Former Swamp Rabbits forward & Chinese Olympic Team assistant returns to Greenville for coaching role.
BY: Mark Shelley, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
GREENVILLE, SC – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits announced today that Mason Baptista had been named the club’s new Assistant Coach.
“We are very excited about Mason joining us as Assistant Coach for this upcoming season,” said Swamp Rabbits Head Coach/General Manager Andrew Lord. “The references on Mason were great, and there were a number of people from Greenville very happy to hear he might be returning.”
Baptista, 32, joins the Swamp Rabbits after a stint as the Video and Skills Coach for the Chinese Women’s National Team, which competed at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
“Mason loves the game, and his hard work and passion were things we kept hearing about,” Lord continued. “He knows Greenville and our fan base well, and we are equally excited about his desire to be involved in the community.”
AS A PLAYER
Before he transitioned to behind the bench, the North York, ON native spent six seasons in the professional playing ranks, including a 59-game stay with the Swamp Rabbits during the 2019-20 season, a campaign in which he posted 40 points (15g, 25a). Throughout his ECHL career, Baptista appeared in 297 career games and posted 187 points (79g, 108a) between five different teams.
“I’m super excited to come back to Greenville and continue the amazing work Coach Lord and the rest of the staff have been doing here,” Baptista said. “I love the area and always believed that we could bring home a championship. I can’t wait to see the spectacular fan base again. There are so many great people here that have supported this team from the very beginning. I’m so thankful for the opportunity and look forward to get going in October!”
Before turning professional, Baptista spent four seasons as a standout forward at St. Norbert College, winning a pair of NCAA Division III national championships in 2012 and 2014 with the Green Knights.
The Swamp Rabbits open the 2022-23 season, presented by Bon Secours, on Saturday, October 22 at 7:05 p.m. as they take on the newest team in the ECHL, the Savannah Ghost Pirates, at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. 2022-23 full and half Season Tickets are on sale now by calling (864)-674-7825 or visiting SwampRabbits.com.
About the Greenville Swamp Rabbits
Acquired by Spire Sports + Entertainment (SS+E) in 2020, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits hockey team has provided family-friendly, live entertainment at Bon Secours Wellness Arena since 2010. Formerly the Greenville Road Warriors, the Swamp Rabbits are the highest-level professional minor league franchise in South Carolina. Greenville is an ECHL, Premier ‘AA’ Hockey League member.
