Staff

Front Office

Sal Colangelo

General Manager / Head Coach

Raquel Ordonez

Director of Operations

Raquel Ordonez is the Director of Operations for the Bethesda Big Train, bringing a strong background in sports administration, marketing, and a deep passion for the sports world. Originally from Baltimore, MD, Raquel holds a Master of Arts in Sports Administration from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Salisbury University.

A sports fanatic and lifelong Baltimore sports fan, Raquel has dedicated her career to creating more inclusive and accessible spaces for women in sports. She is deeply committed to expanding opportunities for youth and women in the industry and supporting initiatives that foster greater representation and leadership for diversity and inclusion both on and off the field. Whether through mentorship or community outreach, she seeks to empower the next generation of leaders in the sports industry.

Raquel’s professional journey has included a diverse range of experiences in operations, marketing, and event management, which have shaped her dynamic approach to team leadership and strategic planning. At Bethesda Big Train, she is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations, ensuring the success of events, and driving the growth of the organization through innovative initiatives.

In her free time, she enjoys attending as many sporting events as she can, traveling and exploring new places.

Ellie Hilton

Assistant to the General Manager

Ellie Hilton is from Bethesda, MD. She is a sophomore at Indiana University studying Sports Marketing and Business. At IU, she is a captain of the women's club lacrosse team, and serves on Outreach and Fundraising. In addition to baseball, she loves watching football (especially the Eagles) and college basketball. This summer, she hopes to grow her knowledge of the game of baseball and the sports industry as a whole. Go Big Train!

Ingrid Pagan Ramallo

Assistant to the Director of Operations / Ticket Coordinator

Ingrid Pagan Ramallo is a sophomore at American University, majoring in Business Administration with a specialization in Sports Management and a minor in Justice. Originally from Puerto Rico, she grew up in a sports-loving family and has been passionate about sports her whole life. Ingrid is excited to gain hands-on experience this summer and looks forward to combining her love for sports with her commitment to community through her work with Bethesda Big Train.

Coaching Staff

Sal Colangelo

General Manager / Head Coach

Sal Colangelo brings a wealth of playing and coaching experience to his 25th season with Bethesda Big Train. In 2005, he led the Big Train to a Cal Ripken, Sr. Collegiate League Regular Season Championship in his first year as manager. His team also finished first in the regular season in 2006.

From 2009-2011, Colangelo led the Big Train to a threepeat of Cal Ripken Collegiate League Championships. In addition, the Big Train was ranked the No. 1 summer collegiate team in the country (out of more than 350 teams) by Perfect Game USA. He was named Maryland State Amateur Coach of the Year by the Maryland State Association of Baseball Coaches (MSABC) for leading the Big Train to the 2011 National Championship. Colangelo won five consecutive CRCBL titles from 2016-2021, and in 2018 led Big Train to a franchise-record 34 regular season wins and a league-record .850 winning percentage. His team also won the 2023 CRCBL Championship. The CRCBL did not play in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

His record-setting season earned him the 2018 MSABC Manager of the Year Award. He owns a 531-223 career regular season record and a .718 winning percentage in 18 seasons at the helm of Big Train. Total 608 wins. In total, he has led Big Train to 13 regular season league titles and 10 Cal Ripken League championships. In addition to his top-ranked 2011 team, three other Big Train teams have finished the season ranked in the top ten nationally (2009 - 9th; 2017 - 4th; 2019 - 6th). He is a member of the Cal Ripken League Hall of Fame, and was inducted in 2019 as part of the hall's inaugural class.

Colangelo is a graduate of Potomac High School in Woodbridge, Virginia and is currently the activities director at C.D. Hylton High School in Woodbridge. Previously, he served as the assistant activities' director, assistant varsity baseball coach, and head golf coach at Potomac High School in Dumfries, Virginia. In addition, he is a baseball instructor at Stars Baseball Regional Director in Prince William County, Virginia and Montgomery County, Maryland.

Before taking over as manager, Colangelo served as an assistant coach for Big Train from 1999-2004. From 1995-97, Colangelo served as an assistant baseball coach at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia. From 1991-1995, Colangelo played baseball and football for Virginia Tech. Colangelo earned his undergraduate degree from Va tech and a Master's Degree from Johns Hopkins (Administration/Supervision) and the United States Sports Academy ( Athletic Administration).

He lives in Lorton, Virginia, with his wife Alison and their daughters, Emma and Abigail.

Sal Colangelo CRCBL Hall of Fame (2019)

Galvin Morris

Associate Head Coach

Coach Galvin Morris returns for his ninth season with the Big Train. He is in his sixth season at his alma mater, South Lakes HS, in Reston, VA as hitting and catching coach, after a five year stint at Oakton HS, where he was the varsity catchers, pitchers and hitting coach. He served as the varsity head coach at South Lakes High School in Reston, Virginia from 1999-2014, and as an assistant coach at the school for four years prior. Morris was named the 6A Conference 6 Coach of the Year in his final year with the Seahawks. Morris also has coached several summers in the Clark C. Griffith Collegiate Baseball League. He serves as a hitting and catching instructor at MVP Baseball in Herndon, VA. Morris works in Special Education at South Lakes and resides in Reston with his daughters, Davilyn and Gracie.

Craig Lopez

Pitching Coach

Craig Lopez is the Big Train's Pitching Coach. Coach Lopez previously spent 10 years as the Pitching Coach for the Baltimore Redbirds. He also has worked as a PE teacher in Stafford County Virginia for over 25 years. He has been the Varsity Head Baseball coach for 15 years at Mountain View High School. Craig has over 30 years of coaching experience and encouraging young men and using baseball as an avenue to teach them life skills.

