WARREN, Mich. (November 5, 2021) -- De La Salle Collegiate Athletic Director Dan Rohn announced this week the hiring of John Musachio as the new varsity head baseball coach for the Pilots. 

Musachio recently served as head coach for the Oakland University men’s baseball team from 2007-16. He was the winningest coach in OU’s 44-year history. During his tenure, 50-plus individual and team performance records were broken, and 20 of Musachio’s players have gone on to sign pro baseball contracts. 

“I am thrilled and honored to be part of a community with a rich history and tradition of excellence on and off the field,” said Musachio. “I am looking forward to working with these young men, to help them achieve their goals and pursue excellence.”

Although new to De La Salle, Coach “Moose” is no stranger to the values of Lasallian education, having graduated from St. Joseph High School, a Christian Brothers’ school in Westchester, Ill., a suburb of Chicago. 

“In high school, I was taught hard and coached hard,” Musachio remarked. “It was the best experience of my life. I am looking forward to getting back to teaching fundamentals, building these young men and making a positive impact on their lives.”  

“Coach Moose is an ideal candidate,” said Rohn. “He is no stranger to the expectations we have for student-athletes here at De La Salle. He is dedicated, not only to achieving success on the diamond but more importantly, in the classroom and the community.” 

Musachio maintained a 100 percent graduation rate for his players during his nine years as head coach of the Golden Grizzlies, with 115 players named Academic All-League. He is most proud of two players who received the prestigious OU Wilson Award, honoring the top male and female senior athletes who contributed as scholars, leaders and responsible citizens. Twice, his teams were also honored with the Community Service Excellence Award. 

Currently, Coach “Moose” is the founder and managing partner of Moose Athletics, LLC, a baseball and softball skill development program. The Moose Athletics Indoor Complex offers 3,600 square feet of unobstructed turf space, housing batting cages, portable pitching mounds and a guest viewing area. 

Musachio graduated from Bradley University in 1996, where he pitched and played outfield. He also competed as a minor league pitcher for the Chicago White Sox Class A affiliate, the Hickory Crawdads, from 1997-98. 

Musachio currently lives in Rochester with his wife Laura, and he has three children: Bella, Sienna and Luca.

Kelly Joins Staff 

Longtime head baseball coach and former De La Salle athletic director Brian Kelly will be joining Musachio’s staff as the assistant head coach. Additionally, he will assist in player and coach development at all three levels.

“Coach Kelly brings great experience, tremendous baseball knowledge and he understands the rich baseball tradition of De La Salle,” said Rohn. “I am excited to watch and work with Coach Kelly and Coach Musachio, as we continue to build our athletic department and enhance the opportunities for our student-athletes.”  

Kelly, who served as a varsity assistant last season, amassed over 600 wins in his 26 seasons as the Pilots’ skipper, including capturing three state titles: 1993, 2000 and 2009. Kelly has also been selected to five different Hall of Fames. 

There will be a coach meet-and-greet for baseball players and parents only on Wednesday, Nov. 10, at 5:50 p.m., inside the school TARMAC. At 6:30 p.m., there will be an alumni baseball meeting in the cafeteria to meet the new baseball coach.  

Any questions can be directed to DLS Athletic Director Dan Rohn at drohn@delasallehs.com.