Kishwaukee College announced Joe Maskivish as the next head coach for the Men’s Baseball
Team. Maskivish will start the 2023-2024 season at the helm of the Kougars’ program.
As a coach and former player, Maskivish brings decades of baseball experience to the
Kish program. Originally from Shadyside, Ohio, Maskivish pitched for West Liberty
State College (now West Liberty University) from 1990-1994, earning All-Conference
honors for three seasons. Following his college career, he was drafted by the Pittsburgh
Pirates organization and played for eight seasons in Minor League Baseball or independent
leagues from 1994-2001.
Maskivish’s first taste of coaching experience came as an assistant for West Liberty
between independent league seasons. After relocating to Illinois, Maskivish got back
into baseball as his son started playing the game, coaching T-ball, Little League
and various other playing levels for nearly two decades. Locally, he is the founder
of Swing City Baseball, an instructional organization offering camps, lessons and
personal coaching. He has also worked as a coach and instructor for the Raiders Baseball
Academy and Pro Player Hurricanes travel teams.
“When I first started coaching collegiately, I knew I wanted to be a baseball coach
the rest of my life,” Maskivish said. “I’ve been through all kinds of different journeys,
and it’s kept me grounded in the game. But I’ve always known that coaching college
is something I want to do. I’m ready to take this next step.”
Maskivish said an initial goal for the Kish program is to build a healthy team environment
that offers positive opportunities for the players.
“My goal is to create a culture where people want to be a part of something special,”
Maskivish said. “We want a culture within our program that allows our players to become
better student-athletes and better people.”
With a focus on education, Maskivish emphasized members of the baseball program can
open themselves to athletic and academic options after Kish.
“Following through in the classroom is a big deal for our program because it brings
so many opportunities. I want our student-athletes to understand the value of their
education,” Maskivish said.
For more information on the Men’s Baseball program at Kishwaukee College, contact
Joe Maskivish at jmaskivish@kish.edu or 815-825-9502, or visit www.kishkougars.com. For more information on Kishwaukee College, visit www.kish.edu.