Raphael Cerrato

Head Coach
Second Season as Head Coach (Third at UNH Overall)
Record at UNH: 28-18
Rhode Island 1994

Rapheal Cerrato enters his second season as head coach of the University of New Haven's baseball team in 2008 following a successful 28-18 campaign last spring. Cerrato became the second head coach in the history of the University of New Haven’s baseball program on July 1, 2006. He replaced Frank “Porky” Vieira, who founded the Charger baseball program and served UNH for 44 years.

Cerrato joined Vieira’s staff as UNH’s associate head coach in June of 2005 following a five-year stint as an assistant coach at Brown University. He served as the Bears’ hitting, outfield and infield instructor and coordinated student-athlete recruitment.

In 2006, Cerrato helped the University of New Haven post a 35-12 overall record, win the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference’s regular season title and advance to the NCAA Championship Tournament for the 26th time in the program’s history.

Upon Cerrato’s promotion, UNH Director of Athletics Deborah Chin said: “I am happy to elevate Raphael Cerrato to the position of head baseball coach at the University of New Haven. He has been a positive influence on our baseball program since he joined us last June, and I am confident he will help continue the Chargers’ tradition of excellence established by Coach Vieira.”

According to Vieira, the New Haven baseball program is in good hands. Said Vieira, “Raphael is one of the best young coaches in the business. He is sharp as a tack in his knowledge of all parts of the game, and most importantly, he has created a great relationship with our players which is a big part of a winning program.”

Said Cerrato, “I am honored to become the head baseball coach at the University of New Haven. What coach Vieira has created with this program, both on and off the diamond, is amazing. I learned so much from Coach V about what it takes to run a successful program. I look forward to continuing the winning tradition that is University of New Haven baseball.”

Before his time at Brown, Cerrato served as the top assistant at the University of Massachusetts for three years, coordinating recruiting and the organization of UMass youth clinics.

He has also served as the head coach of the Rhode Island Gulls of the New England Collegiate Baseball League, a prestigious summer league sanctioned by the NCAA and funded by Major League Baseball. In addition, he spent time as the assistant baseball coach at his alma mater, the University of Rhode Island, and worked as an assistant coach with the Knickerbocker Baseball Club of the Northeastern Collegiate Baseball League.

A 1994 graduate of the University of Rhode Island with a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education and Health, Raphael was a member of the URI baseball team from 1989-1993. He was an All-Conference performer in 1992 and was the Rams’ captain in 1993.

Cerrato is a native of Enfield, Connecticut.