Park University Gilbert Director of Athletics Jeff Fore announced the hiring of South Mountain Community College Associate Head Softball Coach Brandon Telesco as the next Softball head coach of the Buccaneers on June 10, 2022. Telesco brings a proven track record of winning and development of players with him to Park Gilbert.
"I am extremely excited to have Brandon on board to lead the softball program," said Fore. "He is a rising star in the softball coaching ranks and I believe he will do great things here."
For the last three seasons, Telesco has been the associate head coach, recruiting coordinator and hitting coach for the softball program at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix, Ariz. While at SMCC, Telesco helped to turn a program which had finished last in its conference (ACCAC) prior to his arrival into a nationally ranked NJCAA program in just three seasons.
The Cougars set an all-time record for winning percentage (.735) in his second season with the program, posting a 25-9 record and then in year three the team set the program's all-time records for homeruns, hits and runs scored. South Mountain batted .406 as a team in 2020-21 and swiped 142 bases to lead all ACCAC teams.
In 2021, Telesco mentored the top hitter in the ACCAC in Mia Stankiewicz who hit .575 and was named a NJCAA D2 First Team All-American.
In his three years at SMCC, every sophomore in the program moved on to play at a four-year institution.
Telesco also held the position of Student Success Coach at South Mountain and the Cougar softball student-athletes also excelled in the classroom, maintaining a 3.65 GPA.
In addition to his position at South Mountain, Telesco runs the Arizona Storm Club Program with his fiancée and former Arizona State softball player Marisa Stankiewicz who will join Telesco as his lead assistant. In its first year, the Storm's 18U team took a roster of 16 uncommitted players and within eight months, 11 of those players were committed to DI level schools.
In 2021, Telesco was ranked as one of the Top 50 Best Club Softball Coaches in America by ExtraInningsoftball.com.
Telesco is also the owner/operator of The Hitters House, an indoor hitting facility in Tempe, Ariz. Telesco oversees all softball and baseball instructors and camps and hosts individual, group and camp lessons.
Telesco is a 2018 graduate of Arizona State University with a degree in Organizational Leadership and is currently working towards a master's degree in Science of Leadership from San Diego Christian College.
"First and foremost, I want to thank Jeff and all of the administration at Park for giving me this amazing opportunity," said Telesco. "I am extremely blessed that I get to take over this program and take it to the next level. You can feel the excitement within the athletic program and university. This is a young program that is ready to explode, and I can't wait to help our university win many championships. I can't wait to get to work!"
