Sam Militello

Camp Director; Associate Head Coach (UT)

Former Spartan All-American Sam Militello is in his 10th season as a member of the coaching staff at The University of Tampa. He was recently promoted from assistant coach to associate head coach prior to the 2009 season.

As Joe Urso’s top assistant, Militello is in charge of the pitching staff. Militello capped a brilliant three-year career with the Spartans by capturing the NCAA II National Player-of-the-Year award in 1990 when he posted a 15-2 record, 1.75 ERA and 182 strikeouts as he led Tampa to a third place finish in the NCAA II National Championship Series.

Militello owns UT single-season school records for victories (15), strikeouts (182) and innings pitched (143.2) and the school career record for strikeouts (340).

He was a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Award, given to the top collegiate player in the country. At the time, he was only the second NCAA II player to be nominated for the Golden Spikes Award. Militello was a three-time All-American, all-South Region and all-Sunshine State Conference selection and was twice the South Region Pitcher of the Year. In 1990, he was selected to the NCAA II National Championship Series all-tourney team. He was named to the Sunshine State Conference Silver Anniversary team and the SSC and UT Athletic Hall of Fame.

A sixth-round draft pick of the New York Yankees, Militello broke into the "Show" in style with a 6-0 shutout of the Boston Red Sox in July 1992, going seven innings and striking out five while surrendering just one hit and three walks. He surged to a 3-0 record and finished his inaugural season at 4-4. He pitched in the Yankees system from 1990-94, signed with the Florida Marlins (1994-95) and again with the Yankees ('96) until retiring to a coaching job with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (1997-98). Prior to joining the Spartans, he spent the previous two seasons as a pitching coach in the Cleveland Indians organization with Burlington and Columbus, Ga.