Kevin Kime assumed the reins of the Mount Aloysius baseball program in September 2006. Since then, the Mounties have re-written the record books for the program while setting single season records for overall wins and conference wins.
2024 would be another year of firsts for Kime and the Mountie baseball program. After a third place finish in the 2023 regular season, the Mounties would capture 2024 AMCC Regular Season Conference Championship, the first such trophy in program history. The championship season would see Kime achieve his 350th career win, with the AMCC naming Kime the 2024 Coach of the Year.Â
Kime led the Mounties to new heights in 2022. On their way to tying the program record with 27 victories, the team finished alone in second in the AMCC regular season, their highest finish ever. In the AMCC Tournament, they went on to beat Penn State Behrend twice, in a double-elimination format, to earn the program's first AMCC Championship and subsequent NCAA Tournament bid. The Mounties saw two extra-inning, walk-off defeats, in the NCAA Tournament, but held their heads high marking the program's first and Kime's first NCAA Tournament appearance. Kime also mentored a conference first, as freshman, Tyler Quade, was named the AMCC Newcomer of the Year, Player of the Year, and Pitcher of the Year, as part of the conference's postseason awards. Quade was later selected to the Region 7 Second Team by both D3baseball.com and ABCA/Rawlings, as well as named the Rookie of the Year by both. To add to the accolades, Quade was also named to the D3baseball.com All-America Fourth team, while also being selected as the National Rookie of the Year.
On April 13, Kime became the first coach in Mount Aloysius history to surpass the 300-win plateau, in any sport. The Mounties won games 300 and 301, in the sweep of Pitt-Greensburg. Kime carries a career record of 313-302-1 into the 2023 season after the team's 27 victories and their first NCAA Tournament appearance and AMCC Championship.
In 2021, Kime led the Mounties to 19 wins, earning them #3 seed in the AMCC postseason tournament. Their season started off with a bang, as they split a doubleheader at, then-ranked, #13 Shenandoah. The win was the program's first against the Hornets, as well as their first victory over a ranked opponent since 2016. Kime mentored four All-AMCC performers, including two that return in 2022, in Douglas Cannon and Jeremy Iellimo. Both players were Second Team Honorees. The program's season ended with a loss in the semi-final round of the conference tournament. 2021 marked the second consecutive appearance in the tournament, after missing out in 2018. Including 2020, where the Mounties season was cut short, it was their third consecutive season with a winning record.
The Mounties got off to a hot, 5-2 start, in 2020, prior to the remainder of the season being lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In all five wins, the pitching staff and defense allowed three runs or fewer.
After missing the conference tournament in 2018, Kime led the Mounties back to the tournament in 2019. The 2019 baseball team won a program record, 27 games, en route to a tie for second place in the AMCC. After a thrilling three game come-from-behind series victory, against Alfred State, the Mounties once again appeared in the AMCC Final Four. Kime mentored seven members of the All-AMCCÂ teams, and was named the 2019 AMCC Coach of the Year.
Following the 2019 season, senior, Matthew McCourt, became the first player from Mount Aloysius to sign a contract to play professional baseball. The shortstop signed to play with the River City Rascals of the Frontier League. McCourt departed the Mountie program as its all-time leader in homeruns, RBIs, runs scored, and doubles.
In 2017, Kime's team reached the conference playoffs for the ninth straight season and the AMCC Final Four for the sixth year in a row, and shortstop Matthew McCourt was named the AMCC Player of the Year. During the 2016 season, Kime won his 200th career game on April 20th as the Mounties concluded the season with an overall record of 25-20.
Both the the 2014 and 2015 Mountie teams compiled records of 10-6 in conference play. In 2015, Kime helped guide Connor Bowie to AMCC Player of the Year Honors. In 2014, Derrick Capiak was named the AMCC Pitcher of the Year. The 2014, 2015 and 2016 squads also won the AMCC Peak Performer Award, which is given to the conference member in each sport with the highest team GPA.Â
In 2013, Kime led the Mounties to a program-record 26 wins and a third-place finish in the AMCC, and senior Aaron Kovach was named AMCC Player of the Year. In 2012, the Mounties went all the way to the AMCC championship game for the first time in program history. Despite entering the playoffs as the lowest seed in 2012, Kime had his team peaking at the right time, as they defeated two higher seeds on their way to the conference championship contest.
The 2011 Mounties finished 20-17, compiling the program's fourth straight 20+ win season and their third straight appearance in the AMCC Tournament. The 2011 team also achieved new individual heights with Bryan Nolan leading all of NCAA DIII in stolen bases per game and Matt Cornetti being named to the D3baseball.com Preseason All-American Team--the first such honor for Mount Aloysius since joining NCAA Division III. The 2011 Mounties also were ranked nationally in several categories including batting average (23rd), stolen bases per game (11th), total stolen bases (15th) and fielding percentage (7th).
Under Kime's guidance, the 2010 Mounties finished in third place in the AMCC standings, setting a school record with three postseason victories. The Mounties also notched their third consecutive season of 20+ wins and ranked 23rd in NCAA Division III in stolen bases. The 2010 team also was awarded a number of individual accolades, highlighted by Matt Cornetti becoming the first ever Mountie to be named First Team All Mid-Atlantic region and Aaron Kovach being named Newcomer of the Year in the AMCC.
After a successful 2010 season, Coach Kime was afforded the opportunity of a lifetime as he spent the summer coaching with the Cotuit Kettleers of the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League. Working alongside Head Coach Mike Roberts (Former Head Coach at North Carolina), the Cotuit Kettleers captured the 2010 Cape Cod League Championship. The Cape Cod Baseball League is regarded as one of the most prestigious amateur baseball leagues in the country. One in every seven MLB players have played in the Cape Cod League, and 234 Cape League players were selected in the 2009 draft.
2009 was another remarkable season for the Mounties as they accumulated 23 wins and advanced to the AMCC Tournament. Kime was named the AMCC Coach of the Year as the squad recorded a fourth-place finish in the conference standings.
In 2008, the Mounties recorded their first 20-win season, and finished at an all-time high in the AMCC. Bryan Nolan became the college's first player ever to be named to the Mid-Atlantic All-Region team that year. The Mounties also held an NCAA Division III national ranking of 23rd in the country in stolen bases per game in 2008.
Kime's inaugural season marked the first time in program history that the Mounties earned Player of the Week honors in the AMCC. Four players were also named to the AMCC All-Conference team.
A native of Johnstown, PA and graduate of Bishop McCort High School, Kime returned to the area after serving as an assistant coach at both LaGrange College and Walsh University.
During his time at LaGrange College, Kime had the privilege of coaching sixteen Great South All-Conference players, while also helping to orchestrate a GSAC regular season title and a GSAC Conference Tournament championship. LaGrange also had an NCAA Division III national ranking of 19th in the country in both 2005 and 2006.
Prior to LaGrange College, Kime was an assistant coach at his alma matter Walsh University. He was a four-year letterwinner at Walsh, earning All-Conference honors and helping the Cavaliers earn an American Mideast Championship in 2000.
In addition to his playing career at Walsh, Kime was an outfielder on the Johnstown Galliker's AAABA team that advanced to the 2001 championship game of the National AAABA Tournament. While serving as an assistant at Walsh University and LaGrange College, Kime spent his summers coaching in both the Johnstown AAABA League and The Great Lakes Collegiate Summer League. In 2006, Kime helped the Granville Settlers, a first-year franchise, to a fourth-place finish in the GLSCL tournament.
Kime holds a bachelor's degree in education from Walsh University and a master's degree in education from LaGrange College. He is a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association.
