Vandemark named assistant baseball coach

DEFIANCE, Ohio – Josh Vandemark was recently named an assistant baseball coach at Defiance College. Vandemark will work primarily with the pitchers under head coach Derek Woodley.

"I was interested in the position at Defiance because it has always been a goal of mine to coach," Vandemark said. "Growing up in the area, when I got into coaching I wanted to be here. I am very excited to work with Coach Woodley.

"I am looking forward to working with the players and the DC community, and am very excited to bring the knowledge I've learned over the years. There is something special at the corner of Stadium and Webster, and my family and I are very excited to be a part of it."

Vandemark spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach at Lourdes University, an NAIA member in Sylvania, Ohio. After one year as a volunteer assistant, he was elevated to a full-time role in the summer of 2018 and served as the program's pitching coach.

From 2013-16, Vandemark worked with Michigan Bulls Baseball, where he coached and served as a pitching instructor for players in the 14-16 age range. He also was the head coach at Edon (Ohio) High School for one season, leading the squad to a share of the 2015 Buckeye Border Conference championship.

In 2013, Vandemark pitched professionally for the White Sands Pupfish of the independent Pecos League. The following year, he played with the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings in the independent United League Baseball.

Vandemark concluded his collegiate playing career with two campaigns at NAIA Madonna University in 2012-13. In his final season, he posted a 6-1 record and 3.93 earned run average with two complete games, one shutout and a save as Madonna claimed the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference regular-season title. Before earning Honorable Mention All-WHAC honors as a senior, Vandemark went 5-1 with a 3.24 ERA and pair of complete games in 2012. During his time at MU, the squad registered a 72-32 overall record.

Before moving on to a four-year institution, Vandemark was a member of the pitching staffs at Lakeland Community College (2010) and Glen Oaks Community College (2011). At Glen Oaks, he was named a National Junior College Athletic Association Division II First Team All-American after going 8-3 with a 2.25 ERA, striking out 63 with only 16 walks and 53 hits allowed over 68 innings.   

After receiving an associate's degree from GOCC in 2011 and playing pro baseball, Vandemark received his Bachelor of Science in sport management at Madonna in 2018.

A native of nearby Hicksville, Ohio, Vandemark graduated from Hicksville High School, where he was a standout baseball and basketball player who also competed in golf.