Coach Lopez is a native of Stafford County. He graduated from Stafford High and went on to play baseball at VCU. He was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles as a pitcher. That experience has helped him to guide many young men to receive baseball scholarships and to be drafted.

Craig lives in Fredericksburg with his wife Terri. They have 2 adult sons, Jacob and Craig, and a daughter Grace.

Joe McIntyre

Assistant Coach

Joe McIntyre is in his third year with the Big Train. He grew up in Bethesda and graduated from Gonzaga College HS where he played for Churchill HS legend and current head coach at The Catholic University of America, Ross Natoli. After starting his college career at Montgomery College, Joe pitched and played outfield before transferring to Virginia Tech where he played for the Hokies. Following his collegiate career, Joe signed a free agent contract and pitched in the Philadelphia Phillies organization from 1991-1993. Upon retiring from baseball, Joe returned to Montgomery County, where he taught pitching lessons for former Big Train skipper Derek Hacopian. Joe married his college sweetheart Carrie Shannon McIntyre, and is raising his three daughters, Maeve, Maggie, and Bess in Darnestown. “I am excited to get back to baseball, and coach on the same field I grew up on. Sal has put together a winning team and coaching staff year after year. I can’t wait to be a part of the 2024 season”.

Chris Devlin

Assistant Coach

Chris Devlin rejoins the Bethesda Big Train staff after previously working with the Baltimore Redbirds. Coach Devlin has coaching experience at Calvert Hall High School, where he was also a student athlete and lettered in three sports, and at Essex Community College. Devlin graduated from Rider University where he played baseball and basketball.

Currently, Coach Devlin owns and operates a small business with his son Chris, Jr., and he is happily married to his wife, Dottie.

Josh Gjormand

Assistant Coach

Josh will be entering his first year as a Big Train Coach. He grew up in Reston Virginia and attended to James Madison High school in Vienna. At Madison he was blessed to have played for Hall of Fame Coach in Pudge Gjormand. Growing up with his mom Beth, brother Trevor, and sister Sam. Josh is a recent graduate of the University of Lynchburg where he was a two way player as a Left Handed Pitcher & First Baseman. over the course of his Lynchburg career he was a part of 11 championships including the 2023 NCAA Division 3 National Championship where he was a 2023 All Conference and All State Utility player. “I could not be more excited to begin my coaching career surrounded by such an impressive coaching staff and a really talented group of young men.”

Dr. Brandon Holland

Athletic Trainer

Dr. Brandon Holland is currently his 19th year as an athletic trainer in secondary schools in Prince William County, Virginia, where he is responsible for the prevention and treatment of injuries for over 900 athletes annually. In addition to this role, Dr. Holland serves as a preceptor for the athletic training programs at George Mason University, and he also holds positions as an adjunct professor of kinesiology at Concordia University of Chicago St Francis College, and Frostburg State University.

Brandon was born and raised on the south side of Baltimore City. He attended Frostburg State University, where he received his Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training degree in 2004. Immediately following, he took a graduate assistant position, also at Frostburg State University, while he completed his Master of Science in Human Performance degree, which he finished in 2006. Brandon completed his Doctor of Athletic Training degree at A. T. Still University in 2017. His research included patients’ self-report of function in the first 10-14 after lateral ankle sprain. Currently, he is a student in a PhD program at Concordia University Chicago, where he is studying Leadership with a Doctoral Focus in Health and Human Performance. His current line of research involves identifying factors that contribute to low levels of diversity in athletic training students and professionals. In his pursuit to improve diversity in education and diversity of athletic training, Dr. Holland has developed specializations in curriculum development, curriculum instruction, and coordination of clinical education.

Dr. Holland is passionate about advocating for the profession of athletic training. He currently holds a seat as the Virginia State Representative for the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Trainers’ Association’s Ethnic Diversity Advisory Committee, and he serves as a mentor in multiple programs, including programs at George Mason University, Johns Hopkins University, Prince William County Schools. His clinical work includes experience with over 30 different sports at varying competitive levels, from youth and amateur adult to professional and international athletes.

Dr. Holland currently lives in northern Virginia with his wife and two sons. His hobbies include music, working out, grilling, and entrepreneurship. He sees every single event as an opportunity for learning and improvement, and he LOVES to answer questions!

Elijah Kesler

Director of Player Development

Elijah Kesler, a rising senior at the University of Maryland from West Hartford, CT, serves as a student manager for the Maryland Baseball program. In this role, Elijah plays a vital part in the team’s success, utilizing advanced technologies such as Synergy and Trackman to deliver detailed scouting reports and performance insights. His work includes evaluating opposing pitchers, and analyzing top hitters. Additionally, Elijah contributes to daily team operations, supporting practices, managing Pitch Com during games, and ensuring seamless execution.

Nick DeFalco

Official Scorer

Nick DeFalco is from Arlington, VA, and is majoring in Sport and Recreation Management at James Madison University. Nick loves hockey, football, baseball, soccer, college basketball, and Formula 1. He is a member of the Sport and Leisure Association of Madison at JMU, and was a field manager intern for Perfect Game USA.

Adestan Gordon

Data Analyst

Adestan Gordon is a data analytics intern for the Big Train and a student at Virginia Tech, where he serves as both a bullpen catcher and a data analyst for the university’s baseball team. A former high school baseball player, Adestan has developed a passion for the analytical side of the game. After graduation, he hopes to apply his skills in data analytics to professional baseball.