One of the winningest active coaches in the country, Mike Conte enters his 29th season as head coach at California (PA) in 2025.
Conte has led the Vulcans to a 764-533-4 overall record and a .589 winning percentage while with the program. He has guided Cal to an appearance in the PSAC Tournament 19 times, including 11 times in the last 15 years. The Vulcans also made a pair of appearances in the NCAA Tournament in a four-year span from 2007-10.
In 2022, Conte became only the third coach in PSAC history to earn 700 career victories. Cal posted its second 30-win season in the last four years, as it tied for third in the PSAC West standings. The Vulcans led the division with eight players selected to the All-PSAC West Teams, including a trio of honorees on the First-Team, and also featured their sixth ABCA All-American under Conte.
The Vulcans set the school record with 37 wins in 2019 while Conte was chosen the PSAC West Coach of the Year for the eighth time in his career. Cal returned to the PSAC Tournament for the first time in three years after tying for second place in the divisional standings with a school-record 19 league wins. At the tournament, the Vulcans earned a pair of wins in elimination games highlighted by a ninth-inning comeback victory against nationally-ranked Millersville.
Conte mentored four ABCA All-Americans over seven years from 2009-15 and all four played professionally following their collegiate career with two being chosen in the MLB Draft. Kyle Petty was a consensus All-American in 2013 and was taken by the Seattle Mariners in the 23rd round. He played five seasons in the minor leagues with the Mariners and advanced to Class AA while twice being named a Minor League All-Star. In 2016, Mike Fennell was selected by St. Louis Cardinals in the 22nd round and played two seasons in the minor leagues before continuing his career with independent leagues.
In 2010, the Vulcans captured the PSAC Championship in walk-off fashion and made their fifth all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Cal finished the year with a 34-18 overall record and remain the last non-private school from the PSAC West to win the league title. The Vulcans were anchored by the dynamic tandem of outfielder Sam DiMatteo and pitcher Randy Sturgill, both who have been inducted into the California Athletic Hall of Fame.
DiMatteo remains the PSAC’s all-time leader with 115 steals while ranking second in school history with 223 hits and 31 home runs. He was chosen the 2010 PSAC Tournament MVP and is one of only four Cal players to be a three-time All-PSAC West First-Team selection. Sturgill set the school record with 23 career wins and sits second with 241 career strikeouts despite using only three seasons eligibility. He was named the PSAC West Pitcher of the Year in both 2010 and 2011 – marking the last repeat winner of the award in the PSAC West.
Conte led Cal to a then-school record 36 wins in 2007 while placing second in the PSAC Tournament. The Vulcans captured a fourth-straight divisional title before making the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1983.
Before league expansion in 2009, the Vulcans earned four-straight PSAC West titles from 2004-07 while registering a .725 winning percentage in divisional play during that span. Cal captured its first PSAC Championship in 25 years in 2004 and featured two-time Academic All-American and PSAC West Athlete of the Year Mike Larson. A recent Athletic Hall of Fame inductee, Larson was an all-conference outfielder/pitcher after leading the team in average, homers, RBI and ERA.
Cal also won back-to-back PSAC West titles in 2001 and 2002 after posting a then-school record 16 conference wins. Outfielder Bryan Hartung was an all-conference player on the 2001 team before finishing his career as the school's all-time leader in homers and RBI. Hartung became the first Conte-era player inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009.
Prior to taking the head-coaching position in 1997, Conte served as an assistant coach for the late Chuck Gismondi, who set then-school records for wins and games coached.
A native of nearby Brownsville, Conte was a two-time all-conference outfielder at Virginia Tech. As a junior, he led the team with a .352 average and received an offer to play with the Baltimore Orioles. Conte returned to school for his senior season and led the team in triples, homers, RBI, stolen bases and at-bats. He finished his career and still ranks fifth in Virginia Tech history with 43 career homers.
Following the 1989 college season, he was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 19th round and played five seasons in the A's minor-league system before retiring after the 1993 season.
Conte completed his undergraduate degree in 1990. Following his professional playing career, he started his coaching career in 1994 at Cal as an assistant and completed his master's degree in Geography and Regional Planning.
Conte resides in California with his wife Jamie and they have four children – Louden, Jessie, Payton and Nina – and one grandchild. Louden was a two-time All-PSAC West First-Team third baseman for the Vulcans, Jessie is a registered nurse, Payton is currently a senior on the team and Nina is a freshman volleyball player at Cal.
