Former collegiate student-athlete and hitting coach Nate Marko has joined the Youngstown State baseball coaching staff as an assistant coach, YSU head coach Trevor Charpie announced on Friday.
"We're extremely excited to welcome Nate to our coaching staff," said Charpie. "From the start, it was clear that his approach to hitting is rooted in both strong fundamentals and modern development methods. He does an outstanding job connecting with players, simplifying complex concepts and creating an environment where hitters can compete with confidence. Nate's energy, attention to detail, and commitment to building a winning program will make an immediate impact on this year's team and teams for years to come."
Marko, a native of McKees Rocks, Pa., most recently served as an assistant coach at NAIA Ave Maria University in Ave Maria, Fla., during the 2025 season. Serving as the team's hitting coach, Marko helped guide the Gyrenes to 30 total wins and an at-large bid in the NAIA National Tournament. Ave Maria posted its fourth winning season in school history while playing the 12th toughest schedule in the NAIA in 2025. Marko coached Ave Maria's hitters to a .277 team batting average, a .431 slugging percentage, 55 home runs, 88 doubles, 17 triples, 334 RBIs, 516 hits, 382 runs, 803 total bases, 246 walks and 109 stolen bases.
Prior to his time at Ave Maria, Marko worked as a hitting trainer at Driveline Baseball in Seattle. He also served as an assistant coach in the independent professional ranks, coaching with the Steel City Slammin' Sammies, who were created for the COVID-season of 2020. In the travel baseball ranks, Marko served as the Director of Hitting at Diesel Sports Complex and was the manager of the 17/18u team for Steel City Select.
Marko played four seasons of collegiate baseball at Bethany College, an NCAA Division III member in West Virginia. He graduated from Bethany with a bachelor's degree in business administration and management in 2019 before earning his MBA from Wheeling University in 2021.
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