Fico Kondla ’14, ’16, was named Coker University’s next head baseball coach on June 1, 2022. 

Kondla’s first year at the helm saw his team garner a 6-win improvement from the 2022 season. His 2023 squad finished 19-30, with a record of 8-16 in the South Atlantic Conference. The win total marks the most wins in a season since 2017. 

Statistically, under Kondla, the 2023 squad improved in nearly every category, including batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, stolen bases, earned run average, hits allowed, walks allowed, and fielding percentage. This includes finishing 2nd in the SAC in stolen bases with 119 (their highest team mark in 8 seasons). 

Under Kondla, Kody Hanna was named Second Team All-Conference for the South Atlantic Conference. Hanna was also awarded SAC Player of the Week along with NCBWA Regional Player of the Week for the week of March 28, 2023. 

The Cobras 2023 season also brought great academic success. The team posted a GPA of 3.35 for the 2022-2023 academic year. Five team members were named to the 2023 Academic All-District Baseball Team, as selected by the College Sports Communicators. Seniors Zack Wall, Ethan Graham, and Lawson Otte were named, while sophomores Ashby Vining and Jacob Yarberry earned the academic honor. 

Kondla returns to Hartsville after serving on the coaching staff at fellow South Atlantic Conference institution Newberry College since 2018, serving as the first base coach specializing in the infield, hitting, and base running. In Kondla’s time at Newberry, the Wolves posted a record of 122-50. They captured the 2019 South Atlantic Conference regular season championship, hosting an NCAA Southeast regional for the first time in program history. He also has coaching experience in the Coastal Plain League, serving as the head coach for the Lexington County Blowfish during the 2021 season and as an assistant coach for the back-to-back CPL champion Morehead City Marlins in 2018-19. He also has extensive experience in the high school game, coaching at SLAM! North Charter School in Miami and Northside Christian Academy.

Kondla played his college baseball at the friendly confines of Tom J. New Field at Dave Schmotzer Stadium, serving as team captain for the Cobras for three years. During his career, he was a First Team All-Conference selection, a National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) All-Region selection, was named to both the Conference Carolinas and Southeast Regional All-Tournament Teams, and was also a finalist for the Josh Willingham Award, given to Division II baseball’s most valuable player. In February 2022, he and the rest of the 2013 baseball team that reached the Division II national championships were inducted into the Coker Athletics Hall of Fame.

Kondla holds a Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Science as well as a Master of Science in College Athletic Administration from Coker. 

He is married to the former Katelyn Szupello ’15, a former Coker softball player. The couple has two sons, Frederick Kondla Jr. and Luca Kondla.