Will Kaufman completed his second season with the Bulldogs in 2025.
Coaching Accolades
- Has coached America East Player of the Year in 2024 and 2025.
- Team has led the America East in doubles, home runs and scoring in each of his two seasons.
- Set single-season DI program records for doubles (128) and home runs (82) in 2024.
Kaufman came to Smithfield with a track record of producing high-powered offenses and putting together highly-touted recruiting classes. After joining the Bulldogs in January of 2024, he's got right to work in implementing his offensive approach. The results speak for themselves as the Bulldogs set a program single season record 82 home runs in the 2024 season. Bryant also clubbed a program-record 128 doubles in 2024, ranking in the top 15 nationally, and posted a top 75 slugging percentage nationally. Bryant followed that up 117 doubles (47th nationally) and 77 home runs 55th) in 2025.
In two short seasons, Bryant's offense is averaging 7.2 runs per game, 1.4 home runs per game and 2.2 doubles per game. Kaufman has coached the America East Player of the Year and the America East batting champion in each of his two seasons in Smithfield. It marks the first time since 2014 and 2015 that the same school has produced the player of the year in back-to-back seasons (no team has done it three times in a row since Delaware 97-2000). Bryant has scored 10+ runs 31 times in Kaufman's two seasons.
The 2025 season saw the Black and Gold finish with a team OPS of .857 and averaged over seven runs per game. Bryant led the America East in doubles, home runs, scoring, slugging and hit by pitch. Under Kaufman's watch, Drew Wyers produced the third .400 season in DI program history, as he hit .407 on his way to America East Player of the Year honors. Wyers and Zac Zyons were both named to the first team, while Gavin Noriega, Pat D'Amico, Charlie Saul and Cam Papetti also earned all-conference honors.
Under Kaufman's tuetelage, six Bulldogs set career highs in home runs led by Gavin Noriega's program-record 18 homers. Carmine Petosa added 14, breaking the DI single-season record along with Noriega. In the America East, Bryant finished first in batting average (.278), runs scored (416), hits (533), doubles (128), home runs (82), slugging (.484) and HBPs (106).
Individually, the Bulldogs featured the league batting champion in Zac Zyons (.369) and the league leader in OBP, runs scored and RBI. Bryant had four players in the top six of slugging, the top three players in OBP and four of the top five in OPS. Bryant placed nine field players on all-conference teams with Zyons, Noriega and Chris Einemann earning first team honors. Petosa, Jackson Phinney, Matt Smith and Brandyn Durand all earned second team honors, while Gavin Greger was an all-rookie selection.
Kaufman joins the Bulldogs after spending the last four seasons as the associate head coach at Erskine College in South Carolina. He will work with the hitters and serve as the co-recruiting coordinator with the Bulldogs.
“Throughout the interview process it was very apparent that Will is a relentless recruiter with an impressive track record developing successful offenses,” Klosterman said. “I look forward to our players returning to campus next week so they can begin working with him.”
During his time at Erskine, the Fleet boasted four nationally-ranked recruiting classes and produced some of the nation’s top offensive teams. In 2023, Erskine hit 89 home runs, including an NCAA record-tying 12 in one game. The Fleet have produced over 100 doubles and have eclipsed 70 home runs twice in the last three full seasons with Kaufman.
“I want to thank Coach Klosterman and Bryant University for welcoming me to the family,” Kaufman said. “The program has been a perennial powerhouse in the Northeast and I am looking forward to helping continue that tradition. With all of the new facilities on campus it is apparent that athletics is a priority for the school. I am excited to start building relationships with the players and help them achieve their dreams on and off the field, and help bring championships back to Smithfield.”
Erskine boasted four nationally-ranked recruiting classes in his time there and have produced some of the nation's top offensive teams. In 2023, Erskine hit 89 home runs, including an NCAA record-tying 12 in one game. Offensively, Erskine finished fourth nationally in home runs, sixth in walks, seventh in slugging percentage, 10th in doubles and 10th in scoring during the 2023 season. Kaufman coached Dale Francis Jr. to Conference Carolinas Player of the Year honors last spring. Francis Jr. was one of five all-conference selections, while he joined Christian Rivera (DH) and Johnny Hummel (RP) as ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division II All-America teams. Kaufman also had four players continue their careers at the professional level.
Prior to his time at Erskine, Kaufman built one of the best offenses in the country at the University of Pennsylvania. Under Kaufman's tutelage, Penn posted one of its best seasons in program history in 2019, finishing second nationally in batting average (.334), second in doubles per game (2.66), third in triples per game, third in OBP (.422) and third in scoring (8.6). That offensive unit was led by Matt O'Neill who was selected with the 598th overall pick in the MLB Draft.
In two seasons at Penn, the Quakers finished first or second in the Ivy League in nearly every offensive category.
Kaufman spent the 2016 and 2017 seasons as an assistant coach at Division III Arcadia, helping the Knights post a 55-27-1 overall record. Arcadia set a school record for wins, scoring, RBI, hits, batting average, OPS and doubles and produced four ABCA All-Region selections in 2017.
Talking about Kaufman
Mark Crocco – Head Coach Erskine College
This is a well-deserved opportunity for Coach Kaufman. He will be an incredible asset for the athletic department on numerous levels. He is a great fit to join Ryan Klosterman and his staff at Bryant University. His dedication to our program over the past four years can be summed up with one word; excellence. Coach Kaufman’s work ethic as a tireless recruiter and offensive mind is unmatched. He will bring a wealth of baseball knowledge and recruiting experience that will make an immediate impact on the momentum that is being built at Bryant University.
Jim Chester – Head Coach Gardner-Webb
Coach Kaufman is one of the hardest workers in college baseball. Bryant hit a home run with this hire!
Toby Bicknell – Associate Head Coach/Recruiting Coordinator UNC Charlotte
Will is a tireless recruiting and a rising star in college baseball. His attention to detail and work ethic make him a great hire for Coach Klosterman and Bryant.
Mike Santello – Recruiting Coordinator UPenn
Will Kaufman is as hard-working and committed as they come. During his time at Penn, he was instrumental in working with an offense that was ranked top three nationally in many offensive categories. Bryant is getting a coach that is an advocate for his student-athletes and will do whatever it takes to help them be successful on and off the field. Will’s effort and knowledge on the recruiting trail will certainly be a continued asset. Congratulations to Will and Bryant Baseball!
