Bio

Joe Tonelli enters his 12th season as the University of Bridgeport’s head baseball coach in 2024. Tonelli, who joined on the UB staff in the Fall of 2009, took over from John Anquillare in 2012. He became the winningest head baseball coach in program history when the Purple Knights topped Mercy College on April 10, 2021. Tonelli currently stands with 191 wins at UB and a total of 380 total victories in his head coaching career. 

One of Tonelli’s highlights in Bridgeport is leading the Purple Knights to their first-ever NCAA Regional berth in 2016. UB put together a 28-24-1 record that year and earned an at-large bid into the “Big Dance”.

Before coming to Bridgeport in 2009, Joe served as Assistant Baseball Coach at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut from 2005-2009.  During his time with the Bobcats, QU made one NCAA Division Regional appearance and two Northeast Conference Playoff appearances plus six players signed professional contracts.

Tonelli helped start the baseball program at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, Connecticut serving as the Falcons’ head coach from 1990-2003.  During his time at Albertus, the team won two conference titles, and he was named conference Coach of the Year twice.  The Falcons also made two ECAC Division II Tournament appearances along with playing in the NCAA Championship (2001 and 2002), plus the program produced 44 All-Conference players including six Players of the Year and three Pitchers of the Year.  Joe is a member of the Albertus Magnus Athletic Hall of Fame.

Joe also has a variety of athletic administrative experience having served as Sports Information Director, Assistant Athletic Director and Athletic Director during his time at Albertus Magnus, plus Tonelli also has been Director of Athletics at Lauralton Hall High School in Milford, Connecticut.  His father, Joe Tonelli Sr., is the former Director of Athletics at Notre Dame High School in West Haven, Connecticut who currently works for the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference plus was legendary baseball coach Frank “Porky” Vieira’s assistant at the University of New Haven for 13 seasons.

Tonelli is a 1990 graduate of Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts where he was a standout third baseman for the Greyhounds earning All-Northeast 10 Conference honors twice and First Team All-New England accolades once during his career plus serving as a two-year team captain.