DANBURY, Conn. - Western Connecticut State University has hired Jerry LaPenta as an assistant baseball coach for the 2026-27 academic year.  LaPenta, who will serve as hitting coach, has been involved in amateur and professional baseball as a player, coach and scout for over 40 years, including the last 16 years as head coach of the American Legion baseball team. in Bristol.  He was also an assistant coach at the University of Connecticut and a scout for the Cleveland Guardians MLB organization.  LaPenta was a star college player at UConn and played professionally in the Chicago Cubs minor league system.
2011-present

LaPenta has guided Bristol American Legion to a 287-162 record for a .640 winning percentage, five zone championships, a State title, a regional runner-up finish, while 38 of his American Legion players have gone on to college careers.  As hitting and infield coach at Connecticut, LaPenta helped the Huskies post a 189-148 record for a .560  winning percentage and saw 16 UConn players sign professional contracts from1996 to 2003. 
16 UCONN Baseball players signed MLB contracts from 1996-2003.
 
LaPerta reached the AA level Eastern League for the Cubs in 1988, after batting .288 in the Midwest League in 1987.  He was a four-year starter at Connecticut, where he earned a bachelor's degree in economics in 1986.  LaPenta was the Connecticut College Player of the Year as a senior and received All-New England and All-Big East recognition twice each for the Huskies.  He was named to NCAA Division I Championship All-Region Team in 1986 and still ranks among the 1op 20 all time at UConn in home runs (5th with 35), slugging percentage (5th at .603), RBIs (14th with 123) and batting average (16th at .337).