MAAC Announces 40th Anniversary Baseball Team
Edison, N.J. (July 16, 2020) – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) celebrates its 40
th Anniversary throughout the 2020-21 academic year, continuing its mission to provide student-athletes the opportunity to succeed in both academics and athletics.
The 40
th Anniversary Baseball Team highlights some of the best student-athletes in MAAC history. MAAC Baseball traces back to 1982, when Army captured the first MAAC Championship with the best regular season record. From 1982 through 1993, the MAAC Baseball Champion was determined by regular season conference records. From 1990 through 1993, the MAAC, which was split into two divisions, had a North Division Champion and a South Division Champion.
Le Moyne College, a former MAAC member, leads the conference with eight championships overall, followed by Marist College with six championships and Siena College with five. The MAAC Baseball Championships are set to return May 26
th through the 29
th in 2021. The MAAC Baseball Championship is currently hosted at the Richmond County Bank Ballpark in Staten Island, New York, home of the Staten Island Yankees – Single A Short Season affiliate to the New York Yankees.
To stay up to date with all MAAC 40
th Anniversary Teams and information follow @MAACSports on
Twitter,
Instagram, and
Facebook. Join the conversation by using
#MAAC40.
| Canisius College |
| Shane Davis |
2008-11 |
| Sean Jamieson |
2010-11 |
| Kevin Mahoney |
2006-09 |
| Jason Rausch |
1990-93 |
Connor Panas - 2012-15
One of the most decorated student-athletes in Canisius' history, Connor Panas was a four-year starter for the Golden Griffins from 2012-15… He was named the MAAC Male Student-Athlete in both 2013-14 and 2014-15, making him just the third male student-athlete in league history to win that award in consecutive seasons, and he was a three-time All-MAAC honoree on the field as well... His name is splashed throughout the baseball program's record book, and he will forever hold the distinction of being the first player in school history to hit a home run in a NCAA Tournament game... He was drafted in the ninth round of the 2015 MLB Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays, the earliest draft position for a Canisius player since 1994. |
|
Coach Mike McRae
Mike McRae, the only baseball coach to be named the MAAC Coach of the Year at two different schools, spent 16 seasons as a head baseball coach in the conference, with 13 of those campaigns being spent as the skipper for the Canisius baseball team. McRae was honored as the 2003 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Coach of the Year whole at Niagara, where he led the Purple Eagles to back-to-back MAAC playoff appearances. He compiled a 65-86 overall record (.430 winning percentage) and a 41-36 (.532) MAAC mark with the Purple Eagles. In 2005, McRae started a total rebuilding project of the Golden Griffins, taking over a team that won just four games in 2004 to winning the program's first two MAAC Championships and making the program's first appearances in the NCAA Tournament in 2013. McRae posted a record of 405-336 in his time at Canisius, including a 298-200 (.598) record in the final eight seasons that includes three MAAC regular-season crowns.
A four-time MAAC Coach of the Year, he led Canisius to the conference tournament in each of the last 12 seasons. In 2015, the Griffs lost the first game, but reeled off five-straight victories, including a two-game championship round, to capture its second MAAC title. In 2013, Canisius won all three of its games in the MAAC Championship, including a walk-off 11-10 win in the title game, to win the program's first conference championship. That 2013 unit won a school-record 42 games and closed out the year with an RPI of 89. Canisius saw 13 players, including two draft-eligible juniors, associated with the program selected in the Major League Baseball Draft during McRae’s tenure, the most in the MAAC over that time period. Additionally, six Canisius players were named All-Americans, the only six All-America honorees in the program’s history. He is currently an assistant/pitching coach at VCU. |
| Fairfield University |
| Rob Gariano |
2007-10 |
| Tom Lopusznick |
1997-00 |
| Tucker Nathans |
2008-11 |
| Ryan Plourde |
2011-14 |
Jack Gethings – 2016-19
Jack Gethings graduated as Fairfield's all-time hits leader by racking up 271 in his career. He set a single season record with 88 during his senior season when he earned the MAAC Player of the Year award becoming the first player in program history. He also sits on top of the record books with 11 triples and 170 runs scored. |
