Paul Panik joined ODU Baseball Head Coach Chris Finwood's staff as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator in August 2024 after spending three seasons as an assistant coach at William & Mary.
Panik joined the Tribe ahead of the 2022 season as hitting coach and recruiting coordinator. Prior to joining the Tribe, Panik spent three seasons as head coach at Iona from 2019-21.
Panik helped lead the Tribe to its second consecutive 32-win season in 2024, in which five Tribe players earned all-conference honors, including three position players. Among them, Joe Delossantos and Ben Parker were named to the All-CAA Second Team and Anthony Greco appeared on the CAA All-Rookie Team. At the plate, the Tribe broke a pair of records, drawing 356 walks and 121 HBPs to replace record marks from the 2023 season. Additionally, Delossantos was selected by the New York Yankees in the 10th round of the 2024 MLB Draft.
In 2023, third baseman Ben Williamson was named the CAA Player of the Year under Panik's leadership and was designated First Team All-CAA. Of W&M's five players who received CAA postseason recognition, Tank Yaghoubi's CAA All-Rookie selection joined Williamson on the offensive front. Three pitchers in Carter Lovasz, Rojo Prarie and Nate Knowles were also recognized.
Among two of the highest MLB Draft picks since 2017 and two of the 12 top-10-round picks in program history, third baseman Ben Williamson was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the second round at No. 57, joined by pitcher Cory Wall drafted at No. 249 in the eighth round by the Atlanta Braves.
Under Panik’s leadership, Williamson posted a historic season in 2023 with a .390 batting average, ranking 13th in single-season program history. The third baseman also ranked in the program’s top 15 in slugging percentage (.662), on-base percentage (.513), stolen base percentage (.933), hits (82), triples (5), home runs (12), total bases (40) and walks (40).
The 2023 season saw a rise in offense, with a pair of program records set in walks and times hit by pitch. The Tribe's .394 on base percentage was second in the CAA, trailing only that of NCAA Regional team Northeastern's .395 clip.
In his first season in Williamsburg, Panik helped land five Tribe hitters on the all-conference team. The Tribe's runs per game average jumped a full two runs to over 6.4 in Panik's first year in the dugout. The team batting average jumped 36 points in Panik's first year, and the Tribe belted 21 more homers.
The New York native took an assistant job at Albany prior to the 2018 season, helping the Great Danes to a 20-win year before being named the sixth head coach in Iona baseball history in the summer of 2018. For the past three years, Panik has led the Iona program. In 2021, the Gaels had 18 players named to the all-academic team, while Tony Santa Maria and Blake Helmsetter were named to the MAAC All-Rookie team.
Panik joined Iona as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator prior to the 2017 season. Panik helped push the program to its first MAAC tournament berth since 2000 and a championship game appearance. The Gaels recorded a program record four wins at the tournament, before falling in the final. The Maroon & Gold earned 25 victories in 2017, an increase of 14 from the season before. Iona soared to new heights, not only as a team but offensively. The team batting average increased 17 points, slugging percentage by 24, while the team on base percentage was raised by 38 points.
In 2015, Panik returned to his alma mater at Canisius College. The Griffins won 34 games and had a 16-8 conference record on their way to a MAAC Championship and NCAA Regional appearance in 2015. Panik coached two MLB draft picks with the Griffins as Connor Panas and MAAC Player of the Year, Brett Siddall, were both selected in the 2015 MLB draft.
In the 2016 season, Panik helped Canisius to another 30-plus win season and a 16-8 conference record. Panik’s Griffins had two all-conference players in the 2016 season in first-team player Anthony Massicci and second-team selection Jake Lumley. Massicci hit .344 with 16 doubles and 20 stolen bases, while Lumley hit .339 with three homers and 35 runs batted in.
Panik returned to the MAAC in 2014 as an assistant coach at Niagara for the 2014 season. The Purple Eagles won 20 games in 2014, and Panik coached all-conference players Anthony Firenzi and Taylor Hackett.
Panik played at Canisius College from 2007-10 before beginning his coaching career at Butler in 2013. During his time in Indiana, Panik coached second-team All-Atlantic 10 selection Jimmy Risi. Panik helped Risi lead the Atlantic 10 in slugging percentage and finish second in doubles. In addition, Panik coached all-rookie honoree Mike Kseniak.
As a player, Panik was the starting catcher for Canisius from his sophomore through senior seasons. He won two regular season titles and made the MAAC playoffs in each of his four seasons. The Griffs held a 136-91 record during his tenure. His .987 fielding percentage ranks ninth in Canisius history, and scored five runs in a game twice, tying a program-record. In his senior season, the Hopewell Junction, N.Y., native hit .278, with five home runs, 22 runs scored and 33 RBI in 38 games.
Panik earned a bachelor's degree in marketing and a master's degree in sport administration from Canisius College. He and his wife, Katie, have a son, Paul, and daughter, Lilly.