John Susi enters his 44th year in coaching, 34th as a head coach at the collegiate level, and 27th at the helm of WestConn in 2025-26 He has been the head coach longer than any other baseball coach in WestConn history and has collected the most wins of any other baseball coach (341). Susi's teams have qualified for 10 LEC tournaments and in 2002 WestConn won the Little East Conference (LEC) tourney and qualified for the NCAA Division III Regional Championships. In 2005, the Wolves returned to the title game, losing to Rhode Island College, and did so again in 2016, this time falling to Eastern Connecticut in the title game.
In 25 years at WestConn, Susi has compiled a record of (341-553-2). He has coached 38 all-conference players, nine All-New England players, and three All-Americans. He was named Little East Coach of the Year in 2002, and received his 25-Year Coaching Award from the American Baseball Coaches association (ABCA) in 2007.
Susi started his coaching career in his hometown of Waterford, Connecticut. At the age of 18, he guided his first program to an undefeated season and league championship. After winning a second title the next season, Susi joined the staff of New London American Legion as an assistant in 1985. It was there under the tutelage of Head Coach Jim O’Neill where he was schooled in the fine art of coaching baseball. For seven seasons, New London Legion dominated, winning six straight Zone Championships, three State Championships, and back-to-back trips to the American Legion World Series after winning New England titles in 1985 and 1986.
Susi also served as the head freshmen baseball coach at Farmington High School in 1986 and 1987 while attending Central Connecticut State University. At CCSU, Susi was a four-year letterman for the soccer team as a goalkeeper. He was named captain his senior year in 1986, receiving a bachelor's degree in physical education with a concentration in coaching. After graduation, he returned to his alma mater, Waterford High School, as an assistant to Gerry Rousseau, a National High School Coach of the Year honoree. Waterford won three straight conference titles, and the Class M State Championship in 1988 with Susi on its staff. In 1991, Susi took over as head coach of Montville High School. In his first season, he guided the Indians to a 17-4 record, and a No. 16 final ranking in the Connecticut State Poll of all size schools.
In August of 1992, Susi moved on to Manchester Community College, where he was named as head baseball coach of the junior college in Manchester, Connecticut. Susi took over a program returning only three players with single digit wins the prior season, and guided the Cougars to their first regional championship and a berth in the NJCAA D3 World Series. Manchester CC finished as the National Runners up, losing in the championship game to Gloucester CC of New Jersey. The following year they returned to the NJCAA World Series, winning a second regional title and finishing fourth at the World Series. Susi was named NJCAA Regional Coach of the Year both seasons. The Cougars appeared in the NJCAA Regionals in all seven of Susi's years there from 1993-1999, finishing as regional runners up twice. He compiled a record of (142-108-3) at Manchester CC while coaching five All-Americans. While at Manchester, Susi also became the Head Coach of the Eastern Tides of the newly formed New England Collegiate Baseball League. He guided the Tides to the league championship in its inaugural season in 1994. After a second straight season of making the NECBL playoffs, Susi stepped down as head coach with a record of (46-40-1).
Arriving at WestConn in the fall of 1999, Susi took over the league’s last place team since its inception. The Wolves quickly jumped up two spots and qualified for their fist LEC tourney. After an injury-plagued 2001 season kept them out of the playoffs, WestConn returned with a vengeance in 2002, qualifying for the league tourney and winning the school’s first baseball title. They appeared in their first NCAA tourney going (1-2) at the New York Regional.
Coach Susi served as President of the New England intercollegiate Baseball Association from 2018-2019, still serves on the executive committee, and is chair of the organization's Hall of Fame committee. In the summer of 2011 and 2012 Susi led the Southington Jr. American Legion program to two straight Zone Championships and to a State Championship game appearance in 2012. From the summer of 2014-2019, Susi coached with Team Connecticut Baseball. In 2015 he led his 17U team to a top ten finish at the AAU National tournament in Richmond, Virginia.
Coach Susi collected his 750th overall coaching victory at the helm of the Southington Black Knights of the CCBL. His overall coaching record at all levels is 750-856-24. Coach Susi guided the Southington AAU Knights for two seasons. His 16U teams finished with a record of (34-16-4) in 2020 and 2021. The 2021 team made it all the way to the East Haven League Championship game before eventually losing in the finals to New London. In 2022 Susi took over the Southington Black Knights in the CT Collegiate Baseball League. Over the past three summers, his teams have combined for a record of 55-27, finishing first twice in the regular season, and advancing to the tournament championship in 2024.
Coach Susi currently lives in Southington with his wife of 33 years, Mary Ann, and three sons, Brett (30), a former all-conference starting pitcher for CCSU, Zac (28), a former UCONN catcher and MLB professional in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, and, Garrett (25) a former member of the UCONN Marching Band and 2022 graduate.
