Mark Caserta
Mark Caserta

Bio

Two-time PSUAC Coach of the Year Mark Caserta begins his 11th season as head coach of the Penn State Brandywine softball team in 2023-24.

The only head coach during Brandywine softball’s history, Caserta led the Lions to unprecedented heights during 2023 as Brandywine captured the USCAA National Championship, the first in program history. Brandywine won its final 13 games in 2023, finishing the year with a dramatic, walkoff victory over Mississippi University for Women to claim the national title.

Caserta has led the Lions to eight-straight PSUAC championships, while compiling a record of 234-125-1 (.652). He became just Brandywine's second coach in any sport to earn 200 career victories when the Lions defeated Concordia-Moorhead on Mar. 6, 2023. Against conference competition, Caserta owns a 157-27 mark, including a 146-17 record over the last eight seasons. Caserta’s squads are the first-ever from Brandywine to win eight consecutive conference titles.

Brandywine has competed at the 2015-2023 USCAA Softball World Series after claiming the PSUAC’s automatic bid to the tournament. The Lions placed ninth during their first appearance and have finished in the top five during six of their next seven trips to the World Series.

Under Caserta’s direction, 29 Brandywine student-athletes have earned USCAA All-American honors and 49 have been selected to PSUAC All-Conference teams. Additionally, he has guided two PSUAC Newcomers of the Year, a pair of PSUAC Pitchers of the Year, and two PSUAC Players of the Year, most recently Kaylee Mushinski in 2023.

Caserta’s teams have also done exceptionally well in the classroom with 111 student-athletes earning PSUAC All-Academic honors and 30 claiming USCAA National Academic Team accolades during the past eight seasons. Additionally, two of Caserta’s student-athletes have taken home the top academic honor in the USCAA, winning USCAA Student-Athlete of the Year. Three more have received the John S. Egli Award as the top female scholar-athlete in the PSUAC; most recently, current assistant coach Haley Grossi earned the honor following the 2021 season.

Prior to Brandywine, Caserta served as a head coach for seven seasons in the Philadelphia Catholic League, most recently at Archbishop Carroll High School in Radnor, Pa., where he was the head coach for five seasons (2008-12).  He led the Lady Patriots to the playoffs four times while at the helm.  In 2011, his team made it to the Catholic League semifinals, falling one run short of the championship game.  He finished his career at Carroll as the program’s all-time winningest coach (66-37).

Before arriving at Carroll, Caserta was the head coach at Bishop McDevitt in Glenside, Pa., for three seasons (2005-07).  During his first season, Caserta led the team to nine victories after the squad had won just two the season prior to his arrival.  He was also the assistant varsity girl’s basketball coach for two seasons while at Bishop McDevitt.  

Additionally, Caserta was selected as the head coach for the Philadelphia Catholic League in the Softball Carpenter Cup for four seasons. Caserta also was an assistant coach for the Philadelphia Spirit, a 16 & Under softball travel team in 2004 and coached baseball for seven years in the 1990’s at the Elmwood Park Boy’s and Girl’s Club.  He led the boy’s baseball travel teams to district playoffs and league championships four times. Additionally, he served the assistant varsity baseball coach at West Catholic High School in Philadelphia in 2002.

Caserta is a graduate of West Catholic High School where he played baseball, football and basketball.  He was named All-Catholic League in baseball during both his junior and senior seasons as a catcher and third baseman.  Also a veteran official, Caserta is a nine-year veteran of the U.S. Navy.  Caserta has four children, Elizabeth, Malarie, Mark and Matthew, and resides in Ridley with his wife, Michelle.

Coach Caserta Year-by-Year
Year Overall PSUAC Notables
2023 37-8 16-2 USCAA National Champions
PSUAC Champions
2022 35-13 16-2 PSUAC champions
USCAA World Series fourth place
2021 20-7 17-5 PSUAC champions
USCAA World Series seventh place
2020 4-7 -- Season halted March 12 due to Coronavirus
2019 26-18 10-2 PSUAC champions
USCAA World Series fourth place
2018 27-10-1 12-4 PSUAC champions
USCAA World Series fifth place
2017 23-15 15-1 PSUAC champions
USCAA World Series fourth place
2016 25-18 12-1 PSUAC Coach of the Year
PSUAC champions
USCAA World Series fourth place
2015 23-12 14-0 PSUAC Coach of the Year
PSUAC champions
USCAA World Series ninth place
2014 14-17 9-8 PSUAC Tournament
First season of varsity softball at Brandywine
Total 234-125-1 124-25