Mumma Named New head coach at UMBC

While I will congratulate Coach Mumma, is this a step towards improving this program? I have no idea of what the school's goals are for their baseball program, but this program has languished - for years, it seems - in a middle-fiddle conference.

Again, best wishes to Coach Mumma on stepping up to the head job, but this program doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Maybe, now it will.

Coach Mumma is a great guy and a good baseball man, but my feelings are the same as baseballguy. Promotion from within at the D1 level is a great idea when the program is successful. When the program is floundering, wouldn't it make sense to look outside the program for a coach with a new direction? I am sure Coach Mumma will be a great fit, I just question the logic of the UMBC brass in making this decision. Did they just take the easy way out?

I tend to agree that Coach Mumma is a great guy, as was Coach Jancuska. However this does appear to be a lateral move by the Athletic Dept and maintains the status quo.

Some of you guys seem to have forgotten Mumma was an All American catcher drafted out of UMBC. He's a great fit, and understands how to win at a high level. Give him some time and watch a program develop. By the way American East baseball is more competitive than some of you seem to know. I've watched numerous big time conferences. American East has some very good pitchers that can be competive in many conferences. Don't think umbc can say that yet, but just sit back and just watch.

America East was 28th among 32 Division I conferences in RPI this year. UMBC finished in last place with a 2-20 conference record.

It's a beautiful thing when the leaders of an school have the personal loyalty to groom their all time home run leader to become the eventual head coach. Says a lot about the value they place on long-term relationships and continuity. It also tells potential players about the sense of community within the program.

However, hiring from within also says the institution feels no particular urgency about upgrading their competitive standing.

If the "new" coach is going to turn things around, it looks like he'll have to do it on his own.

Absolutely. Mumma will have to make it happen, and how much support he gets from the Administration remains to be seen. There's some decent incoming talent, like Tucker Tobin, a Chesapeake College grad and top hitter for Big Train (crcbl) this summer. Some new arms coming in, too. We'll see. There's much to be said about umbc academics, but it's very clear Mumma intends to play to win. There's a very strong emphasis in the student-athlete suceeding at umbc, and it's safe to say that many top players would find the academic commitment very challenging. One day at a time for Coach Mumma, and we wish him the best.

I agree time will tell if Bob can turn the program around, and recruiting good players is the start of that. The program has had quite a few good players over the years that gave the program a chance to be more competitive than the records have shown. My concern is that Bob sat under John for so long, it's hard for me to believe that some of the same things John did as a coach won't be the same things Bob will do. If Bob was in the assistant position for a couple of years and took over, that would be one thing but the fact that he was there as long as he was is reason for concern. Otherwise he would have left like many other assistants have over the years. Also it is my understanding that John is still going to be around he's just not going to be the head coach any longer, so it also remains to be seen how much input he will still has in the program. I truely wish Bob the best of luck and hope that he is able to turn the program around. I like John as a person off the field, but felt that his long tenure in that position found him lacking the drive that is needed to make the program competitive. They also unfortunately have one other issue in that I'm not sure Dr. Brown is willing to sacrafice other sports that are the mainstays of the university in order to right the ship. Here's hoping UMBC athletic dept. and Bob can bring back the repect the program so desperately needs. Go Retrievers !!!!!!