Coach Duncan Announced the Addition of Three New Staff Members
8/14/2026 1:50:00 PM | Baseball
KENT, Ohio – Kent State baseball head coach Jeff Duncan announced the additions of Justin Miknis, Michael McNamara, and Bobby Del Torto.
Justin Miknis joined as an assistant coach, bringing professional playing experience and a year of player development coaching in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization.
Miknis spent two seasons (2023-25) as a professional catcher in the Pirates organization, appearing for the club's Low-A and High-A affiliates. Behind the plate, he managed a pitching staff. He contributed to scouting reports and game preparation through data analysis, earning the organization's Roberto Clemente Award in 2024 for his leadership and community impact. In August 2025, Miknis transitioned into a player development coach role with the Pirates, working across the bench, catching, and hitting instruction through July 2026. In that capacity, he assisted the manager with in-game decision-making and overall strategy, collaborated with the coaching staff on opponent scouting, built out individualized player development plans, constructed daily lineups, and communicated regularly with the organization's Spanish-speaking players.
Miknis was a standout catcher at Kent State from 2019 to 2023, where he earned his degree in General Business in May 2023. As a Golden Flash, he was named to the All-MAC First Team as a catcher in 2023 and earned All-MAC Second Team and All-MAC Defensive Team honors as a catcher in 2022.
Michael McNamara joined as the director of player development in August 2026, bringing a unique blend of high-level collegiate playing experience, leadership, and data-driven player-development expertise.
A standout infielder for the Golden Flashes, McNamara established himself as one of the Mid-American Conference's premier shortstops during his career. Over four seasons at Kent State, he started 57 games at shortstop in 2023, earning recognition as one of D1 Baseball's Top 50 Shortstops in the nation. That season, he tied for the team lead with 12 home runs, ranked second with 51 RBI, and 37 walks.
McNamara graduated from Kent State University with a Bachelor of Science in Sports Administration, where he developed a passion for leadership, player development, and building championship culture. During his time at Kent State, he played an instrumental role in mentoring younger players while helping establish the standards and accountability expected within one of the nation's consistently successful mid-major baseball programs.
Before joining the collegiate coaching ranks, McNamara served as director of player development at BioSport in Westlake, Ohio. In that role, he designed individualized development programs for hitters, fielders, and select pitchers while integrating advanced technologies such as TrackMan, HitTrax, and Blast Motion to evaluate performance, identify developmental opportunities, and maximize player growth. He also managed player programming and coordinated facility operations. He helped athletes of all ages improve through data-driven training methods focused on movement efficiency, bat speed, power production, and game performance.
Bobby Del Torto joined as the director of baseball operations.
Before joining the Kent State baseball staff, Del Torto spent several years working in baseball through Strike Force Baseball Academy and Premier Ohio. From 2019 through the spring of 2026, he worked in a variety of roles, including instructor, coach, facility manager, and tournament director, gaining experience in player development, facility operations, and event management.
Del Torto also served as a graduate assistant in the Kent State University Ticket Office from August 2024 through December 2025.
He earned his Bachelor of Science in Education with a focus in Sport Industry from Ohio State University.
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