Head Coach: Steve Luby

Little Falls, NY – The Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL) have announced that two-time PGCBL Championship Coach Steve Luby is returning for his second season as head coach.

Luby, who has been with the DiamondDawgs organization for seven seasons, led the DiamondDawgs to a 23-19 finish in the PGCBL’s Central Division in 2021.  Before being announced as head coach in 2021, Coach Luby previously served as both an Associate and Assistant Head Coach for the DiamondDawgs. Overall he has compiled a record of 140-92 in his time with the DiamondDawgs.

“I’m so excited to be back for another season with the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs, as I absolutely love it here”, said Luby. “The people and the fans in Little Falls and the Mohawk Valley are wonderful and passionate and their support of our players and program is the best in the league.  We have an owner in Travis Heiser who does anything and everything possible to make the DiamondDawgs one of the best organizations in the country.  I have been blessed to work alongside a great coaching staff and with one of the best coaches, I’ve ever been around in Coach John Fureno. Coach Fureno does such an outstanding job with our players, and I am grateful to have a man like him coaching with me.  I am looking forward to getting back on the field and helping our players make strides to improve their game and compete for another championship. I can’t wait for June to roll around.”

In announcing Coach Luby’s return Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs owner Travis Heiser said, “being able to bring back Coach was a big priority for the organization. Coach Luby encompasses everything we look for in both a Coach and a man. He is a blue-collar guy who rolls up his sleeves and leaves it all on the baseball diamond. During his time here he has shown his commitment to these players and to this organization. He is a leader and just the guy we want leading this team for a long time. We are all committed to putting a championship-caliber team on the field with our players’ development at the forefront. The entire organization is thrilled to be able to welcome Coach back in 2022!”

Luby is entering his 34th season in baseball, 32nd year of teaching high school, and is in his third year at the College of Idaho in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) coaching infielders and hitters. Coach Luby has also spent a summer in the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) with the Vermont Mountaineers and seven seasons, two as the head coach, at Treasure Valley Community College (TVCC). Prior to TVCC, Coach Luby was a high school head coach in Oregon for 20 years and served three years as the infield and hitting coach at Western Baptist College. Coach Luby was named Oregon State Baseball Coach of the year in 1991, named Conference Coach of the Year five times, and won a State Championship.

As a player,  Luby was an All-State athlete in football and baseball at Marist High School in Eugene, Oregon, and played infield for Oregon State University and later transferred to Western Oregon State College where he was an All-Conference infielder.

Luby resides in Ontario, Oregon.

The 2015 and 2017 PGCBL Champions Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs play at Veteran’s Memorial Park in Little Falls, New York, and have had several players reach the MLB level including MLB World Series Champion (Houston Astros) James Hoyt and 2019 Baltimore Orioles All-star pitcher and American League Rookie of the Year finalist John Means.

The DiamondDawgs will kick-off their quest for another PGCBL title in June 2022. The Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs are excited to welcome back fans for another exciting season of baseball in the Mohawk

Assistant  Coach: John Fureno

The Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs are proud to announce that they have hired John Fureno as their 1st base and bench coach for the 2021 season. Fureno recently retired from teaching at Fort Plain Central School after 31 years.

