Mark Gibbs ’96
Head Coach
16th Season (316-80-1 Overall Record, .791 Winning Percentage)
Mark Gibbs heads into his 16th year as head coach for the Cadets. He played for St. John’s from 1993 to 1996 and was a three-time first team All-WCAC selection and a two-time first team Washington Post All-Met selection. Following his senior season, he was named WCAC Player of the Year and Gatorade Player of the Year, as well as one of College Sport Magazine’s Top 100 players in the country. Gibbs played four years of college baseball at George Mason University. He was a four-year starter at shortstop for the Patriots and finished in the top 10 in hits, games played, hit by pitches and fielding chances. After college, he was signed as a free agent by the Baltimore Orioles and spent three and a half years in professional baseball, advancing to Double A (Bowie) with the Orioles.
In six of Gibbs’ 14 seasons (*2020 season canceled), the Cadets were nationally ranked by the major baseball publications (Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, ESPN, Rivals.com, Perfect Game and USA TODAY). Before their 2008 season, St. John’s graced the cover of Baseball America and the Cadets enjoyed a profile article in the magazine’s high school preview. St. John’s was the first team from the mid-Atlantic to ever be profiled in the preview issue. Gibbs has sent 118 players into college baseball, had 17 players who were drafted by or signed to free agent contracts with professional teams and has an overall record of 316-80-1, including twelve 20-win campaigns.
Players from St. John’s have advanced to some of the most prestigious college programs in the nation, including College World Series participants University of Virginia (Scott Silverstein, Nick Howard, Luke Schauer), University of Mississippi (Errol Robinson, Jake Steinberg), University of North Carolina (L.J. Hoes, Josh Leehmuis) and Coastal Carolina University (Cam Remalia) as well as SEC powers Mississippi State University (Nick Routt, Alex Deise) and University of Tennessee (Michael Flax, Brodie Leftridge). During his 17 years as the head infield instructor (2004-19), Gibbs had 21 different infielders earn college scholarships (33 total played college baseball).
The Cadets have won or tied for eleven WCAC regular season titles (2007, 2010, 2012-19, 2021), seven WCAC tournament titles (2011, 2014-19) and three DCSAA TItles (2014, 2019, 2021). During that time, the Cadets have posted a 177-32 WCAC regular season record, which represents a winning percentage of .847. Gibbs was named as an assistant coach for the 2009 Under Armour All-American game at Wrigley Field in Chicago and the 2021 USA/MLB Pre-Draft Combine. Additionally, he was also named The Washington Post All Met Coach of the Year in 2016, the WCAC Coach of the Year three times (2012, 2013, 2015), the USA Today Washington DC Coach of the Year three times (2015, 2016, 2017), the Washington DC Extra Coach of the Year in 2010, and the DCSAA Coach of the Year following the 2019 season.
Gibbs is heavily involved with youth baseball in the Washington, DC, area. He is a partner in Diamond Skills Baseball, a local baseball camp recognized around the country for its outstanding camps for junior high and high school players. In 2020, Gibbs brought in more than 60 college coaches to work at the Diamond Skills All-American Camp, which is designed to allow serious high school players the opportunity to learn from top college coaches during the winter. His Diamond Skills Baseball Prospect Camp also brings in some of the top college coaches from across the nation to work with serious junior high players during the summer. His work with college coaches during recruiting season and with these camps has allowed him to develop an extensive network of close friends and contacts within the college coaching profession.
Gibbs works in the Alumni and Development Office at St. John’s and lives with his wife Mindy, son Matthew and daughter Allie in Silver Spring, MD.