Clingersmith named to WNY Baseball HOF

Niagara County Community College baseball coach Matt Clingersmith is among 12 local standouts, who comprise the 23rd class of the Western New York Baseball Hall of Fame. The induction banquet is slated for Wednesday at the Lake Erie Italian Club in Lackawanna. 

Clingersmith has turned the Thunderwolves into an National junior-college power during the past 13 seasons, making five NJCAA World Series appearances and racking up 471 career wins. His teams have twice finished as National runners-up. The five-time Coach of the Year has produced three MLB Draft picks and more than three dozen NCAA Division I players. 

As a player, Clingersmith was an All-Western New York performer at Niagara Catholic High School before exceling at both Erie Community College and Canisius College. He also had success at both the AAABA and AAA Muny amateur levels, winning championships in both leagues. Most recently, Clingersmith pitched for the Welland Jackfish of the Intercounty Baseball League in Canada.