Michael Coombs To Return As 2025 Head Coach
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Chuck Paiva
April 10, 2025
General Manager
401-845-6832//operations@newportgulls.com
NEWPORT, RI- The Gulls are thrilled to announce that Five-Time NECBL Champion and Newport Gulls Hall of Famer Mike Coombs (2024) is returning as the team’s manager for the 2025 season! Coombs, a name synonymous with the Newport Gulls, managed the team from 2005 to 2015, 2018, and 2024. Coach Coombs led the Newport Gulls to another NECBL Title in 2024 and secured back-to-back championships, a feat the Gulls last accomplished in 2001 and 2002. With Coach Coombs back in saddle for 2025, the Gulls look to raise the bar once again, with all eyes on a three-peat.
Mike Coombs began his playing career as a catcher and outfielder for Seminole Community College in the Shenandoah Valley Collegiate League. A few years later, Coach Coombs established himself as a star catcher for Florida Southern College from 1972-1974. The Florida native then went on to play professionally within the Detroit Tigers organization. Coombs has coached at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels, including serving as a pitching coach with the University of South Florida and the Milwaukee Brewers organization. He returned to his alma mater to coach in 1979 and helped bring home two National Championships in 1981 and 1985. The Moccasins qualified for seven straight DII World Series while Coombs was there.
In his first season with Newport, Coach Coombs took over as field manager just four games into the 2005 season, and the rest is history. He owns a career regular season record of 335-169, ( a .665 winning percentage) and guided the Gulls to five (5) NECBL titles (2005, 2009, 2012, 2014 and 2024) during his tenure. Under Coach Coombs, the Newport Gulls became the winningest franchise in league history, and in 2012 were ranked as the overall No. 1 summer collegiate team nationally by Perfect Game USA. Coombs also owns a 50-18 all-time postseason record (a .735 winning percentage), giving him an NECBL-best 385-187 overall win-loss record as manager, a .673 winning percentage through 572 games.
In addition to the five titles, Coach Coombs guided the franchise to eight regular season division championships, and eight division championships during his tenure. He managed eight NECBL All-Star Games and received NECBL Head Coach of the Year honors in both 2006 and 2009.
Gulls Vice President Chris Patsos played for Coombs while at Florida Southern. When asked about Coach Coombs, Patsos comments; “He expects a lot from his kids, and always gets the most out of them. He did during my playing days and always did throughout his time with the Gulls. This will continue to be the standard.”
Coach Coombs is eager to return to Newport, noting; “It’s always a great opportunity to be back with the Newport Gulls Organization. I am looking forward to working with everyone in Newport and putting together a great season for the fans. I would like to give a special shoutout to Chuck Paiva and Chris Patsos who have allowed me to be part of the magic once again. Let’s create some memories.”
The Gulls open their season on the road Tuesday, June 3rd against the Valley Blue Sox. The Home Opener will be Wednesday, June 4th as Newport welcomes the Vermont Mountaineers to raise the 2025 Championship banner and start the chase of a three-peat.
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The Newport Gulls, members of the 13-team New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL), are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, founded as the Rhode Island Gulls in 1998 in Cranston, R.I., before moving to Newport in 2001. In addition to recruiting, fielding, and developing a team of the nation’s top collegiate baseball athletes and attracting 50,000 fans annually to Cardines Field, the predominantly volunteer organization strives to benefit the community via summer camps, reading programs, fundraisers, scholarships, and charitable donations – totaling over $1 million since 2001. The Gulls are eight-time champions of the NECBL – the winningest franchise in league history – and were ranked as the overall No. 1 summer collegiate baseball team in the country by Perfect Game USA in 2012.
For more information about the Newport Gulls, visit facebook.com/newportgulls, follow the Gulls on Twitter @NewportGulls or visit www.newportgulls.com.
