Russell Sage College’s Department of Athletics announced the selection of Nick Pontari (Troy, NY/Troy) as the first head coach for the newly added baseball team in the summer of 2020. Pontari, a 2016 graduate of Brockport State, joined the Gator staff after serving the  previous season as an assistant coach on the Cornell University baseball this past year.

In addition to his role with baseball, Pontari also serves as assistant athletic director and is the interim field hockey coach.

Russell Sage College, an NCAA Division III institution, competes as a member of the Empire 8 conference and has commenced varsity baseball during the 2021-2022 academic year. The Gator baseball team has opened their first varsity campaign in the spring of 2022.  Pontari recorded his first career win on March 11, 2022 as the Gators beat Gordon University. Sage hosted MCLA in the program's first-ever home games on March 26, 2022 at Joe Bruno Stadium.

"Growing up in the 518, specifically Troy, NY, and having the opportunity to come home and find student-athletes, who can become involved and make a positive impact on the community I grew up in is a dream come true,” added Pontari. “The opportunity to bring kids to Russell Sage College for our inaugural season, and compete for an Empire 8 Championship right away will be an experience our program will never forget."

Pontari arrived at Russell Sage after one season as a volunteer assistant coach with the Cornell University baseball team. While the Big Red's 2020 season was truncated to nine games because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pontari played a big role in preparation for the season after his appointment to the position during the previous fall.

Prior to his time at Cornell, he served four seasons as a member of the coaching staff at his alma mater, The College at Brockport. He was promoted to Associate Head Coach of the Golden Eagles for the 2019 seasons, having served the previous three years as an assistant coach. At the time of his move to Cornell, he had taken over daily operations of Brockport’s pitching staff. He also held roles in assisting with recruiting operations and working with the team’s catchers.

Pontari has a bachelor’s of science in physical education from Brockport in 2016, having transferred to the school from Fulton-Montgomery Community College via Hudson Valley Community College. In his senior season at Brockport, Pontari led the pitching staff with 15 appearances as a reliever, which tied him for seventh all-time in single-season appearances in the Golden Eagles record book. A senior captain of the 2015 squad, he compiled 16 strikeouts, while allowing only three walks in 19.1 innings of work and had a pair of saves to his credit. He had previously helped Hudson Valley Community College advance to the regional finals.  Scholastically, his 2009 American Legion team won the New York State Championship and he was a First Team All-Big Ten player as a senior at Troy High School. An accomplished student-athlete, Pontari also earned a Masters of Education degree from Brockport in May of 2018 and was a member of the faculty at Brockport State, responsible for teaching as a member of the Kinesiology, Physical Education, Sport Management Department for the Golden Eagles as well in 2019.

Active in his community, Pontari has also volunteered at the Empire State Games for the Physically Challenged, while also attending and presenting at the NYS AHPERD Conferences. He also volunteered for the Golden Eagles’  “Swim and Gym” programs assisting children with special needs, as well as participating with the Blindfolded Gymnastics Events for awareness for children with visual impairments, during his time as a student-athlete.