Scott Loiseau was named the sixth head coach in SNHU baseball history on June 18, 2008. He returned to that post in June, 2015 after departing in January of that year for a stint as an assistant coach at the University of Oklahoma.
During Loiseau's tenure, the Penmen have been transformed into one of the top programs in the region and the country. Through 2022, he owns a 436-196-2 (.689) career record, including a 379-123 (.755) mark from 2012-22. Southern New Hampshire has qualified for the NCAA tournament in each of the past ten seasons, including NCAA Division II College World Series appearances in Cary, N.C., in both 2012, 2018, 2021 and 2022. He is a five-time Northeast-10 Coach of the Year (2014, 2016, 2017, 2021, 2022), three-time NCBWA East Region Coach of the Year (2014, 2016, 2017), five-time NEIBA Coach of the Year (2012, 2016, 2017, 2021, 2022) and one-time ABCA East Region Coach of the Year (2012).
The 2022 team advanced to the NCAA College World Series for a second consecutive season, setting season records for most home runs (82), doubles (131), hits (619) and RBI (419). The .313 team batting was the highest for the program since 1998, and highest under Coach Loiseau. SNHU won the Northeast-10 Championship after winning the Northeast Division for a fifth consecutive season, and NCAA East Regional (winning the East Super-Regional for the second straight year in three games over Molloy). The Penmen had three-run leads in both games at the College World Series but fell to Angelo State (Tx.) and West Chester. SNHU finished with 46 wins, second all-time, despite playing all but five games away from Penmen Field due to surface issues.
The Penmen bounced back from the Covid-shortened 2020 season by going 28-9 in 2021. The regular season schedule was limited to four-game series against other Northeast-10 Northeast Division rivals. Southern New Hampshire went 19-5 in those games, including 13 consecutive wins to start the campaign. The Penmen won the Northeast-10 Championship and followed that up with a win in the NCAA East Regional, taking two of three games from Molloy at Franklin Pierce to earn the trip to Cary, N.C. At the College World Series, the Penmen dropped a pair of one-run games to Seton Hill and Wingate.
SNHU’s 2020 season was cut short by the pandemic after recording a 12-4 start. The Penmen had won 12 of 13 games after opening the season with three losses at #2 Colorado Mesa.
In 2019, Coach Loiseau led the Penmen to a 40-15 record, including 22-6 in the Northeast-10 Conference and a third consecutive Northeast Division championship. The Penmen dropped the Northeast-10 Championship opened to Franklin Pierce, but received an invitation to the NCAA tournament, and played host to the East-2 Regional at Penmen Field. SNHU put together back-to-back wins over LIU Post to claim the Regional, and hosted NYIT in the Super Regional. The Penmen were unable to rally in dropping two games to the Bears to end the season.
The 2018 team began the season 10-9, but went 23-4 to end the regular season and clinch its second straight division crown. After being bounced in the semifinal round of the Northeast-10 Championship, the Penmen caught fire, going a perfect 4-for-4 in the regional, as they outscored their opponents, 28-4, before winning a pair of games in the World Series for the first time in program history to reach the National Semifinals. The team finished 41-17 and advanced the furthest it ever had.
The Penmen finished 43-11 in 2017, earning their first outright NE10 regular-season title by winning the Northeast Division. The team fell in the semifinals of the NE10 Championship and then reached the East Region final for the second straight year, but came up short against St. Thomas Aquinas.
Loiseau and the Penmen posted the best season in program history in 2016, finishing with an overall record of 50-7, after the team reeled off a program-best 19 straight wins from March 31-April 24. The squad set a new program record for victories, surpassing the 43 wins by the 2012 team that advanced to the College World Series. Loiseau steered the Penmen to their second Northeast-10 championship and their fifth straight NCAA Championship appearance at the East Regional. After dropping the opener, the Penmen staved off elimination five straight times over four days to force a winner-take-all game two in the final before falling, 6-3, to Franklin Pierce University. Loiseau was named Coach of the Year by the NE10, NCBWA East Region and NEIBA.
In 2014, the Penmen finished 41-14 and captured a share of the Northeast-10 Northeast Division regular season title, as well as the NE10 tournament crown for the first time with a 4-0 run through the championship. SNHU qualified for and hosted the NCAA East Regional for the third straight season, and Loiseau was named the NCBWA East Region and Northeast-10 Coach of the Year. Eleven players were honored by the NE-10 on its All-Conference teams, including Co-Rookie of the Year Ben Criscuolo.
