Mike Perniciaro 2024-25 Softball Staff

Head coach of the University of Notre Dame softball program Kris Ganeff added another key piece to her coaching staff for the 2024-25 academic year, announcing Mike Perniciaro as the team’s hitting and outfield coach. Perniciaro joins the staff after spending the past seven seasons as the head coach at Indiana State. Overall, Perniciaro has been a head coach for 14 years and brings with him 28 years of coaching experience at the Division I level. 

“I’m thrilled to add Mike (Perniciaro) to our staff.” Ganeff said, “He brings a wealth of coaching experience, working as an assistant in the SEC and the Big Ten in addition to his head coaching experience. He’s proven to get the most out of his players and he embodies the principles we have in our program. He cares for the person as well as the student and the athlete. I can’t wait to see how he helps us build on our foundation.”

“Thank you to Kris (Ganeff), Jen (Vining-Smith) and Pete (Bevacqua) for this incredible opportunity to be a part of Notre Dame softball.” said Perniciaro, “I am honored to work with such a knowledgeable and experienced coaching staff. I look forward to competing for championships with the Fighting Irish.”

In Terre Haute, Perniciaro led the Indiana State Sycamore softball program to 153 victories in seven seasons, ranking second all-time in program history. His team set a program record with 32 wins during the 2023 campaign, including 17 in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC). During his tenure, he coached 18 All-MVC selections, nine National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region selections and the 2021 MVC Freshman of the Year. His Sycamore offenses set program records in total bases, RBI, home runs, runs scored and slugging percentage. 

Before heading to Indiana State, Perniciaro worked as an assistant coach at Indiana University during the 2015-17 seasons. In his time as the hitting coach, his Hoosier offenses ranked in the top 10 all-time in program history in runs, hits, doubles, home runs, walks, RBI and batting average. Five separate times he had individuals tie the program record for runs scored in a game and the offense scored over 15 runs four times. 

As an associate head coach at Ole Miss from 2012-14, Perniciaro worked with the offense and outfielders. While in Oxford, he helped mentor 22 SEC Spring Honor Roll recipients, nine SEC First Year Honor Roll selections and a pair of NFCA All-Region and All-SEC performers. 

Perniciaro got his head coaching career started with a season at Northwestern State during the 2004-05 academic year. While in Natchitoches, he led the Demons to a 35-28 record, tied for the eight-most wins in a season for a program that started in 1979. He then headed up to Wichita State where he led the Shockers program for six seasons. He earned 168 wins during his time in Wichita, leading 15 all-conference honorees and two NFCA All-Region selections. Perniciaro had three-consecutive 30-win seasons and won six conference tournament games. 

He began his career as an assistant coach in the SEC, coaching for two seasons at Georgia before moving to Auburn for six. He helped the Georgia program start from scratch, recruiting and preparing for its first season while working with the offense. As the top assistant at Auburn, he helped lead the Tigers to their first-ever NCAA Regional appearance in 2002 and went back to the NCAA tournament in 2004 where Auburn earned a national ranking as high as 12th. The 2004 Auburn coaching staff was named the NFCA South Region Coaching Staff of the Year for their efforts. 

Perniciaro is married to his wife, Shannon and the couple has two sons, Nick (14) and Alex (13).