Eric Podbelski - Baseball Coach - Brown University Athletics

Eric Podbelski

Title:
Associate Head Coach
Email:
baseball@brown.edu
Joined Brown:
July 2025
Alma Mater:
Brandeis '91

Eric Podbelski is in his second season as the associate head coach of the Bears’ in 2027. With nearly three decades of collegiate head coaching experience under his belt, Podbelski came to College Hill in July 2025 to join Frank Holbrook’s staff, who was one of his former players at Wheaton.

In his first season as Brown’s associate head coach in 2026, Podbelski and his fellow coaches were named the Ivy League Coaching Staff of the Year after leading the Bears to the finals of the Ivy League Tournament. Brown's 23 wins were more than the two previous seasons combined, and the team earned eight All-Ivy selections, tied for the second-most in program history. Podbelski coached outfielder Mika Petersen to Ivy League Player of the Year honors and also saw pitcher Ryan Oshinskie selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the sixth round (192nd overall) of the MLB Draft. Overall, in 2026 the Bears team batting average increased by 25 points from 2025, along with scoring 1.53 more runs per game and seeing the team ERA drop by 2.79 runs from the season prior to his arrival.

Podbelski served as the head coach at Wheaton for the first 28 years of the program’s existence, starting with its inaugural season in 1998. During his tenure, he posted an 817-342-5 overall record, the 15th-most wins among active Division III coaches as of 2025, while his .704 winning percentage was seventh-best among active coaches. The Lyons also never had a losing season during that time, qualifying for all 25 NEWMAC postseason Tournaments, three 40+ win seasons and 14 campaigns with at least 30 victories.

A model of consistency and excellence in his 28 seasons, Podbelski’s squads captured at least a share of 21 NEWMAC regular season titles, 17 tournament championships, made 18 NCAA Tournaments, and four trips to the Division III College World Series, including a pair of national runner-up finishes in 2006 and 2012. Wheaton earned at least a share of the NEWMAC regular season crown 17 years in a row, with Podbelski earning 12 NEWMAC Coach of the Year/Staff of the Year honors, six NEIBA Coach of the Year honors, and was selected as the regional coach of the year five times.

Podbelski coached 114 All-NEWMAC selections, as well as 132 all-region honorees and 21 All-Americans. Sixteen of his players were also named NEWMAC Players of the Year. Nine of his former players went on to sign professionally, including MLB veteran Chris Denorfia.

Podbelski graduated from Brandeis in 1991 where he finished among the school’s career leaders in wins with 23. He played one summer in the Cape Cod League with the Falmouth Commodores.

HEAD COACHING RECORDS