Karsten Whitson joined the Panthers ahead of the 2024 season after four seasons as an assistant coach at the University of South Florida.
Whitson concluded his second season in 2025 by guiding the pitching staff to its lowest team ERA since 2019. FIU recorded 533 strikeouts—the most in Conference USA and the fourth-highest total in program history, as well as the program's highest single-season mark since 2004. The Panthers also matched the program’s single-game strikeout record with 20 punchouts against Delaware on February 23, 2025.
He coached right-hander Easton Marks to a CUSA All-Conference First Team selection, as Marks posted a 3.49 ERA and 72 strikeouts, becoming the first FIU pitcher to earn First Team honors since 2019. Additionally, two-way freshman Andrew Ildefonso earned a spot on the All-Freshman Team after compiling a 4.26 ERA.
In his first season in 2024 as the Panther's pitching coach, the staff posted the lowest ERA as a program since 2019. Orlando Hernandez made the CUSA All-Conference Second Team with a 1.57 ERA as the first pitcher to make the All-Conference team since 2019. Lefty Ryan Cabarcas made the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Midseason Stopper of the Year Watch List for his efforts, becoming the first Panther to make the list since 2012.
His pitching staff in 2021 helped lead the Bulls to the program’s first-ever NCAA Super Regional. In American Athletic Conference play, his staff posted a team ERA of 3.23. In the 2021 Gainesville Regional the Bulls struck out 34 batters in 36 innings of action, against Florida, Miami and South Alabama.
In his first season with the Bulls, Whitson led the USF pitchers to 11.8 strikeouts per nine innings that ranked first in the American Athletic Conference and 11th in the nation.
Before USF, he spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Pensacola State College and a season as the pitching coach for the USA Baseball U-18 National Development Program.
In 2017, he was the pitching coach for the Bismarck Larks of the Northwoods League where he was an Assistant Coach of the Year nominee.
Whitson, a Chipley Florida native, had a stellar college career at the University of Florida. In his time with the Gators, he helped the program win two SEC Championships and reach the College World Series twice. He was named to the SEC All-Freshman team, the Perfect Game Freshman Pitcher of the Year and a two-time All-American.
He was selected in the 11th round of the MLB Draft by the 2014 Boston Red Sox and played in their organization for two seasons.
Whitson also played for the USA National U-18 team in 2009 and served as an associate scout for the Minnesota Twins.
