Valley City State University

Alec DeMaria is in his 3rd season as VCSU's head baseball coach for the 2025-26 season.

In DeMaria's first two seasons at VCSU, the Vikings improved to earn back-to-back 20-win seasons, one top-3 regular season finish in the conference standings, and one 3rd-place finish in the conference tournament. In the 2 years under DeMaria, the program has featured the NSAA Freshman of the Year Award Winner in both seasons. In 2024, Takao Cookson was named NSAA Freshman of the Year, and in 2025 it was Alexis Velasco. 

In 2024, the Viking pitching staff shattered the previous school record (359) by totaling 494 strikeouts under DeMaria. In 2024, the pitching staff also ranked 1st in the conference in both strikeouts and K/9, and ranked 8th nationally in K/9. In 2025, the very young Viking pitching staff again led the new-look, 10-team NSAA conference in both strikeouts and K/9.

In his six-year coaching career, DeMaria now has coached a total of 15 players at the collegiate level that have gone on to sign contracts to play professional baseball.
 
DeMaria worked the previous four seasons as a pitching coach at Dakota State University (S.D.). and the University of Minnesota-Crookston. A native of Fresno, Calif., DeMaria played college baseball for four years as a pitcher at the University of Mary (N.D.) prior to starting his college coaching career.
 
Prior to accepting the VCSU job, DeMaria was the pitching coach for the previous two seasons at Dakota State University where he helped the Trojans turn their program around and contend for a North Star Athletic Association conference title. DeMaria’s pitching staff at DSU set numerous school records and produced the conference’s Pitcher of the Year, three 1^st Team All-Conference selections, and 2 All-Americans in his last season.
 
The Trojans posted a 36-18 overall record and a 24-4 mark in the conference during the 2023 season. The pitching staff led the NSAA in ERA, strikeouts and numerous pitching categories, and they ranked 4th nationally in ERA (3.33) and Top 10 in several other categories.
 
DeMaria graduated from University of Mary with both a Bachelor of Arts in history and a Master of Education degree in athletic administration and physical education.  He resides in Valley City with his wife, Lucia, and their son.
 
DeMaria is the 9^th head coach in program history and just the fourth head coach for Viking Baseball since 1974.