Former Dolphin, Casey Kulina, joins JU for his first season as Pitching Coach. He spent the previous 2 seasons as Pitching Coach at the University of Delaware.
In 2023 and 2024 the Delaware pitching staff helped the Blue Hens achieve back-to-back 30+ win seasons for the first time since 2017 and 2018. In 2024 the Blue Hen staff's 430 strikeouts were the program's most since 2018. Their 17 strikeouts on 3/2/24 vs Lafayette were the program's 2nd most all-time in a single game. The 2023 season saw LHP Anthony Gubitosi set the freshman record for K/9 with a 13.60 mark, which was also good for 3rd all-time in program history.Â
Kulina joined the Blue Hens for the 2022-23 season after spending the previous four years as pitching coach at Polk State Junior College in Winter Haven, FL.
In his four years at Polk State, Kulina coached and recruited 24 pitchers who moved on to 4-year schools. 17 of which moved on to the Division 1 level. He helped mentor 5 All-Conference pitchers. In 2022, RHP Skylar Gonzalez led NJCAA Region 8 in ERA and RHP Jacob Heath led NJCAA Region 8 in Saves. In 2021, freshman LHP Thomas Ireland was selected by the Texas Rangers in the 13th Round of the MLB Draft. In 2021 and 2022, the Polk State pitching staff helped the Eagles earn back-to-back Region 8 postseason berths and were ranked Top 5 in the region in strikeouts.
Kulina, a native of Hummelstown, Pa., enjoyed one of the most decorated seasons for a pitcher in Polk State history in 2014 when he went 12-1, finishing one win shy of tying the school record for single season victories. He was named the FCSAA State Pitcher of the Year and received NJCAA All-American accolades.
After graduating from Polk State in 2014, Kulina attended Jacksonville University, where he posted a 10-1 record in 20 starts over two seasons and helped the Dolphins win the 2017 Atlantic Sun Conference Regular Season Championship. He graduated from Jacksonville with a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Sciences.
Kulina signed as a Free Agent with the Arizona Diamondbacks organization and pitched for their Low-A affiliate Missoula Osprey in 2017. In 38 innings he posted a 3-1 record with three saves and a 2.37 ERA, issuing only eight walks while striking out 47 batters.
