Don Schaffer recently took on a knew role as Interim Director of Athletics when Benjamin Kozik stepped down to fully focus his attention on coaching the women's basketball team.
Schaffer took over as the head baseball coach at Southern Vermont College in the summer of 2007. In his first year on the job SVC won six more games then the year prior. The team's batting average went up over 50 points and the ERA was nearly two runs per game lower.
Coach Schaffer came to the Mountaineers after being assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, for eight years at Division II, Post University, in Waterbury, CT. While there, Coach Schaffer helped turn around a declining program, and coached seven all-conference players.
All in all, the SVC baseball leader has coached 33 seasons, including semi-pro, AAU Junior Olympic and high school varsity teams. A lifelong catcher, Don played high school and college baseball in his native New Jersey. Coach Schaffer's teams are known for their hustle, hard work, baseball smarts and passion for the game.
In his spare time, he enjoys umpiring baseball. He has been a nationally certified umpire for 18 years, officiating mostly at the high school level.
Coach Schaffer and his wife, Suzanne, live in Arlington,
Vermont. His son, Jeff, a former college baseball player, is a
structural engineer living in Hackettstown, NJ; while his daughter,
Stephanie, lives in Philadelphia and is completing her schooling as
a pharmacologist and medical researcher.
SVC is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and
Colleges.