Nolan joined the Augustana coaching staff in 2025 after serving five years as the pitching coach at Briar Cliff University.
In his first season with the Vikings in 2026, Nolan mentored NSIC Pitcher of the Year Mariano Gomez and a pitching staff that led the country with 9.9 strikeouts per nine innings and was eighth with 8.26 hits allowed per nine innings. The Vikings went 45-16 on the season and won the NSIC Regular Season and Tournament Championship. The highlight came in the regional, winning three consecutive elimination games, including two against No. 3 Pittsburg State, to reach the supers.
The 2025 season ended in the NSIC Championship game following a 39-16 campaign. Jack Hines was named All-America First Team after finishing seventh in the country in batting average. In all, five Vikings were named to the All-NSIC First Team while Jason Axelberg was both All-NSIC and an NSIC Gold Glover. J.D. Hennen threw a 14-strikeout no hitter and signed with the Baltimore Orioles as an undrafted free agent after the season. He was joined by Ethan Cole, whose 20th round selection by the Colorado Rockies was Augustana's highest draft pick since Dalton Lehnen in 2017.
In 2025, Briar Cliff won its first GPAC tournament championship since 2003, advanced to its first regional since 2015, and won its first national postseason game since 2005.The 2025 pitching staff finished 2nd in the GPAC in ERA, 3rd in Strikeouts, and gave up the fewest BBs and HRs in the league.
The 2024 team won its most conference games in over 20 years, the 2023 pitching staff finished top 10 in the country in shutouts (7), the 2022 staff finished top 5 in the country in fewest walks allowed, and the 2021 staff broke the school record for strikeouts and finished just outside the top 25 in strikeout rate.
Over John's tenure, 18 pitchers were named to All-GPAC teams. Jacob Wesselmann was named an All-American in 2021, the first pitcher at Briar Cliff to do so in over 20 years. Wesselmann would go on to sign a contract in the Pioneer League in 2022.
John played baseball at Siena College from 2016-2019. He spent time as both a starter and reliever, throwing 100 innings in his collegiate career. John is a native of Windsor, CT and graduated from Siena in 2019 with a degree in Economics and a Minor in Business.
