The Potomac School reached into the college ranks to find its new head baseball coach.
Chris Nee, who has been the pitching coach for the Division III Catholic University baseball team the past 10 seasons and is an instructor with the Bradley Baseball Academia, was hired in recent days at the McLean private high school. He succeeds Eric Crozier, who left to take the same position at public school Chantilly High School.
Crozier led Potomac School to the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference regular season and tournament championships last season and a berth into the Division I state playoffs.
“When I learned about the opening and started asking around, I heard so many good things about Potomac School and the community that I had to apply,” Nee said. “I’m looking for a place to put roots, and this is a great opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”
As a coach for Catholic, the team’s pitching staffs often had some of the top conference statistics under Nee. He will finish his coaching duties through the fall season at Catholic.
Prior to joining the coaching staff at Catholic University, Nee was a four-year baseball player, team captain in the program and two-time all-conference pitcher. He holds the single-season team record for saves and appearances and is second in career saves. He graduated from Catholic in 2013.
At the Bradley Baseball Academia, Nee is the vice president of operations and a head pitching instructor.
Nee grew up in Somerville, N.J., where he played baseball at Immaculata High School.
At the Potomac School, Nee is not taking over a program that needs rebuilding. The Panthers were perennial conference contenders during Crozier’s 12 seasons as head coach. His teams won 160 games and had just one losing season.
The Panthers enjoyed one of their best campaigns under Crozier last spring, finishing with a 20-5 overall record, including a winning streak of nine and a season-long top ranking in the Division I state poll.
The Panthers are expected to return some top players from that 2023 team.
“Moving on, we want to continue the train that Eric Cozier had going there,” Nee said.
Glenn Adamec, an assistant coach under Crozier and a former head baseball coach at Potomac School, said he plans to remain with the program and be a member of Nee’s staff. Nee said he will welcome Crozier’s other assistants to remain on his staff, as well.
