Chris Podeszwa enters his fourth season as an assistant coach at the University of Connecticut. Podeszwa’s focus is primarily on the instruction of infielders and hitters.

After graduating from UConn in 1993, Podeszwa served as an envoy coach for Major League Baseball International in New York and Europe. His responsibilities included preparing the German Junior National Team for the European Championships and organizing and developing coordinated clinics for youth players and coaches.

In 1995, Podeszwa moved to Sweden to become the head coach of the Skelleftea Bears Baseball Club in Skelleftea, Sweden. His stay in Scandinavia was highlighted by his U-19 team capturing the Swedish National Championship.

In 1996, Podeszwa was hired as the assistant baseball coach at Mitchell College in New London, Conn., and in 1998, he became the assistant baseball coach for the University of Connecticut’s Avery Point branch under head coach Roger Bidwell. At Avery Point, Podeszwa helped lead his squads to the NJCAA Region XXI Championship in 1999 and 2000. Avery Point also captured the Northeast Region Championship in 1999 and earned a trip to the NJCAA Division II World Series.

In between summer evaluation and recruiting assignments for the Huskies, Podeszwa continues to serve as a part-time assistant baseball coach for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League, who won the league championship in 2004 and 2006. Since 1997, he has assisted in the recruitment of players nationwide and is the coordinator of defensive strategies.

Podeszwa played at UConn from 1990-93 and played every position for the Huskies except center field. He and Penders were teammates at UConn for two seasons.

Chris is married to UConn alum Isabella Basile, and the couple have three children, Sophia, Connor and Emilia. The Podeszwas reside in Waterford, Conn.