Justin Duarte returned to the University of La Verne in January 2023 as the Leopards’ assistant baseball coach.
Duarte’s experiences range from playing professional baseball within the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres organizations, to multiple different coaching and managerial positions within collegiate and high school baseball. He has also taught multiple subjects in the Covina Valley Unified School District since 2002 and is the proud president and founder of Next Level Catching Academy, a professional catching institution for catchers ages ten and up.
Duarte began his coaching career at his alma mater, Azusa Pacific University in 2005 as a catching and pitching instructor. In 2007, he helped the Cougars reach the NAIA College World Series. The next year, he began his first stint with ULV as an Assistant Baseball Coach and Recruiting Coordinator. He helped the 2009 Leopards win the SCIAC Conference and make a deep run into the NCAA Division III Playoffs before taking on the head coach position at Ontario Christian High School.
After two years at Ontario Christian, Duarte worked as the manager of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Collegiate Summer Team, the So Cal Catch. Competing in the Collegiate Summer League, Duarte prepared professional prospects for college and professional level competition.
Duarte returned to collegiate baseball in 2016 as an assistant baseball coach and adjunct faculty at Mount San Antonio College. In January 2019, he served as Biola University’s interim head baseball coach midyear, where he successfully transitioned the program from the NAIA to a full-fledged NCAA Division II competitor. He led the Eagles to a 29-19 overall record in his one season with the team.
In the last two years, Duarte has helped the Leopards claim consecutive NCAA Regional Championships and SCIAC regular season titles.
Duarte says his passion for coaching comes from the example University of La Verne Head Coach Scott Winterburn set when he coached Duarte at APU. He challenged Duarte to be the best player and young man possible.
While at APU, Duarte also played football and was a two-time All-American baseball player. He obtained his Bachelor of Science in Physical Education Teaching and Coaching in 1999. He returned in 2003 to pursue a master's degree in education and graduated the following year. He has been married to his wife Sara, for 25 years and is a proud father to Madison, a sophomore attending University of California, Irvine and Elijah, a California Baptist University baseball commit.
