Jeff Limoncelli returned to Mansfield prior to the 2026 season, beginning his second stint with the Mountaineer baseball program.
Limoncelli previously served as an assistant coach under longtime Hall of Fame head coach Harry Hillson during the 1996 and 1997 seasons. During that two-year stretch, Mansfield went a combined 66-37-1, captured the 1996 PSAC East title, won the 1997 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championship, and advanced to the NCAA Division II Regionals.
Prior to his return to Mansfield, Limoncelli spent 27 seasons as the head baseball coach at Horseheads High School, where he built the Blue Raiders into one of the premier high school baseball programs in New York state. He amassed more than 400 career victories, led Horseheads to 11 Section 4 championships, and guided the program to two New York State Public High School Athletic Association state titles.
In his final season at Horseheads in 2025, Limoncelli led the Blue Raiders to the NYSPHSAA Class AA state championship. The title marked the program’s second state crown under his direction, joining the 1999 championship team.
Limoncelli added another championship to his résumé during the summer of 2025, serving as an assistant coach with the Bourne Braves as the organization captured the Cape Cod Baseball League championship.
Throughout his time at Horseheads, Limoncelli helped develop numerous student-athletes who continued their playing careers at the collegiate and professional levels. His teams were known for their discipline, preparation, competitiveness, and ability to perform in postseason settings.
In addition to his success in baseball, Limoncelli also served as head coach of the Horseheads boys’ varsity basketball program for 12 seasons. During that span, he led the Blue Raiders to three Section 4 championships.
Limoncelli has also made a lasting impact in the Twin Tiers community through his work with the Josh Palmer Fund. He founded the Josh Palmer Fund 100 Inning Baseball Game, an annual spring fundraiser created to raise money to support local cancer patients and families throughout the region. The event has become one of the Fund’s signature community traditions, bringing athletes, coaches, families, and supporters together for a cause bigger than baseball.
A native of Elmira, N.Y., Limoncelli was a three-sport standout at Elmira Free Academy, competing in football, basketball, and baseball. He continued his baseball career at the collegiate level, playing at the University of South Carolina Aiken and the University of West Florida before signing with the Boston Red Sox in 1989.
Limoncelli began his professional career as an infielder with the Elmira Pioneers of the New York-Penn League and went on to spend three and a half seasons in the Red Sox farm system.
Limoncelli’s baseball roots also include his father, Bill Limoncelli, who spent 16 years as a coach in the Red Sox organization, including coaching Jeff during his time with the Elmira Pioneers. Jeff later coached both of his sons, Michael and Nico, during standout careers at Horseheads.
Michael Limoncelli was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the sixth round of the 2019 Major League Baseball Draft and spent time in the Mariners’ farm system. Nico Limoncelli continued his baseball career at the Division I level at Abilene Christian University.
Limoncelli and his wife, Amy, reside in Elmira, N.Y. They have three sons: Michael, Nico, and Joey.