This actually marks a return to the Dawgs for Fureno, who was the 1st base coach and bench coach for the DiamondDawgs from 2008-2011, where he coached former Dawgs players, John Means (Baltimore Orioles) and Tyler Rogers (San Francisco Giants) who went on to play in Major League Baseball.
“I am truly honored that Travis asked me to come back and coach this year for the DiamondDawgs! Travis runs a top-notch organization, and I am very honored to be part of it again! It was such a great experience to coach so many talented players back in 2008-2011, and I’m looking forward to coaching many more this year! I’m truly excited to work with Coach Luby this Summer! My oldest son, Drew, was fortunate to play here for the Dawgs for 2 years. Now my youngest son, Brady, will get his chance to play for the Dawgs this year and I will be fortunate enough to coach him,” added Fureno.
Fureno has coached multiple sports (Baseball, Softball, Golf, Bowling, and Football) for 35 years and has been an assistant coach for 8 of those years at Fort Plain High School, a baseball powerhouse under the direction of Craig Phillips, the winningest coach in NYS High School Baseball. At Fort Plain High School, he was part of the NYS Championship in 2016, NYS State Runner up in 2018, and won Sectional Championship in 2016, 2018, and 2019.
“We’re thrilled to add another experienced baseball man to our staff,” DiamondDawgs owner Travis Heiser said.
Fureno also coached at Mohawk Valley Community College in Utica for 4 seasons, where he had the opportunity to coach Patrick Corbin. Corbin has been a 2 time Major League Baseball All-Star and won the 2019 World Series with the Washington Nationals.
As a player Coach Fureno played at Herkimer County Community College and then transferred onto Marymount College located in Salina, Kansas. “I believe that we have put together a group of coaches that will get the most from our players in 2021. I am excited for our players to have the opportunity to grow as players and men,” added Heiser.
Fureno resides in Canajoharie with his son Drew, a senior at Lemoyne College who played for the DiamondDawgs in 2018 and 2019. His other son Brady, a freshman at Lemoyne will be a member of the 2021 Dawgs, his wife Kristina, and stepson Vinny.
The 2015 and 2017 PGCBL Champions Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs play at Veteran’s Memorial Park in Little Falls, New York, and have had several players reach the MLB level including MLB World Series Champion James Hoyt (Houston Astros), Caleb Thielbar (Minnesota Twins), Tyler Rogers (San Francisco Giants), and 2019 Baltimore Orioles All-star pitcher and American League Rookie of the Year finalist John Means.
The DiamondDawgs will kick off their quest for another PGCBL title in June 2021. We look forward to seeing all our Dawgs fans back at the ballpark this summer.

Assistant Coach: Tyler Roper

The Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL) have announced that Tyler Roper will be joining the coaching staff as an assistant coach alongside Head Coach Steve Luby and Assistant John Fureno.

Roper, from Boise, Idaho, will reunite with his former Treasure Valley Community College and current Mohawk Valley Diamonddawgs Head Coach Steve Luby for the 2022 PGCBL season.

Roper attended Timberline High School in Boise, Idaho where he helped win a state championship in 2013 as a catcher and infielder.

In 2018-19 Roper was a catcher for the Westmont College Warriors of the Golden State Athletic Conference in Santa Barbara, California where he was awarded a gold glove and was named All-Conference in both seasons.

Prior to Westmont, Roper played two years at Treasure Valley Community College (TVCC) of the Northwest Athletic Conference as a catcher and first baseman. During his two years at TVCC he was named 2nd team All-Infield.

Following graduation, Roper returned to his alma mater Timberline as an assistant baseball coach leading the team to a 24-3 record and a state championship in the spring of 2021. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 the team was off to a 3-0 start before the season was halted.

In the summer of 2021 Roper coached the Walla Walla Sweets of the West Coast League in Walla Walla, Washington to a 12-14 finish.

Roper currently resides in Dayton, Tennesee where he is pursuing a Masters Degree in Sports Management from Bryan College. He serves as a graduate assistant for the Bryan College Lion varsity baseball team while also serving as head coach of the junior varsity.

“I played for Coach Luby at Treasure Valley Community College and I am so fortunate to have this opportunity to coach alongside him here in Little Falls. Coach was a big part of my development as a player, so now I’m excited to learn from him on the other side. Super excited to bring my passion and will to learn to this great organization. These players are coming to sharpen their skills and will have a blast doing it. I can’t wait to get started! Go Dawgs!”

Mohawk Valley Diamonddawgs President and Owner Travis Heiser is excited to add Roper to the coaching staff, “adding Tyler Roper to our already talented and experienced coaching staff makes us that much better. Our players will have even more opportunities to learn and grow from coaches who have coached and played the game. Coach Roper brings experience both as a player and coach will add to our championship pedigree. We look forward to seeing him at Veterans Memorial Park this summer.”

The DiamondDawgs will kick-off their quest for another PGCBL title in June 2022 . The Mohawk Valley Diamonddawgs are excited to welcome back fans for another exciting season of baseball in the Mohawk Valley.