| Iona College |
| Matt Guiliano |
1991-94 |
| Neil Murphy |
1990-93 |
| Jeff Spilsbury |
1989-92 |
| Sam Tolisano |
1983-86 |
Mariano Rivera – 2013-15
Mariano Rivera '15 was drafted by the Washington Nationals in the fourth round of the 2015 MLB draft, becoming the 25th Iona baseball student-athlete ever selected, and the fourth-highest draft pick in school history. Rivera was named the 2015 MAAC Pitcher of the Year and All-MAAC First Team, aided by leading the conference in strikeouts and setting an Iona single-season record with 113, averaging 11.96 per nine innings. He finished the 2015 season with five wins, a 2.65 overall ERA and a 1.81 ERA in MAAC play. Additional accolades for Mariano Rivera include him being named ABCA Northeast Region Second Team and a three-time MAAC Pitcher of the Week. |
| Manhattan College |
| Chris Cody |
2003-06 |
| Mark Onorati |
2008-11 |
| Chad Salem |
2008-11 |
| John Soldinger |
2010-13 |
Matt Rizzotti – 2005-07
Matt Rizzotti was a three-time All-MAAC selection before being drafted to the professional ranks, and hit .367 with 205 hits, 29 home runs, 151 runs and 143 RBI. He burst onto the scene as a freshman by winning MAAC Rookie and Player of the Year honors in 2005 after setting school records with a .416 average, 72 hits, 21 doubles and 57 RBI to go along with nine home runs. He would then lead the Jaspers to their first MAAC title in 2006, along with wins over Nebraska and San Francisco in NCAA regional play. Following his final season in 2007, Rizzotti was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the sixth round of the Major League Baseball Draft before reaching the Triple-A ranks. |
| Marist College |
| Anthony Bocchino |
1999-02 |
| Frankie Gregoire |
2016-19 |
| Kevin Ool |
2000-03 |
| Ricky Pacione |
2008-11 |
Chris Tracz - 2001-05
A 2005 Marist graduate, current head coach Chris Tracz still holds the program records for wins (38), strikeouts (298), innings pitched (379.1) and starts (56). He is also tied for first in complete games (14) and second in ERA (3.13). Tracz was a two-time MAAC Pitcher of the Year (2002, 2005), and the conference's Rookie of the Year (2001). During his career, Tracz's teams made three NCAA Regional appearances (2001, 2002, 2005), and won a game in both 2001 and 2002, with the 2002 victory coming in a game when he started and allowed one run over seven innings. In 2001, Tracz was also a Freshman All-American selection by Louisville Slugger and Baseball America. He was named First Team All-Region in both 2002 and 2005. In 2004, Tracz missed the entire season due to Tommy John Surgery, but he returned in 2005 and earned MAAC Pitcher of the Year and First Team All-Region honors as Marist won the MAAC for the third time in his career. Following his graduation, Tracz became Marist's pitching coach, a role he served in from the 2006-08 seasons. He returned the Red Foxes as the team's head coach for the 2010 season. In his seven seasons at the helm, he has compiled a record of 180-174-2 while seven players have been selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. |
Coach John Szefc
Szefc led Marist to three consecutive MAAC Championships from 2000-02, a feat that has not been accomplished in the conference since. In each of those three seasons, Marist went on to win a game at the NCAA Regionals. Szefc's 2002 team won 41 games, a school record that still stands 18 years later, and earned a No. 3 seed at Regionals. He guided the Red Foxes to the MAAC final in four of his five seasons coaching in the conference. Eight Red Foxes who played for Szefc when he was coaching in the MAAC (1998-2002) became Major League Baseball draft selections. |
| Monmouth University |
| Ricky Dennis |
2014-18 |
| Dan Klepchick |
2018- Present |
| Grant Lamberton |
2014-17 |
| Dan Shea |
2013-17 |
Shaine Hughes – 2014-18
Shaine Hughes was a two-time All-MAAC First Team choice and also earned a Second Team honor in his time at MU. He is one of 16 players in program history with over 200 hits, and is fifth all time with 238. He also is sixth all time in school history in doubles with 49. |
| Niagara University |
| Mathew Brash |
2019-19 |
| Cody Eckerson |
2014-18 |
| Josh McCurdy |
2001-03 |
| Jordan Shwartz |
2012-14 |
Greg Cullen – 2016-18
Greg Cullen had a phenomenal three-year career with the Purple Eagles and was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 15th round of the 2018 MLB Draft. In his final season on Monteagle Ridge, Cullen led the nation in batting average (.458) and on-base percentage (.556). He was named the MAAC Player of the Year and selected to the All-MAAC First Team. He was also named to four All-America teams (Collegiate Baseball, ABCA/Rawlings, NCBWA, College Sports Madness). Cullen is in the top-5 in program history in career batting average, hits and walks). |
