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Paul Saikia |
Head Coach psaikia@ycp.edu (717) 815-1245 |
Paul Saikia enters his 23rd year as head
baseball coach at York College of Pennsylvania. He has elevated the
Spartan program to one of the most respected in the region, if not
the nation.
Saikia has led his Spartans to three Capital
Athletic Conference championships during his tenure at York.
The Spartans have also made eight NCAA Tournament appearances under
the guidance of Saikia.
In 1991, the Spartans won the Capital Athletic
Conference championship and made their first trip to the NCAA in
eight years. As the number one seed in the Mid-Atlantic region,
York finished the campaign with a then school record 28 wins in 39
games.
Saikia’s 1992 squad earned another trip to
the NCAA tournament with a 27 win season while the skipper earned
Capital Athletic Conference Coach-of-the-Year honors.
After a two-year absence, the Spartans returned
to the NCAA Tournament in both 1995 and 1996. The 1996 season also
included York’s second Capital Athletic Conference
championship and Saikia’s second Coach-of-the-Year selection.
The Spartans captured their third CAC championship in 1999 and
Saikia earned his third conference Coach-of-the-Year award.
The 2002 season saw the Spartans reach new
heights as they recorded a school-record 34 wins en route to a
second-place finish in the Winston-Salem Regional. The Spartans
finished the campaign ranked 16th in the nation, the highest finish
ever for a Spartan squad. The Spartans made their sixth NCAA
Tournament appearance under Saikia’s guidance in 2004.
Saikia picked up his 400th career win on March
7, 2006, when the Spartans defeated Dickinson College 14-1. He now
owns a career record of 448-333-4.
In 2007, the Spartans made another
NCAA?Tournament appearance as the green and white accumulated 32
wins for the season.
After a subpar 2008 campaign, the Spartans
rebounded with a 28-win campaign which earned them an eighth trip
to the NCAA?Tournament.
Saikia, his assistants, and his players continue
to put a wealth of energy into York’s well-respected program.
An obvious area of attention is the Spartans’ home, Jaquet
Field, which was renovated after the 2001 season, making it one of
the finest facilities on the East Coast.
Saikia is a native of Chicago, Illinois. In
1985, he graduated from Southern Illinois University where he
earned his bachelor of arts degree while pitching for the
“Salukis” on a baseball scholarship.
Saikia also serves as an associate athletic
director at YCP, a position he assumed in July of 2001.
Saikia resides in York with his wife, Kandi.
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Mike Scappa |
Asst. Baseball Coach mscappa@ycp.edu |
Mike Scappa enters his 13th season as an
assistant coach and his 17th as a part of the York College Spartan
baseball program. Scappa was a four-year starter as a
switch-hitting catcher from 1995-1998. Scappa coaches first base
while working closely with the team’s hitters and
catchers.
Scappa has accumulated a wealth of baseball
knowledge during his playing career that included high school
baseball at tradition-filled Gloucester Catholic High School in
southern New Jersey. He played summer ball for the Brooklawn
American Legion that is perennially considered one of the best in
the nation.
While wearing the Green and White of York
College, Scappa accomplished as much as any team leader in program
history. A two-time captain of the team, Scappa hit for a career
average of .305 and was twice named to the All-CAC?squad. He made
two trips to the NCAA?Tournament and won one CAC?championship.
Scappa graduated from York College in 1998 with
his bachelor’s degree in history. He earned his
master’s degree in educational leadership from York College
in 2007. Scappa resides in York with his wife, Heather, and their
son, Carter.
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Dave Ellis |
Asst. Baseball Coach |
Dave Ellis returns to the Spartan program as
he joins the coaching staff after a stellar four year career.
Ellis’ name is all over the Spartan record book after
pitching for the Green and White. He ranks second all time in
career wins (25), fifth in appearances (46), third in strikeouts
(173), and second in innings pitched (253.2). He also ranks among
single season leaders as he twice won eight games in a season,
matching the third best season all-time. He also threw one of
York’s nine no-hitters as he completed the feat on May 10,
2003, at Pitt-Bradford. Ellis struck out nine in his gem.
Ellis brings a determined work ethic to the
Spartan staff. He will be responsible for working with the pitching
staff, aiding in recruiting and managing all aspects of the
Spartans’ strength and conditioning efforts.
Ellis is a certified strength and conditioning
professional as he holds an ISSA?certification.
He resides in York.