| | The 2005-2006 season will mark Muscat's 7th year as head coach of the Spartans. In 2000 Muscat took a 10-17 team and over the last six years, not only directed the program's transition from the NAIA to the NCAA DII ranks, but made the Spartans one of the top teams in the NYCAC Conference. The '02, '03, & '04 teams had regular season finishes of 5th, 3rd, & 4th respectively, a far cry from the dead last finish in the Spartans first year of DII competition. After a rude introduction in their probationary NYCAC season (2001)which saw the Spartans go 2-20, Muscat has guided STAC to a .500+ record in conference games over their first four years in the NYCAC (42-41)and making post-season appearances in '03 & '04 (one of only three NYCAC teams to accomplish this). The 2005 team missed the post-season due to a tie-breaker. In 2003 he assembled a powerful offensive team and guided them to a 24-16 record and a trip to the conference championship. A .331 team batting average and a scoring clip of 8.4 runs per game were both nationally ranked marks. The post-season continued as STAC was the #1 seed in the ECAC Tournament, but finished 3rd. At the conclusion of the season Muscat was honored as the 2003 NYCAC Coach of the Year.
During Coach Muscat's time at STAC several players have enjoyed tremendous success. Brian Flynn (criminal justice '02) received All-Conference honors and was subsequently drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals (current STAC pitching coach). Mike Clohessy, a Rockland County native, transferred to STAC and received All-American honors as a first baseman, driving in a nation-leading 75 runs in 41 games. He too signed a professional contract, playing in the Independent Southeastern League. Most recently, outfielder Mike Sharpe concluded his four-year career at STAC, collecting nearly 200 hits and subsequently being drafted by the N.Y. Mets. The mark of a good coach is being able to bring out the best from his players. That certainly has been the case for Muscat in his short time at STAC.
Before assuming his coaching duties Muscat learned his trade as a player at UNC Charlotte, where he set the single game strikeout record of 16 Ks and hit .300 with 300 at bats as an outfielder. Drafted in the 18th round of the 1989 draft, he pitched two years for the Milwaukee Brewers Minor League teams until a second shoulder surgery cut short his career.
Outside of STAC Muscat has remained active. Over the past six years he has served as a recruiter and instructor of the five-time Rockland County Champion, 2004 N.J. State Champion, and the 2005 NJABL Champion, Nyack Indians of the New Jersey Amateur Baseball League(wood bat). Nyack is ranked as one of the top 50 Stan Musial teams nationally. Over the winter he runs the Spartan Baseball Academy, conducting indoor clinics at STAC's gym. This summer Muscat will assume an administrative position with the N.Y. Generals of the ACBL and work as an instructor at the N.Y. Mets Baseball Academy.
Born in California and raised in Greensboro, N.C., Muscat received his B.A. in Economics from UNC Charlotte ('91) and his Masters in Secondary Education from St. Thomas Aquinas ('02). He also works as a history teacher at Tappan Zee H.S. in Orangeburg, N.Y. Coach Muscat, his wife, former Kelly Adamson, 3 yr. old son Tyler, and 1 yr. old son Cameron reside in Garnerville, N.Y.
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