| Quinnipiac University |
| Mathew Batten |
2014-17 |
| Brian Moskey |
2016-19 |
| Tyler Poulin |
2018-19 |
| Liam Scafariello |
2017-19 |
Thomas Jankins – 2014-16
Thomas Jankins was one of the most dominant pitchers in Quinnipiac baseball history and one of the best in the MAAC from 2014-16, culminating in two consecutive All-MAAC First Team Selections in 2015 and 2016. He was also a two-time MAAC All-Academic Team Selection. Following the 2016 season, Jankins was drafted in the 13th round of the MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers. |
| Rider University |
| Kevin Barry |
1998-01 |
| Sean Olson |
2006-09 |
| Scott Rich |
2001-04 |
| Mike Thomas |
2008-11 |
Jamie Hayes – 2006-09
Hayes rewrote the Rider Baseball Record Book, setting the Broncs’ high marks in career hits (265), runs scored (180), stolen bases (96) and saves (33). The 2008 MAAC Tournament MVP was named MAAC Relief Pitcher of the Year and First Team All-MAAC as a utility player. In addition, he earned New Jersey Collegiate Baseball Association Division I Player of the Year. He led Rider in batting average (.336), runs scored (52) and stolen bases (37), coming three shy of the Rider record at the time, as a junior. A four-time All-MAAC Selection, he earned Second Team honors in his freshman, sophomore and senior seasons. He earned MAAC and New Jersey Rookie of the Year as a freshman and was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in 2009. |
| Saint Peter’s University |
| Drew Brown |
1991-94 |
| Mike Guilfoyle |
1987-90 |
| Jesse Lewandowski |
2000-03 |
| Chris Pini |
1992-95 |
Connor Mullee – 2007-10
Connor Mullee was inducted into the Saint Peter's Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015. The 2011 graduate of Saint Peter's is the program's all-time career leader in doubles (55), RBIs (141), total bases (331) and ranks second in program history for career in games played (205), second in games starts (205), second in at-bats (743), second in runs scored (130), second in hits (216), third in home runs (17), sixth in walks (80) and 12th in stolen bases (37) when he finished his playing career in 2010. He also sits in the Top-10 in 10 single-season categories in team history. In 2010, Mullee was a 24th round draft pick of the New York Yankees. |
| Siena College |
| Tim Christman |
1994-96 |
| Joe Drpich |
2015-18 |
| Ryan Finn |
1999-02 |
| Dave Pahucki |
1999-02 |
Dan Paolini– 2009-11
A 2011 10th round MLB Draft selection, Paolini graduated as and continues to reign as the MAAC's Home Run King, totaling 56 career bombs and a MAAC single season record of 26 in 2010. A two-time MAAC Player of the Year (2010 &2011), Paolini earned three All-American nods, three All-Region honors, was the 2009 MAAC & ECAC Rookie of the Year and a Freshman All-American and a three-time All-MAAC honoree (2010 & 2011 first, 2009 second). |
Coach Tony Rossi
Coach Tony Rossi has spent 51 seasons at the helm of Siena baseball (1970-Pres.) and is the longest tenured head coach in NCAA Division I Baseball history. With 908 victories to his name, he is the winningest coach in both Siena and MAAC history, and is the winningest coach in MAAC history in any sport. He is a six-time MAAC Coach of the Year (1991, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2001, 2005) and has led the team to five MAAC Tournament titles (1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2014) and NCAA tournament appearances in 1999 & 2014. Rossi has 20 20-win seasons since 1985, including six straight from 2013-18. |
| Former MAAC Members |
| Jeff Justice (Le Moyne) |
2001-04 |
| David Smith (Le Moyne) |
1991-94 |
| Dickie Woodridge (Le Moyne) |
1991-94 |
| Sam Boone (La Salle |
1983-86 |
| Barry Petrachenko (La Salle) |
1985-88 |
| Pat Waninger (La Salle) |
1983-87 |
| Pete Harnisch (Fordham) |
1985-87 |
Steve O’Donnell (La Salle) – 1986-89
O’Donnell compiled a four-year batting average of .403 for the Explorers and bashed 45 career home runs. He was voted to the All-MAAC team from 1987-1989 and was named second team All-American, ECAC Player of the Year and MAAC Player of the Year in 1989. He still holds school records for single season and career home runs (23/45), RBI (65/206) and total bases (161/450). |
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) celebrates its 40
th year of competition during the 2020-21 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.