Brian Claypool enters his fourth year on the River Hawk Staff in 2025. He brings nearly 20 years of coaching experience at various levels to UMass Lowell. Most recently, he spent four seasons as the head softball coach at Rhode Island College of the Little East Conference. During his tenure, Claypool helped the program thrive offensively, ranking seventh in the nation in on-base percentage (.434), 10th in batting average (.357) and 16th in scoring offense (7.16 runs per game).
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Previously, he served as head coach at The College of The Holy Cross from 2007-2016. In his first three seasons, the program increased its stolen bases from 11 in 2007 to 100 in 2010, good for a top 10 ranking nationally. Additionally, the team fielding percentage went from the lowest in the Patriot League to the highest by 2010.
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He also held his program to high academic standards, as 90 Crusaders were honored with the All-Patriot League Academic Honor Roll recognition during his time on staff. Claypool's impact on his student-athletes earned him the title of Patriot League Coach of the Year in 2011.
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Claypool played baseball at The College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio where he helped lead the 1997 team to a 48-6-1 season that culminated in a second-place finish at the NCAA Division III National Championships. He received his bachelor's degree in psychology from The College of Wooster before adding a master's in education at Springfield College.
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He and his wife, Holly, have three sons Camden, Shane and Hunter.
