Mesa Community College Coach Tony Cirelli poses with the Michael Collins Memorial Coaches Trophy. His team captured the 2014 title in Enid, OK.
The article that follows (below the picture) comes from the Mesa Community College website and outlines his great career.
Congratulations to the Thunderbirds and to Coach Cirelli and his staff. Michael would be very happy it went to such a tradition rich program and coach and staff – since it did not go to his Hawks and Coach Metzger.
And who could not notice the initials!
To say the least, Tony Cirelli’s 20th season as Mesa head coach was a memorable one.
Not only was it arguably the best in school history with a 52-13 record, but it was punctuated with a national championship as MCC, which entered the NJCAA event as the No. 1-ranked team in the nation. stormed to the title in thrilling fashion.
And, along the way, he won his 700th game improving his mark to 716-456, and was named ACCAC Coach of the Year for the third time.
His right-hand man, Recruiting Coordinator and assistant coach Doug Rose has been on board since 1998. Sean Kenney, and Tom Novak serve as Cirelli’s additional assistants.
Originally from New York City, Coach Cirelli attended Mesa Community College and Arizona State University and has a Master’s degree in Education. Cirelli was a third baseman as a player and joined the MCC staff as infield coach in 1985. He was named head coach in 1995 and now holds the record for most wins in the history of Mesa Community College Baseball.
Over the past 29 years, Mesa has been in the playoffs 24 times with four NJCAA World Series appearances. His 2006 squad finished with a record of 44-21 and a #1 national ranking.
Cirelli was named American Baseball Coaches Association Southwest Region Coach of the Year in NJCAA Division II in 2004, 2005 and again in 2006.
In the past 19 years, 45 MCC players have been drafted by Major League Baseball teams or played professionally. Of those 45 players, only five had been drafted prior to coming to Mesa. Most recently, Brian Broderick made his Major League debut with the Washington Nationals in 2011.
“We take pride in helping a good high school player develop his game so he becomes a draftable player.