Staff

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. 

Jason Mollica is a strategic communication pro with over 25 years of experience across TV, radio, sports, and public relations. He’s covered everything from the World Series to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, as well as leading coverage of major national news events like the 2003 East Coast blackout and 2004 presidential election. Jason has worked with the Philadelphia Phillies, aiding in their hosting of the 1996 All-Star Game and Home Run Derby. He was the public address announcer and on-field host for the Buffalo Bisons, during which time he announced the 25th annual Triple A All-Star Game. 

In public relations, Jason has supported clients across industries—from healthcare to tourism to nonprofits—building crisis plans and leading social media training for all levels of staff and constituents. He was honored with a Hermes Gold Award for his work on “The Secrets of Power Pitching”, earned an Emmy nomination, and is frequently featured in the media for his insights on social media, sports marketing, and crisis communication.

Jason is currently a lecturer at James Madison University in the School of Communication Studies, where he coordinates the Sports Communication minor. Previously, he taught at American University and led the development of a digital media analytics course sequence in partnership with industry leader, Meltwater.

Jason earned his B.A. from Temple University and his M.S. from Purdue University.

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 teams also won the 2023 and 2024 CRCBL Championships. 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 .704 winning percentage in 18 seasons at the helm of Big Train. Total 605 wins. In total, he has led Big Train to 12 regular season league titles and 11 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)

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.

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.

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!