Nick Arcuri named new coach

By Neil H. Devlin, Mullen Sports Information Director
Veteran boss now heads Mustangs baseball.
The familiar figure on the Colorado schoolboy baseball scene has been named the new head coach of Mullen.

Arcuri had taken command the past few weeks since Jim Alexander was relieved.

“I’m pumped, yes, sir, I couldn’t be more excited,” Arcuri said.

Mustangs athletic director Vince Massey made the announcement, saying “it’s a good hire for us. Since he was named interim coach, Nick has done everything that a head coach should do to prepare for the regular season.

“He prepared the fall baseball schedule. He got the regular-season baseball schedule done. He has worked on the financial issues in the program.

He has worked on building relationships with the booster club as well as with the kids. He’s going to do a great job for us.”

Arcuri will begin his 42nd season working in the game. He began at Sheridan, where he led a state title in 1984, then was at Denver South, Heritage, Regis University and Arvada before assisting with the Mustangs.

“This is a great place to coach,” he said.

A year ago, the Mustangs were 8-12 overall, 4-6 in the Centennial League for fifth place of the eight teams. They ended by losing their final seven games, one by forfeit due to a violation of the pitch-count rule, and lost in the first round of Class 5A regionals to Mountain Vista, the eventual state champion, by 17-2.

However, Arcuri said. “we have got an awesome group of kids coming back, six-to-seven seniors who played last year and were good players. They’ll be complemented with a host of kids from (the junior-varsity) team.”

Originally from Denver, Arcuri graduated from the Old St. Francis High, served in the U.S. Navy and was with Denver Police for 35 years, retiring as a detective. He still works for the city as a crash-report technician.

A proponent of high-schoolers competing in multiple sports, he said he wants “kids who play everything” and is working on assembling a staff.

“These kids are awesome, so is the administration and the facilities are great,” Arcuri said. “You can’t ask more as a head coach anywhere.”
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