Hard-Hitting MKA Senior Leader
Latest Parisi Fairfield/SC AOW

MONTCLAIR- Quinn Carlesimo remembers being a freshman starting second baseman for Montclair Kimberley Academy and how he couldn’t help but feel the tension of the moment as then Coach Ralph Pacifico's Cougars were facing favored Rutgers Prep in the prep B tournament final at Diamond Nation.

“I was terrified and excited at the same time,” said the standout senior shortstop and top hitter for a strong 2025 MKA diamond squad which is hoping to live up to its advance billing as the No. 1 seed in this year’s prep B tourney. “We had a terrific group of seniors on that team and great coaches, and they all made me feel more at ease when we took the field.

“And, when we upset Rutgers Prep for the championship it was an incredible victory for all of us to enjoy and it has been one of the top moments in my high school career.”

Now, as a 4-year starting infielder at MKA the gifted Williams College-bound senior leader is hoping to enjoy more championship moments with the Cougrs who are competing in the Greater Newark Tournament, the prep B event once again, and – eventually in late May- the NJSIAA Non-Public B state tourney.

“I feel so grateful to go out there each day with such an incredible group of guys that we have on this year’s team,” said Carlesimo. “We have great seniors and a tremendous group of underclassmen who all enjoy spending time together on and off the field; plus, I think we have even more depth on this team than the prep championship squad which had its own group of great seniors.

“We have all the ingredients to help us make a strong tournament run the rest of the way.”

As he embarks in the final month of his scholastic career Carlesimo is one of the top hitters on the New Jersey scholastic baseball scene this season with a .368 batting average, 14 runs, 5 doubles, 2 home runs and 17 RBI for the Cougars who improved to 11-2 on the season with Friday's 2-0 Greater Newark Tournament first round win over Montclair.

For his recent efforts, which include 5 runs, 3 doubles and 5 RBI in three recent victories, the MKA standout is the Parisi Fairfield/Sideline Chatter Athlete of the Week.

What Carlesimo does in addition to providing a very reliable glove on the Cougars’ infield defense is to make every at bat a challenging experience for the opposing pitcher.

In a recent (Monday, April 28) regular season win vs. neighboring rival Montclair in the annual Yogi Berra Cup Game he was 1-for-2 with a 2 RBI, including a big run-scoring double when the Cougars took their initial lead in the fourth inning of an eventual 5-4 victory.

He also walked and was hit by a pitch as the winning run was scored by freshman Henry Court as he came in from third base on a wild pitch in the top of the seventh inning.

In an 8-2 win over Belleville on April 23 Carlesimo was 2-for-4 with a run, a double and an RBI and in an April 21st 13-4 victory over Barringer he went 1-for-3 with 2 walks, 2 stolen bases, scored 3 runs while banging out a double with 2 RBI.

“I think Quinn is one of the top hitters in the state and I’m not just saying that because I’m his coach because he is that good,” said MKA second-year head coach Mike Sasso, an MKA grad and former standout pitcher for William Paterson University. “He can adjust mid-at bat as well as anyone out there, rarely gets fooled on a pitch; and - if he does get fooled - tip your hat to that pitcher because it doesn’t happen very often, plus he is very likely to never be fooled again by that pitcher.

“And, in addition to being just a great hitter, he is the smartest kid I’ve ever coached.”

Carlesimo’s adjustments at the plate have continued to evolve.

“At the beginning of the season I was ultra-selective, but it became very evident that I wasn’t seeing as many strikes so I had to adjust,” said the cerebral MKA senior. “Fortunately, I’ve been able to maintain some consistency in terms of trying to make my at bats productive whether I’m getting a hit or drawing a walk and just trusting that the next man up will do his best to move me along.”

Talk about consistency, Carlesimo has been a 4-year hitting machine batting .355 with 23 runs as a freshman for the 17-7 prep B championship Cougars which was followed by a sophomore season in which he batted .360 with 25 runs, 10 doubles and 13 RBI. As a junior he hit an impressive .412 with 10 doubles and 16 RBI.

Sports have always been a huge part of Carlesimo’s life. After all, he comes from a family where athletics have been ever present, including well before Quinn was even a gleam in his dad’s eye. His uncle is PJ Carlesimo, the former Seton Hall University basketball coach, who also spent time coaching in the NBA with teams including the Portland Trail Blazers and Golden State Warriors, and who is now a top radio color analyst for college and pro basketball.

“When my uncle PJ is in New York for the Knicks or any other game, he stays with us,” said Quinn, who used to live in New York City before the family moved to Montclair during his sophomore year at MKA. “I’m very close with my uncle who is a tremendous guy and it’s always been great to be part of such a big sports family, that’s for sure!”

Quinn’s grandfather was Peter Carlesimo, the former athletic director at both Scranton University and Fordham, and perhaps best known as the executive director of - and for reviving the National Invitational Tournament, which was once a big part of the college basketball season.

Peter, who passed away in 2003, and his wife Lucy raised their 10 children in both Scranton, Pa., and later in Upper Montclair.

“Unfortunately, I’m too young (18) to have known my grandfather,” said Quinn. “I have heard so much about how great a man and leader he was.

“Fortunately for me, my entire family has always enjoyed having sports be a big part of our lives.”

Quinn’s mom, Carrie Shumway, was a 2-sport All-American in lacrosse and field hockey at Harvard and his sister, MKA grad and former standout Caia, is presently on the women’s soccer team at Drew University.

Quinn’s dad Cory, the youngest of 10 Carlesimo siblings, has always enjoyed being involved in sports, including with big brother P.J.’s basketball exploits, and has also had success in the business world as a financial analyst.

The next step for Quinn Carlesimo after finishing up his last precious days as a student-athlete at MKA will be heading to Williams College in the late summer where he will become part of a top Division III school in the highly-regarded New England Small College Athletic Conference.

The Ephs, who are guided by 19th-year head coach Bill Barrale, enter this weekend's NESCAC Tournament at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, with an 18-13 record and 7-5 in the conference.

“They saw me when I was with my Iron 9 (travel team) up in Boston and then I had a visit to the school and they offered me the opportunity to play for them,” he said. “It all happened so quickly and I’m thrilled to be going to such a great college where I hope to study economics and philosophy and play in a tremendous D3 baseball conference.”

For now, as May will eventually turn into early June when MKA hopes to still be playing baseball in the NJSIAA state tourney, it’s time to focus on the next game for the Cougars.

As far as the GNT is concerned seventh-seeded MKA will visit second-seeded Livingston in next Wednesday's (May 7) quarterfinals.

“Quinn is such a pleasure to have on your team and he comes ready to compete at a high level each and every day,” said Sasso. “He’s one of our senior captains, a great leader, and I’m looking forward to seeing him get some more big hits for us the rest of the way this season.”

NOTES- Quinn Carlesimo has been on the high honor roll at MKA from 2021-2025 and was the Mary K. Waring Scholar in 2024…He was MKA’s baseball team MVP in both 2023 and 2024 and Team Rookie of the Year in 2022…He has been first-team all-conference in 2022, 2023 and 2024 and first-team all-prep B in 2024…He was also a first team All-Academic Super Essex Conference selection in 2024 and was selected for the Essex County all-star team in 2022 and 2023. He also received MKA’s Scholar-Athlete Award in 2023 and the MKA Clutch Cougar Award in 2023. 

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