Stetson University Head Baseball Coach Steve Trimper

Trimper amassed an outstanding 309-292-2 record at UMaine over 11 seasons and twice led his teams to America East Tournament titles. Since taking his talents to Stetson, Trimper has taken their team all the way to ASUN Championship and achieved national recognition.

His book details the principles for developing an authentic leadership culture in any environment, and this weekend in Bangor he is holding a book signing event to showcase it.

Early Life and Education

Stetson University’s new baseball coach brings with him an abundance of experience both on and off the field. While coaching at University of Maine (UMaine), he amassed an outstanding 309-292-2 record and led them to two America East titles and an NCAA tournament appearance.

Trimper played baseball at Eastern Connecticut State, being part of their 1990 Division III National Championship team. Following graduation he worked as a graduate assistant at University of Vermont.

After meeting successful businesspeople and reading books about leadership, Bob Walsh realized that many of the principles underlying successful culture building and work environments resembled those found within winning baseball programs. As such, he published his book called Walk Off Winning to share this insight. On this week’s edition of Dynamic Leadership Podcast with Bob Walsh he discusses this book further and more!

Professional Career

Trimper won a Division 3 national championship while playing college baseball himself before moving on to coach at Manhattan College and University of Vermont before making his way to Stetson last spring – where his Hatters played in the Atlantic Sun Conference and came within two victories of qualifying for College World Series last season.

He quickly established himself as an effective force, raising funds for the Dugout Club and overseeing construction of the new Carlton Family Team Room. Under his guidance, the program advanced from No. 10-13 in five different national polls in 2018, winning 48-13 games overall and ranking 13th nationally.

Trimper has mentored many outstanding baseball players, but only a select few possess “a specific makeup.” He believes he may have found one in junior righthander Logan Gilbert.

Achievement and Honors

Trimper’s team is off to an outstanding start this season, currently holding 13th spot in the latest NJCAA poll.

Florida native and Eastern Connecticut State graduate Chris Long has an abundance of coaching experience. After his time as an assistant coach at Wentworth and Vermont, Long was given his own head coaching job at Manhattan in 1999 and amassed a 172-174-2 record during seven seasons there.

Trimper led the Black Bears to two NCAA Regionals. Additionally, nine players under his coaching were drafted by MLB clubs. In his speech at the Bangor World Series opening ceremony, Trimper stressed the significance of every player and coach earning their place at tournament while dispelling myths surrounding baseball as being superstitious or dependent upon luck.

Personal Life

Trimper began his coaching career after playing Division 3 baseball for Eastern Connecticut State University, coaching at Kittatinny Regional High School and Wentworth Institute of Technology before landing his first head coaching position at Manhattan College.

He led the program for 11 seasons and amassed an overall record of 309-292-2 during that span. Nine of those years saw them qualify for America East tournament competition while twice they advanced to an NCAA regional.

Trimper has gone on to mentor several professional baseball players since leaving Maine, such as Corey Kluber of the Cleveland Indians and Jacob deGrom of the New York Mets. Additionally, he presently coaches Stetson University’s ASUN champions located in DeLand Florida with 48-11 record and top ranking nationally.

Net Worth

Trimper has made quite an impression since taking over the Stetson baseball program five years ago. He has engaged in community service activities and fundraising activities on behalf of the program, such as hosting an annual Hometown Foundation Dream Ride Experience where Stetson players join members from Volusia Miracle League riding classic cars alongside Special Olympians.

Trimper’s success as a coach led him to write “Walk Off Winning,” not only as an inspirational leadership guide but as well as drawing upon his experiences as a coach and the people he met along the way, but also using knowledge gained in physical education and business management from Eastern Connecticut State University education. Linda Pellegrino survives him along with Ally and Morgan Trimper.