Nick Derba will enter his ninth season at the helm of Maine baseball in 2026. So far, Derba carries a 174-242 overall record and a 108-94 mark within the America East.
Nick Derba was named the 25th head coach in the history of Maine baseball, on June 23, 2017. He previously held the title of interim head coach since from December 17, 2016.
Prior to joining the Maine community, Derba was the hitting and catchers coach for the Chatham Anglers of the Cape Cod Baseball League in summer 2013 — the same team that he played for from 2004-06. During the 2012 season, he was a volunteer at Manhattan College after working with the Jasper catchers in the 2010 and 2011 off-seasons.
In the 2007 Major League Draft, the St. Louis Cardinals selected Derba in the 31st round. He played six years in the Cardinal system, advancing as high as AAA Memphis (PCL). In 2012, he was a member of the Texas League champion Springfield Cardinals. From 2008-12, Derba spent significant time in the Cardinals Major League spring training camp. After the 2012 season, he retired to pursue a coaching career.
Derba had a highly decorated playing career at Manhattan College, where he was honored as a three-time All-MAAC first team catcher. He was the only three-year captain in Manhattan baseball history and still ranks among the school's all-time leaders in career home runs, hits, runs scored, games played and RBIs.
Derba graduated from Manhattan College in 2007, earning a bachelor's degree in biology with a concentration in pre-med, and a double minor in psychology and chemistry. He was a three-time All-MAAC academic team selection and received the John Daly Award for community service.
Derba earned an MBA at Maine in August of 2016.
He and his wife, Megan, are the parents of Benjamin Levi Derba.
In the summer of 2019, Derba was elected to the Manhattan College Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2019.
2017
In 2017 as the interim head coach, he guided UMaine to its highest win total in four years (25). In America East Championship play, Derba led the Black Bears to four straight wins, earning a berth in the title game. The impressive stretch run marked the first time since 2013 that Maine appeared in the league championship. Derba also mentored a pair of all-conference selections and two America East all-rookie team members.
2018
The Black Bears advanced to the third day of the America East tournament in 2018, before bowing out to Stony Brook to end the campaign.
Following the 2018 season, both Jeremy Pena (3rd round, 102nd overall) and Christopher Bec (5th round, 146 overall) were selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft under Derba's watch.
2019
Maine posted a 15-34 overall record in 2019, including an 11-12 record within the America East, before exiting the America East tournamnet after dropping games to UMass-Lowell and Hartford.
After the season another trio of Black Bears moved into the professional ranks as junior Cody Laweryson (14th round, Minnesota Twins) and senior Nick Silva (40th round, Chicago White Sox) had their names called in the June draft and senior Danny Casals inked a free agent deal with the Milwaukee Brewers a few weeks later.
Derba was promoted to associate head coach in 2015. During his first three seasons at Maine, he served as the team's recruiting and summer camp coordinator. He also was directly involved in Maine baseball's community outreach efforts, including fundraising for the Vs. Cancer Foundation, and team visits to Eastern Maine Medical Center, Old Town YMCA and local schools.
2020
In the shortened 2020 season Maine played just 13 games, posting a 1-12 record.
2021
Maine qualified for the America East playoffs for the 11th straight season. The Black Bears upset No. 1 overall seed Stony Brook in the first game of the tournament, advancing in the winner's bracket for the first time since 2013. After the season, Nicholas Sinacola became the fourth player of the Derba-era to be selected in the MLB Draft, going to the San Francisco Giants in the seventh round. He was joined by Alex McKenney a few days later, as McKenney signed a free agent contract with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Coaching Career:
UMaine head coach: June 23, 2017 - Present
UMaine interim head coach: Dec. 2017 – June 2017
UMaine associate head coach: 2015-16
UMaine assistant: 2013-15
Chatham Anglers assistant: Summer 2013
Manhattan College volunteer assistant: 2013 season
Manhattan College: 2010-11 (off-season)
New Jersey Institute of Technology volunteer assistant: 2010-11
Bayside Yankees high school travel team: Winter (2008-11)
"We're excited to announce
Nick Derba as head baseball coach. Nick proved himself during the 2016-17 season as interim head coach and in the national search process that began after the season ended and attracted a large group of highly qualified candidates. We are confident in Nick's ability to recruit and coach high-caliber student-athletes who will be champions in the classroom, on the field and in the community."
- Former UMaine Director of Athletics, Karlton Creech
"I'm excited for
Nick Derba, our baseball team and our athletic department. Coach Derba is a team player all the way and he will have a great impact on not only our student-athletes, but also on the future growth of our department."
- Former
Senior Associate Director of Athletics & Baseball Search Committee Chair, Jack Cosgrove
