Staff Directory
- Title:
- Director of Player Development
- Email:
Michael McNamara joined the Kent State baseball program 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, 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.
