Chuck Ristano joins Florida State baseball coaching staff

The Florida State baseball team is adding Chuck Ristano from Notre Dame. Ristano reconnects with Link Jarrett after coaching the past 12 years for the Fighting Irish.

This past season, he guided Notre Dame’s staff to a 3.91 ERA, 10th best nationally.

“Chuck is a dynamic pitching coach who has the experience to recruit effectively in any part of the country,” Jarrett said. “His recruitment and development of pitching staffs at Notre Dame – with versatility and unselfishness – was impressive. His dedication to his daily work with the pitchers, scouting report data, use of applicable modern technology and in-game pitch calling will help our FSU pitchers reach their full potential. His track record for producing Major League-caliber arms and a plethora of draft picks speaks for itself.

“Chuck’s wife, Lizzy, is a phenomenal softball coach who is leaving a championship program at Notre Dame. She helped build the Irish program as both a player and an assistant coach, while their kids Jane and CJ have grown up around sports and are fantastic kids. We are very fortunate to have the entire family at Florida State.”

“I’m incredibly excited for the chance to follow Coach Jarrett to Florida State,” Ristano said. “The environment he creates for our players, staff and families is special. I have long admired the Seminoles from across the diamond, and the level of respect I have for the program, its players and tradition is immense. It is such a privledge and honor to be a part of it, and I am really looking forward to working with the current and future Seminoles in our pursuit of excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community.”

More from his FSU bio:

• Served as Notre Dame’s pitching coach for 12 seasons, from 2011-2022.
• At Notre Dame, coached 13 all-conference pitchers and 17 players were selected in the MLB Draft.
• Notre Dame had the second-best winning percentage nationally between 2020-22 (86-32, .729) and led the ACC with a .677 win percentage in conference play in that span.
• 2022 College World Series – only the third in Notre Dame history.
• Back-to-back Super Regionals for the first time in Notre Dame history.
• Finished 41-17 in 2022, most wins for the Irish since 2006.
• Won the ACC regular season title in 2021, the first in program history.
• Starting pitcher John Michael Bertrand was a unanimous All-American in 2022 and first-team All-ACC pitcher. Bertrand led the league with a 2.81 ERA and 109.0 innings pitched. Notre Dame led the ACC in team ERA (3.91) and hits allowed per nine innings (7.77) with a school-record 615 strikeouts.
• In 2021, Bertrand became Notre Dame’s first All-ACC starting pitcher since the Irish joined the league in 2014. He was Notre Dame’s first back-to-back first-team all-conference honoree since 2001.
• When the Irish reached the Super Regionals in 2021, Notre Dame had three pitchers in the ACC Top 10 for ERA and allowed the fewest runs, hits and stolen bases in the league. Aidan Tyrell led the ACC with a 2.70 ERA, while Tanner Kohlhepp earned second-team All-ACC with seven wins as Notre Dame’s top reliever.
• Current manager with USA Baseball’s 16U/17U National Team Development Program after previously serving as an assistant. The NTDP features workouts, skill development sessions, off-field seminars and exposure to professional scouts, college recruiters and national team coaches.
• Was the pitcher for former Notre Dame star Trey Mancini during the 2021 MLB Home Run Derby. Mancini finished second in the Derby at Coors Field.
• Before Notre Dame, coached at Temple (2010), Monmouth (2006-09) and Sacred Heart (2005). At Monmouth, led the Hawks to Northeast Conference titles and NCAA Tournament appearances in 2007 and 2009 and the regular-season NEC title in 2008.
• Three Monmouth pitchers were drafted and eight signed professional contracts, including 2007 NEC Pitcher of the Year Brad Brach. Monmouth set school records with a 3.34 ERA in 2006 and 374 strikeouts in 2007.
• Four-year letterwinner at Sacred Heart from 2001-04, including two years as a team captain. He was a four-time NEC All-Academic recipient and graduated with his sports management degree in 2004.
• Earned a Masters degree in sports management from Liberty University in 2018.

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