Hurricanes Complete Coaching Staff for 2005 Season

Oct. 6, 2004

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – University of Miami head baseball coach Jim Morris completed his coaching staff for the 2005 season on Wednesday with the addition of Joe Mercadante to work with the Hurricanes’ catchers.

Mercadante, who replaces Greg Lovelady, was an assistant coach at P.K. Yonge High School in Gainesville, Fla., last season. He caught at the University of Florida for the 2002 and 2003 seasons. Lovelady, who was UM’s volunteer assistant coach from 2002-2004 accepted an assistant coaching position at Wright State.

“We did an extremely through search where I interviewed and talked to a lot of candidates,” Morris said. “I felt that Joe was the right piece of the puzzle to come in here and help us. His strength is catching and that is exactly what we need.”

Mercadante graduated from P.K. Yonge High School in 1999. He was a four-year letterman for coach Bob Hawkins and was named the team MVP as a senior. Out of high school he attended Jefferson Davis Community College in Brewton, Ala., and helped lead the team to a JUCO Regional title and a berth in the Junior College World Series. He then transferred to Delgado Junior College in New Orleans for his sophomore season. Mercadante arrived at Florida in 2002 and hit .471 in a reserve role for the Gators. He missed most of his senior season due to injury before beginning his coaching career.

After serving as an assistant coach at P.K. Yonge in 2004, Mercadante coached summer baseball in the Virginia Valley league with the Covington Lumberjacks. During his stint with the Lumberjacks, Mercadante coached current Hurricanes Brendan Katin and newcomer Andy Bennett.

“It has been one of the most exciting things to happen in my life, including my playing career,” Mercadante said. “It is just an outstanding opportunity. I feel truly blessed and honored to be part of this program. There are tons of people that want to get into college coaching and I’m lucky enough to walk into a program that is arguably the best in the country and it has been for a long time.

“For me to be able to start my college coaching career with a foundation like the University of Miami, I couldn’t ask for more.”