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API Baseball Academy has hired coach Paul Kostacopoulos as high school director and college placement coordinator. Coach “Kosty” comes to API with over 30 years of Division I experience, including the last 18 seasons as head coach at the United States Naval Academy (USNA). While at USNA, Kostacopoulos became the then-19th active head coach and 92nd all-time across all divisions to reach the 1,000-win plateau. Through his 30-plus years as a head coach, Kostacopoulos had a record of 1,027-705-7 (.593).
"I am extremely excited to be a part of the API family,” Kostacopoulos said. “Baseball, as well as athletics in general, has been a tremendously meaningful aspect of my life. It will be my privilege to work with the many young aspiring ball players involved at API. It is my goal to develop and mentor our athletes while giving them the same wonderful experience I have enjoyed being involved with the sport of baseball.”
He won 30-plus games 18 times during his career and boasted a winning percentage of .500 or better 26 times in his career, as the Middletown, Connecticut, native guided the Midshipmen to three consecutive 30-win seasons from 2006-2008 - a first in program history. Prior to his arrival, Navy had posted just three 30-win campaigns in the program's first 109 years. Kostacopoulos spent 18 seasons at the helm of the Navy baseball program, standing as the program's second-winningest head coach with 523 victories in Annapolis. In his new role as high school director, coach Kosty is tasked with overseeing the day-to-day operations of API Academy’s high school program including coaching staff recruitment and development, player recruitment and development, and team formation, practice and tournament schedules. As college placement coordinator, he will work closely with API Academy players and families to provide guidance on the collegiate recruiting process, identify prospective colleges unique to each player and facilitate communication with college coaches.
“The addition of coach Kosty is truly a game-changer for all API Academy players and coaches,” said Stephen Vaught, API’s president and director of baseball operations. “His coaching experience, knowledge of the game, ability to lead and professional character are second to none. I am beyond excited to learn from coach Kosty and work alongside him to reshape API’s current high school program and introduce a new, unequaled program to the competitive high school players in our region.”
To learn more about API Baseball Academy, visit www.apibaseballacademy.com.
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