Joe Carbone spent 24 seasons in the dugout as the head baseball coach of his alma mater, Ohio University, compiling a 689-611-2 (.529) overall record from 1989-2012. His 689 wins make him the winningest coach in any sport at the institution and place him third all-time in Mid-American Conference (MAC) history. Additionally, his 368 conference wins rank second in MAC history.
During his tenure, Ohio won two MAC titles and Carbone was named MAC Coach of the Year twice (1991 and 1997). He was also honored as the ABCA/Diamond Mideast Region Coach of the Year in 1997, following the Bobcats’ record-setting 43-win season.
Over the course of his coaching career, 44 players signed professional baseball contracts. Eight of Carbone's players achieved All-America status and he coached 43 first-team All-MAC and 33 All-Mideast Region performers.
Carbone took over the Bobcats’ program after 18 years as an assistant coach at Marshall, Toledo and Ohio State. During his stint with the Buckeyes from 1977-88, Carbone was very active in collegiate summer leagues. He was a coach and general manager of the Columbus All-Americans, also helping to develop the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League in Michigan and Ohio. For Carbone's accomplishments and continued commitment to development of the GLSCL, the league named the Manager of the Year Award after him in his honor.
In 1982, he guided Winchester to the Shenandoah Valley Collegiate League championship.
Carbone's success is not limited to his coaching career. A three-year starter at Ohio (1968-70), he proved himself versatile, seeing time at second base, shortstop, third base and in the outfield. In those three seasons, Ohio compiled an overall record of 74-24, going 36-4 in MAC play with three conference titles. Carbone was captain of the 1970 team that participated in the College World Series.
In addition to the ABCA, Carbone has received Hall of Fame recognition from a number of organizations, including the Kermit Blosser Ohio University Hall of Fame, where he was inducted in 2011 as a player and a coach. He is also a member of the Tioga County, Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League, George Whitfield Baseball Clinic and All-American Amateur Baseball Association Halls of Fame.
Carbone has been a frequent speaker at coaches' clinics across the United States and Canada. He has produced baseball videos and publications and has also spoken at the ABCA Convention four times.
Carbone earned a bachelor's degree in education from Ohio University and a master's degree in physical education from Marshall University. He is a 49-year continuous member of the ABCA.
