardinal, I hope to keep building on an already proud tradition of competitive baseball teams,” he said. “My goal as a coach, as an educator and as a person has always been the same. I want to make a difference. I am thrilled to start this new chapter in my life. I look forward to working with the students, the staff, the parents and the community while at Cardinal,” said Wolf.
“Our baseball program is very lucky to have gotten someone with the coaching background that Coach Wolf brings with him,” said athletic director Jimmy Soltis. “Coach Wolf is the fourth baseball coach I have hired in the last seven years. He is a Hall of Fame caliber coach who will bring a ton of experience and stability to Cardinal. I feel very fortunate to have him here and with an older team returning, I cannot wait to see what he can do with this group.”
*Pictured from left to right is Jacob Gotham (pending board approval) and Dan Wolf).