Luke Hansen is back with the Shelter Island Bucks as assistant coach for the third successive year. 

The Southold resident was in Florida working for Perfect Game USA and other groups, scouting players to compete in youth tournaments. When he heard Louis Stallone had dropped out as Bucks assistant coach after receiving acceptance into an educational program that fit with his long-term goals, Coach Hansen was quick to apply for the job.

“I’m a local guy,” Mr. Hansen said about returning to the East End. “I had a good time working on the Island.” 

He applied for the assistant coach’s position, to both fill the open position and be what General Manager Brian Cass had been seeking — someone who valued the Bucks and would not need team housing since he lives only a short ferry trip away from Shelter Island. Coach Hansen also served as a pitching coach for the Bucks last year.

He shares the optimism and determination of Head Coach Andy Concepcion to help lead the team to a championship, noting the team came close in the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

The Bucks were out in front of the Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League through much of last season, but during the playoffs, the team lost two players to injuries. The year before, the Bucks lost in the championship game.

Shelter Island’s 16–19 record in 2025 fell just 2 points shy of a postseason spot. But while the standings closed the door, the story of last summer — and this team — stretches far beyond the wins column. “I mean, obviously we didn’t finish out the way we wanted,” said then Head Coach Joe Colucci, reflecting on his summer with the Bucks. “We missed the playoffs by a game. But I’m proud of how they showed up every day. That’s what sticks with me.”

The 2025 season saw its share of competitive baseball, narrow losses, and flashes of breakout talent. Diego Sarabia (Bates College) emerged as a top pitcher in the league, posting a 2.37 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 30.1 innings. Dylan Joseph (University of Scranton) led the league with 51 strikeouts. Matt Holmes (Husson College) finished with six home runs and several clutch moments.  

Despite this, the near glimpses of talent left the smaller-sized Shelter Island roster fighting for wins all season long, dropping numerous games in the final innings or by only a few runs, just as the bullpen started to run out of arms. 

“We were short on pitching all season,” said Mr. Cass. “And that goes back to housing. We just didn’t have enough spots for players.” 

“I’m looking forward to seeing what we’ve got,” Coach Hansen said about the lineup for the Bucks this summer.

As a player at Southold High School, he was a consistent starting pitcher and earned the League 9 Most Valuable Player title. When he graduated with many baseball honors to his name, Coach Hansen went on to Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn. He pitched for the Mystic Schooners in Connecticut, part of the New England Collegiate Baseball League, the North Fork Ospreys in the HCBL, and the New Jersey Jackals in Paterson, part of the Frontier League.

He serves as an all-skills and pitching instructor at Prime Performance Sports.

Call for housing

With only days to go before players arrive on the Island, there is still the need to find two beds for June and four for July.

Finding housing for players is never easy, General Manager Brian Cass said. Last year, he had to resort to renting off-Island housing for some players. It makes for a more cohesive team to have all players housed on the Island, he said.

Hosts are asked to provide a bed, space in the refrigerator for a player or players to store food, and time at a washing machine and dryer to keep their uniforms clean.

Many host families share some meals with their players, but that’s not a requirement; the players tend to have many meals together at special events or on their own, venturing to town restaurants or eateries on the North or South forks. There are also a number of players with their own vehicles, so hosts don’t need to provide transportation.

Many families come to home games at Fiske Field to cheer on their players and often, hosts have talked about developing warm long-term relationships lasting years with players.

If you have space to house a player or two for one or two months, you can reach Mr. Cass at 631-445-0084 or by email at brian.cass6255@gmail.com. 

He is working with two assistants who are also hoping to hear from additional hosts. Frank Vecchio can be reached at 516-317-8687 or fvjfs@optonline.net and David Austin can be reached at 415-613-1991 or david@austinhanley.com.

The post Southold Hansen returns as Bucks assistant coach appeared first on The Suffolk Times.

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