By Jackson Walsh, Director of Broadcasting & Media
The Sanford Mainers announced Monday that Nic Lops will return as manager for his fifth season. 2025 will be Lops’ sixth season overall with the organization after serving as hitting coach for one year. He will return to Sanford this summer after the conclusion of the season for St. Joseph’s College where he has taken on the role of Director of Player Development for his alma mater. Lops was named the 2024 Joel Cooney Manager of the Year, voted on by the fellow managers of the NECBL. He was given the honor after guiding the Mainers to the 2024 NECBL championship series. It is the second time he has been awarded with the honor, also receiving it in 2022.
“I’m stoked to be back,” said Lops. “I look forward to welcoming in a new group of Moose for the summer of 2025. It will be nice to have a handful of returners back with us this summer as well. I expect this group will buy into what it means to play baseball for the Sanford Mainers.”
Returning alongside Lops are assistant coaches Tim Moreau (third season), and Josh Guptel (second season). The Mainers are also thrilled to welcome Kobie Carter to this upcoming season’s coaching staff.
Moreau will return to Sanford after he spends the spring season with Colby-Sawyer College serving as the associate head coach for the Chargers. Moreau plays an integral part day-in day-out with the team, primarily working with the Mainers infielders and outfielders.
Guptel will once again serve as the Mainers pitching coach along with coaching first base. Recently, Guptel joined the staff at Maine’s York High School as the junior varsity head coach and the varsity team’s pitching coach. Before the season begins you can hear Guptel and multiple Mainers on his newest podcast “Pitchcast”. The show can be found on YouTube.
The lone newcomer to the Mainers coaching staff is Kobie Carter. He interned for the organization for two summers and will now step foot in the dugout in 2025. Carter was previously an assistant coach at Southern Maine Community College, where Lops was the head coach for the Seawolves. This spring Carter is on Mainers General Manager Aaron Izaryk’s staff at Bridgton Academy.
Lops commented on the addition of Carter saying, “He’s a tireless worker who loves the game, and he will handle opponent scouting reports as well as various types of analytics to help our ball club.”
The Sanford Mainers full season schedule is available online at sanfordmainers.com and on the official mobile app presented by Marc Motors.
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