Dock Spiders Announce 2025 Coaching Staff
FOND DU LAC, WI – The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders and third-year field manager Douglas Coe are pleased to announce the coaching staff for the 2025 season. Pitching coach Sam Fonder will return for his second season while hitting coach Mark Nofri and assistant coach Ian Yunker join the staff.
Nofri will begin his first season as the Dock Spiders Hitting Coach in 2025. The New England native graduates in the spring of 2025 with a master’s in athletic leadership from Springfield College (MA). He is currently serving on the Springfield College baseball staff as a Graduate Assistant Coach in the 2024-25 season, primarily working with hitters and outfielders. Before coaching at Springfield, he also served as a Head Coach for the 18U Powerhouse Bulldogs in the summer of 2024 (AAU), and the summer beforehand as an assistant coach (2023). Nofri graduated from Springfield College with a bachelor’s degree in Movement and Sports Studies in 2023, where he played outfield for five seasons under Head Coach Mark Simeone. During his undergrad, Nofri had the opportunity for a semester-long internship at “The Clubhouse,” where he worked under Milwaukee Brewers Associate Scout and Clubhouse Owner Mike Porzio. During his time there, he directly worked with player development, administration duties, and data analysis for players ranging from youth to high school, college, and professional.
Yunker enters his first season as an Assistant Coach for the Dock Spiders in 2025. The Troy, Ohio, native has served as a Graduate Assistant and Pitching Coach at Wheeling University (WV) for the last two seasons. He also aided in the development of the infielders and hitters in the 2024 season. While at Wheeling, Yunker has helped guide the team to back-to-back Mountain East Conference tournament appearances for the first time in program history. He will graduate from Wheeling University with his master’s in organizational leadership in the Spring of 2025. Yunker has also coached for the Grand Lake Mariners of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League for two summers (2023-24). His duties with Grand Lake as Assistant Coach included managing the pitching staff and coaching first base. Yunker graduated from Mars Hill University (NC) in 2023 with his bachelor of political science after his collegiate career as a pitcher for the University of South Carolina Upstate and Mars Hill University. Before his career at the University of South Carolina Upstate he attended Tippecanoe High School in Tipp City, Ohio.
The Dock Spiders will begin their ninth season of Northwoods League play during the spring of 2025. The promotions and daily special schedule will be announced in the coming weeks and will once again feature giveaway items, daily specials each day and night of the week, special appearances, live music, and gameday themes. Information about ticket packages is currently available at dockspiders.com or by calling the ticket office at (920) 907-9833. Visit the Dock Spiders ballpark Box Office and Team Store during normal business hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Now in its’ 31st season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in history with 26 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office staff, 360 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (TEX), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (STL) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (ATL). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2023 World Series Champion, MLB All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and two-time All-MLB first team shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). League games are viewable live on Northwoods League+ (at watch.northwoodsleague.com), ESPN+, and the Northwoods League Network. Learn more and find complete streaming schedules at watchnwl.com. For more information, visit dockspiders.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Dock Spiders as your favorite team.