Wayne King
Head Coach
Email: wking@jjc.edu
The 2011 JJC baseball squad (41-23) made its 10th appearance at the NJCAA Division III national tournament for the Wolves since 1992. With 40 wins last season, the 2011 squad was the 6th team to get 40 wins in a season.
In 2012, the Wolves look forward to continuing their stop in Tyler, Texas, the host for the Division III tournament. "We have some good players that might blend together," said Coach King.
In September of 2009, the JJC Board of Trustees named the Joliet Junior College baseball field, Wayne L. King, Jr. Field. King has led his teams to ten trips at the NJCAA Division III World Series including two national championships (1994, 2008), two national runner-up finishes (1995, 2007), and two third place finishes (1997, 2006).
A graduate of Ohio University, King earned four varsity letters in baseball playing for the Bobcats. While earning his bachelor's and master's degrees from O.U., Wayne spent six years as the Bobcats assistant baseball coach for then head coach Jerry France.
King attended Beaver Local High School in East Liverpool, OH where he earned ten varsity letters in football, basketball, and baseball. Wayne was inducted into the Beaver Local High School Hall of Fame in August of 2008.
As a member of the 2009 NJCAA Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame, Coach King begins his 26th season with the Wolves. He also serves as JJC's Director of Athletics.
Wayne and his wife Janine have been married for 30 years in June. Janine is a registered nurse who works for the Will County Medical Group.
"Janine is a wonderful wife and gives me all the support I could ask for," King said.
Wayne and Janine have two children; Stacey is an elementary school teacher in Zanesville, OH, and son Kelsey is a computer specialist for Google in Council Bluffs, IA. The King's have two grandchildren, Melaney and MaKenna.
On January 27, 2012 over 210 alumni, parents, and friends of the program came out to celebrate 25 years of JJC Baseball.
"It was a great night, to see ex-players and parents from the past 25 years I have spent here at JJC," stated King.
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Gregg Braun
Associate Head Coach
Email: gbraun@jjc.edu
The 2012 season will be Gregg Braun's fourth season at Joliet Junior College as the Associate Head Baseball Coach. He is in charge of the JJC Wolves catchers.
During his first year, he helped lead the Wolves to a fourth-place finish at the NJCAA Division III World Series. The team finished with a 41-16 overall record. In 2010, the Wolves finished with a 35-24 record. In 2011, the Wolves were back at the World Series with a sixth-place finish and a 40-23 overall record.
He spent the 2007 and 2008 baseball seasons as the assistant varsity baseball coach at his alma mater, Providence Catholic High School in New Lenox, IL where he coached under former long time JJC assistant baseball coach, Mark Smith. Gregg also coached football at Providence, coaching the secondary on the sophomore level. Prior to coaching at Providence, he spent one year at Romeoville High School as an assistant varsity baseball coach and a year at Lemont High School where he was a freshman assistant coach.
Gregg attended Providence Catholic High School, where he was an all-area catcher on the baseball field and played free safety on the gridiron for the Celtics. Gregg helped lead the Celtics in football to the final two of four straight IHSA State Championships in 1996 and 1997. He then continued his football career at Butler University in Indianapolis, IN. Gregg lettered for the Bulldogs in 2000 and 2001, playing free safety for them as well. He earned his bachelor of science degree with a major in telecommunication arts and a minor in journalism. Gregg is currently working on his master's degree in sports leadership from Northeastern University in Boston, MA.
Gregg has worked in the Admissions office as a recruitment specialist. He now has transitioned to be the student-athlete retention specialist in the Athletic Department.
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Mark Marino
Assistant Coach
The 2012 season will be Mark's fifth year as an assistant coach for Joliet Junior College baseball. He works primarily with the outfielders.
Mark has helped guide the 2008, 2009, and 2011 teams to the NJCAA Division III World Series where they won the National Championship in 2008 and placed fourth in 2009 and sixth in 2011. In 2008, he coached 1st team All-American and NJCAA/ABCA Division III Player of the Year Brandon Howard. The Wolves have won Region IV titles in 2008, 2009, and 2011 along with N4C conference championships in 2008, 2009, and 2010 and have a 165-84 overall record since Coach Marino has joined the coaching staff. He has helped produce four N4C all-conference players and seven Region IV all-region players and two All-Americans.
Mark spent four years as an assistant coach at the College of DuPage where he worked with the outfielders, handled recruitment responsibilities, provided assistance to student-athletes with their four-year college/university selection and placement, and handled scouting duties as well as other game preparatory work.
Mark is a graduate of Aurora University where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in physical education. He plans to complete his Masters of Education degree in athletic administration.
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Shaun Thomas
Assistant Coach
Shaun Thomas will begin his second season on the Joliet Junior College baseball staff in 2012. He will assist with the infielders.
Thomas assisted in the 6th place finish at the NJCAA Division III World Series for the 2011 season.
Shaun was a member of the 2006 and 2008 baseball teams at Joliet Junior College. In his freshman season, the Wolves finished 3rd at the NJCAA Division III World Series with a 44-21 overall record. In 2008, JJC claimed the NJCAA Division III national championship finishing with a 49-11 record.
Thomas went on to continue his baseball career at Robert Morris University.
Randall Rivera
Assistant Coach
The 2012 season will be Randall Rivera's second for the Wolves. He will assist with the catching staff.
In Coach Rivera's first season in 2011, he helped guide the team to 6th place at the NJCAA Division III World Series.
Randall played for Coach King during the 2009 and 2010 seasons. During his freshman season, the Wolves finished 4th at the NJCAA Division III World Series in Tyler, Texas.
Rivera is employed with the JJC Campus Police Department.
Tyler Thompson
Assistant Coach
The 2012 season will be Tyler Thompson's first season as assistant coach with the Wolves.
Tyler was a member of the 2008 NJCAA Division III national championship team that finished with a 49-11 overall record. Thompson was lucky enough to take part in a second trip to the World Series with a 4th place finish in 2009.
After JJC, Tyler continued his playing career at Robert Morris University.
Thomas Alessio
Assistant Coach
Thomas Alessio begins his inaugural season on the JJC baseball coaching staff in 2012.
Thomas pitched for Coach King and the Wolves during the 2007 and 2008 seasons. The Wolves were the national runners-up in 2007 and the NJCAA Division III national champions in 2008.
Thomas continued his baseball career at Briar Cliff University after JJC.