Nick Garritano
Head Baseball Coach – College of Southern Nevada
16th Season
Nick Garritano enters his 16th season as the head coach of the College of Southern Nevada (CSN) Coyotes baseball program. Over the course of his 15 seasons at the helm, Garritano has built CSN into a perennial national contender, compiling an impressive overall record of 595–258.
In 2024, Garritano led the Coyotes to a program-best 53–12 record, capturing the SWAC regular-season title, Region XVIII championship, Western District championship, and earning a trip to the prestigious NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado, where CSN finished 5th nationally. His teams have been ranked as high as No. 2 nationally during the season by both NJCAA and Perfect Game publications. Ahead of the 2021 season, the Coyotes were named Preseason No. 1 in the country by multiple national polls.
Under Garritano’s leadership, CSN has sent 184 players on to continue their academic and athletic careers at NCAA Division I, II, III, and NAIA institutions, averaging 12 players per year. Additionally, 30 players have been selected in the MLB Draft, with 27 signing professional contracts, along with several others signing as undrafted free agents.
Notable Players and Honors
Garritano has mentored numerous standouts, including:
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Phil Bickford (2015): 1st Team All-American, SWAC Pitcher of the Year, 1st Round MLB Draft Pick – San Francisco Giants.
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Damiano Palmegiani (2021): 1st Team Academic All-American, 1st Team All-American, SWAC Player of the Year – Drafted by Toronto Blue Jays.
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Morgan Stotts (2013), Justin Lutes (2017), Hunter Katschke (2023), and Brady Ballinger (2024) – SWAC Players of the Year.
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Chaz McNelis (2025): 1st Team All-American and ACCAC Player of the Year during CSN’s inaugural season in the ACCAC.
Defensively, Garritano coached Nicky Garritano, who earned back-to-back National Gold Glove Awards in 2023 and 2024 and was named the NJCAA D1 Defensive Player of the Year in 2024. Morgan Stotts was also honored as the National Gold Glove winner in 2013.
Garritano has been named:
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SWAC Coach of the Year: 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2023, 2024
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Western District Coach of the Year: 2017, 2024
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ACCAC Coach of the Year: 2025 (CSN’s first year in the conference)
Under his direction, the Coyotes have won eight regular-season conference titles (SWAC: 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2023, 2024; ACCAC: 2025), five Region XVIII titles, and have advanced to the Western District championship game four times, reaching the NJCAA World Series twice (2017, 2024).
Career Milestones
Garritano reached several significant career milestones in recent seasons:
He is poised to reach 600 wins at CSN during the 2026 season.
Before CSN: Green Valley High School
Prior to joining CSN, Garritano was the head baseball coach at Green Valley High School (1999–2010), where he compiled a 316–118 record. His teams captured two Nevada State Championships (2001, 2003), six Regional Titles, and made seven state tournament appearances. He was named Sunrise Region Coach of the Year in both championship seasons. Under his leadership, over 75 players advanced to play college baseball, and 14 were drafted by MLB teams.
In recognition of his success, Garritano was inducted into the Southern Nevada Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2015.
Athletic Background
Garritano earned his Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from UNLV in 1995 and a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from the University of Phoenix in 2002. He was a four-year starting placekicker for the UNLV Rebels football team (1991–1994), finishing his career as the second all-time leading scorer in program history. He held over 10 school records, including the longest field goal (54 yards, twice) and most points in a single season. In 1996, he participated in the San Francisco 49ers’ minicamp.
Garritano was inducted into the UNLV Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010, both as an individual and as a member of the 1994 Big West and Las Vegas Bowl Champion team.
High School Career
A graduate of Chaparral High School (1991) in Las Vegas, Garritano was a standout two-sport athlete. He was a 1st Team All-State football selection at three positions (Offensive Guard, Punter, Placekicker), earning Honorable Mention All-American honors as a kicker. In baseball, he was a two-time 1st Team All-State third baseman and a key member of the 1991 Nevada State Champion team, as well as the 1991 American Legion Player of the Year. He also competed in wrestling during his freshman and sophomore years.
Personal Life
Nick Garritano was born in Cleveland, Ohio on May 31, 1973, and has lived in Las Vegas for 47 years. He is married to Camille Nagy, and the couple has two children: Nicky (22) and Ava (19). In his free time, Coach Garritano enjoys attending sporting events with his family, supporting his children, dining with his wife, and playing golf.