Southern New Hampshire finished 43-15 in 2012, shattering the single-season school record for wins. The Penmen qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history and proceeded to capture the East Region championship, prevailing 4-3 over Le Moyne in the regional final. SNHU advanced to the Division II College World Series, where it posted a 3-2 win over Minnesota State in the opening round. Loiseau was named the American Baseball Coaches Association East Region Coach of the Year following the season. Seven players were named Northeast-10 All-Conference, while junior hurler Tim Flight was the NCBWA and ABCA Division II Pitcher of the Year and the runner-up for the Tino Martinez Award, presented annually to the top player in Division II baseball.
In 2013, the Penmen finished 35-19 and qualified for and hosted the NCAA regional for the second straight year. Seven players earned NE-10 All-Conference accolades, while a trio of players were All-Region choices, with Junior Mendez and Andrew Pezzuto garnering All-America honors.
After winning just seven games the season before Loiseau's arrival, SNHU won 14 games in 2009, 18 games in 2010 and a then-single-season school record 25 games in 2011. Also in 2011, the Penmen finished 25-22, their first finish above the .500 mark since 1997.
In Loiseau's first season, 2009, the Penmen doubled their overall and Northeast-10 win total from the prior season. In addition, Southern New Hampshire swept regional power Franklin Pierce in a pair of meetings, marking the first Penmen victories over the Ravens since 2003. SNHU continued its progress under Loiseau in 2010, winning 18 games.
Eleven players have been drafted by Major League Baseball clubs since 2011. Garrett Jewell was a 31st-round selection of the Minnesota Twins in 2011, while Flight was a 17th-round pick of the New York Yankees in 2012. A program-record three players heard their name called in 2013, as Junior Mendez was taken in the 16th round by the Oakland Athletics. Alex Powers and Jon Massad were each taken in the 25th round, with Powers going to the Chicago White Sox and Massad to Oakland. Also in 2012, Zach LeBarron signed a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, while Tyler Gauthier signed a free agent deal with Tampa Bay in the summer of 2013. Riley Palmer was drafted in the 31st round by the Baltimore Orioles in 2014, with Derrick Sylvester going just eight picks later in the same round to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Three more players had their names called in 2016, as Tim Viehoff became the highest pick in school history, going 357th overall in the 12th round to the Seattle Mariners. Justin Valdespina then became the second highest pick as he went to the Colorado Rockies in the 15th round before Manny Cruz was taken by the Cincinnati Reds in the 23rd round. Jake Walkinshaw was drafted in 2019 by the Athletics in the 36th round. Several other players have gone on to play professionally in the independent baseball ranks.
Loiseau, a native of Worcester, Mass., spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Franklin Pierce prior to his arrival at SNHU, while also serving as the head coach of the Ravens' junior varsity squad. He also was an assistant coach with the program during the 2003 season. The Ravens captured NCAA Northeast Region titles and advanced to the Division II College World Series in each of those years. During Loiseau's two stints, Franklin Pierce produced three Northeast-10 Players of the Year, one Pitcher of the Year and over 30 NE-10 All-Conference selections. In addition, 12 former players that Loiseau coached have advanced to professional baseball.
In between stints in Rindge, Loiseau spent the 2004-05 season as the top assistant at Division I Holy Cross, where he worked primarily with the infielders and hitters. He also spent the 2007 season as an assistant coach with the Brewster Whitecaps of the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League. In 2007-08, Loiseau also served as the coach of the Franklin Pierce ice hockey team, which tied the school record for victories in a season while having two players named Northeast-10 All-Conference and a third named the NE-10 Co-Freshman of the Year.
Loiseau played professionally for two seasons with the Can-Am League's Worcester Tornadoes, playing under former MLB All-Star catcher Rich Gedman. He helped the Tornadoes to a Can-Am League title in 2005. A 2002 graduate of Franklin Pierce with a degree in marketing, Loiseau was a four-year starter for the Ravens and garnered NE-10 All-Conference and Rawlings All-Region honors as a senior. He ranks among the FPU career leaders in a number of categories, including runs scored (1st), hits (3rd), batting average (8th) and home runs (8th).
Loiseau resides in Hooksett with wife, Haley, and daughters, Lily, Summer, Mila and Blake.
