The 2012 and 2022 New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Coach of the Year, former William Paterson standout Mike Lauterhahn is in his 18th season as his alma mater’s head coach in 2025.
During his 17 springs in Wayne, Lauterhahn has led the Pioneers to 359 victories, an NJAC title and NCAA Tournament berth, and 12 conference tournament appearances, including a spot in the 2009 and 2021 NJAC final series. Steve Yelin was named the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) National Position Player of the Year in 2023 with Lauterhahn at the helm. Mike Guadango (2008-09), Adam Derner (2012), Dan Carter (2022), Colin Lombardo (2022-23), Yelin (2023) all achieved all-America status under his guidance, while the Pioneers have earned 35 all-region selections and 60 all-NJAC laurels. WP has also excelled academically under his watch, as his baseball student-athletes have secured three academic all-America certificates, 13 academic all-district awards and 115 spots on the Academic All-NJAC Team.
Prior to returning to his alma mater, Lauterhahn served as the varsity head coach at Rutherford High School (2001-07), leading the Bulldogs to a 129-55-1 record during his seven seasons, the 2004 and 2005 Group 2 state titles, Group 2 runner-up finishes in 2001 and 2003, and the Bergen County Scholastic League’s (BCSL) American Division crowns in 2001 and 2003. The 2005 Bergen County, BCSL-American and northjerseysports.com Coach of the Year, Lauterhahn sent more than 20 of his charges on to play in the college ranks, and mentored three more who signed contracts with Major League Baseball clubs. For all of these accomplishments, he was enshrined in the Rutherford High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2014.
Lauterhahn’s connection to the Pioneer program stretches back nearly four decades, as his father, Bob, retired after 39 seasons as an assistant coach (1981-2019), and his brother, Dan (1995-97), was an all-American at the school and a 1997 draft selection of the Detroit Tigers.
A member of the New Jersey State Baseball Coaches Association Executive Committee and the Northeast’s coach at the 2004-06 Senior State All-Star Games, Lauterhahn worked as a William Paterson assistant coach during the fall season from 2000-06, and as a staff member for the Joe Wladyka Camps from 2001-07. He taught history at Rutherford High School (2004-07), served as a social studies teacher at Wallington Junior/Senior High School (2001-04), and was a fifth-grade teacher at Frank W. Gavlak School in Wallington (1996-2001).
An all-NJAC outfielder for the Pioneers after transferring from Rutgers University-Newark, Lauterhahn helped lead William Paterson to a 56-24 two-year record (1993-94), the 1993 NJAC title and a berth in that year’s NCAA Tournament. Drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 1994, he spent two years in the Cubs’ farm system before returning to William Paterson to finish his degree.
Lauterhahn still stands tied for third in triples (eight, 1993), tied for fifth in hit by pitches (12, 1993), and tied for ninth in runs scored (55, 1993) on the Pioneer single-season lists. In addition to his exploits as a member of the William Paterson baseball team, Lauterhahn also was a two-year starting guard for the Pioneer basketball team (1992-93, 1993-94), still ranking on the career lists for assists per game (second, 5.06), steals per game (sixth, 2.17), assists (ninth, 243) and three-point field-goal percentage (eighth, .374), while his 15 assists against Richard Stockton College (2/20/93) remain tied for the best single-game total in program history.
A 1997 graduate of William Paterson with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and history, Lauterhahn and his wife, Lucia, have two children, Sean and Gianna. He was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame of his alma mater, Wallington High School, after earning all-area, all-conference and all-county honors in basketball, and all-conference laurels in baseball.
Lauterhahn’s WP Coaching Highlights
- 359 victories during 17 seasons (2008-24) at his alma mater
- One NJAC title and one NCAA Tournament appearance
- Twelve NJAC Tournament appearances, including the 2022 title and the 2009 and 2021 finals series
- One ABCA National Position Player of the Year
- Six all-Americans
- Thirty-five all-region awards
- One ABCA All-Region Defensive Team honoree
- Five All-ECAC Team selections
- Four NJAC specialty award winners (one Player of the Year, one Pitcher of the Year, two Firemen of the Year)
- One Major League Baseball draft pick (Brett Carroll, 2010)
- Sixty all-NJAC picks
- Three academic all-America awards
- Thirteen academic all-district selections
- 115 spots on the Academic All-NJAC Team
- Two NJAC Coach of the Year awards