SANFORD, Maine - Following the completion of his fourth year at the helm of the Sanford Mainers, Mainers’ head coach Nic Lops has been named the New England Collegiate Baseball League 2024 Joel Cooney Manager of the Year.

“We are proud of Nic and all that he accomplished with the Moose this summer,” Mainers General Manager Aaron Izaryk said. “A well-deserved honor, one that is voted on by his peers and speaks loudly to the respect he’s earned around our league.”

Lops, who has been with the organization since 2019, led the Mainers to a 26-18 record in the regular season, their most successful year since 2016. The Portland, Maine native, who was assisted by Tim Moreau, Josh Guptel and Jeff Heinz, led Sanford to an 11-game winning streak after a 15-17 start through the first 32 games.

That 11-game stretch, which propelled the Mainers to a second-place finish in the North Division and the first Wild Card Spot in the postseason, tied the Newport Gulls and Martha’s Vineyard Sharks for the longest winning streak in the league since 2002.

“Nic coaches with integrity, grit and a competitive spirit that is unmatched,” Izaryk said. “He does it the right way and finds a way to win. His teams are no different, and it’s a direct correlation to his presence in the dugout, on the field and on the bus.”

Following a loss that snapped the winning streak on the final day of the regular season, Lops led the Mainers past the Keene SwampBats and Vermont Mountaineers, and into the NECBL Championship Series, where they ultimately fell to the Newport Gulls.

Lops also received this honor in 2022, and now becomes just the second head coach in NECBL history to win the award twice, joining Mike Coombs (Newport). In 2022, Lops became the fourth manager in Mainers’ history to receive the honor, joining Izaryk, Chris Morris and Scott Brown.

This is not only his second time taking home the hardware in the NECBL but it's also his second time earning hardware in 2024. In May, Lops was named the Yankee Small College Conference (YSCC) Coach of the Year for the third consecutive season. During his final year with Southern Maine Community College, Lops led the Seawolves to their seventh straight YSCC Championship.

About the Sanford Mainers:
Sanford Mainers Baseball is Southern Maine's Premier Baseball Experience located in Sanford, Maine and is one of 13 members of the New England Collegiate Baseball League, as well as a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2001, playing its first season in 2002. The Sanford Mainers are committed to providing an outlet for collegiate baseball players from across the country to assist in skill development, while also acting as a community partner to the Southern Maine region in regard to youth activities, internships, volunteerism, and more. The Mainers are two-time league champions, taking home the title in 2004 and 2008. For more information on the Sanford Mainers, please visit our website at www.sanfordmainers.com or follow on Facebook at facebook.com/sanfordmainers or on Twitter and Instagram at @sanford_mainers.