Hartford Hawks baseball: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox college baseball team |
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#REDIRECT [[Hartford Hawks]] |
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|name = Hartford Hawks |
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|founded = 1958 |
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|current = |
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|logo = Hartford Hawks.svg |
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|logo_size = 150 |
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|university = University of Hartford |
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|conference = America East Conference |
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|conference_short = America East |
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|division = |
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|city = West Hartford |
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|stateabb = CT |
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|state = Connecticut |
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|coach = [[Justin Blood]] |
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|tenure = 2nd<!-- 2013 is second season, as 2012 was his first --> |
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|stadium = [[Fiondella Field]] |
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|capacity = 1,000 |
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|nickname = Hawks |
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|color1 = Scarlet |
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|color2 = White |
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|color3 = |
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|fontcolor = FFFFFF |
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|hex1 = D81E05 |
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|hex2 = FFFFFF |
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|hex3 = |
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|national_champion = |
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|cws = |
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|ncaa_tourneys = |
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|conference_tournament = |
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|conference_champion = |
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}} |
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The '''Hartford Hawks baseball''' team is the varsity [[College baseball|intercollegiate baseball]] program of the [[University of Hartford]], located in [[West Hartford, Connecticut]]. The program has been a member of the [[NCAA]] [[Division I (NCAA)|Division I]] [[America East Conference]] since the start of the 1985 season. It has played home games at [[Fiondella Field]] since the venue opened at the start of the [[2006 NCAA Division I baseball season|2006 season]]. [[Justin Blood]] has been the program's head coach since the start of the [[2012 NCAA Division I baseball season|2012 season]]. As of the start of the [[2013 Major League Baseball season]], two former Hawks have appeared in [[Major League Baseball]]. |
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==History== |
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The [[University of Hartford]] was founded in February 1957 upon the merger of the Hartford Art School, Hartt College of Music, and Hillyer College. It began operation for the 1957–1958 school year.<ref name=univhist>{{cite web|title=History: 50th Anniversary|url=http://www.hartford.edu/50th/|work=Hartford.edu|publisher=University of Hartford Communications|accessdate=June 10, 2013|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6HHJ3s3WL|archivedate=June 10, 2013}}</ref> Although some Hartford athletic programs, such as [[Hartford Hawks men's basketball|men's basketball]], trace their history to the teams of Hillyer College, records for the baseball program begin with the 1958 season.<ref name=mbskyearly>{{cite web|title=Yearly Results|url=http://hartfordhawks.com/documents/2011/5/9/Year_By_Year_Results.pdf?id=434|work=HartfordHawks.com|publisher=Hartford Sports Information|accessdate=June 10, 2013|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6HHJADcS1|archivedate=June 10, 2013}}</ref> |
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===Division II=== |
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The program's first season of competition was in 1958. It competed as a member of the [[NCAA]] College Division, made up of small-school athletic programs. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the program competed as an Independent and played a schedule of between ten and twenty games each season.<ref name=yearlyrecords /> |
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The program's first head coach, Frank Klein, served in the position for three seasons (1958–1960). The program had a losing record in each season, and Klein's overall record was 14-29.<ref name=yearlyrecords /><ref name=61yrbk>{{cite web|title=University of Hartford - Yearbook (Hartford, CT) - Class of 1961|url=http://www.e-yearbook.com/yearbooks/University_of_Hartford_Yearbook/1961/Page_111.html|accessdate=June 10, 2013|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6HHKeLiUQ|archivedate=June 10, 2013}}</ref> He later became the first commissioner of the [[Connecticut Collegiate Summer Baseball League]].<ref name=kleincommish>{{cite news|title=New Statewide Baseball Loop Formed|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2512&dat=19640522&id=NyRIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LAANAAAAIBAJ&pg=773,2957608|accessdate=June 10, 2013|newspaper=The Morning Record|date=May 22, 1964|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6HHKADM1j|archivedate=June 10, 2013|location=Meriden, CT, USA|quote=Frank Klein of Fairfield, former University of Hartford baseball coach, was named the league's commissioner-coordinator.}}</ref> |
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In 1961, Roger Wickman became the program's second head coach. In his first season, the program had its first winning record, going 7-5 in 1961. In twenty seasons as head coach, Wickman had six total winning seasons and finished with a career record of 146-178-5. Following the 1980 season, he stepped down from the head coaching position to become an administrator in Hartford's athletic department.<ref name=yearlyrecords /><ref name=denehyfiring>{{cite news|title=Denehy Fired as Hartford Baseball Coach|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UDspAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cmUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2580,3155195&dq=hartford+uconn+baseball&hl=en|accessdate=30 November 2012|newspaper=Lewiston Daily Sun|date=17 April 1987|agency=Associated Press|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6CZqOPcwP|archivedate=30 November 2012|location=Lewiston, Maine, USA|page=21}}</ref> |
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During Wickman's tenure (following the 1973 season), the NCAA had reorganized its divisions. The large-school University Division became [[Division I (NCAA)|Division I]], while the small-school College Division split to become Divisions [[Division II (NCAA)|II]] and [[Division III (NCAA)|III]]. Hartford, which had competed as a College Division Independent, became a Division II Independent.<ref name=ncaadivisions>{{cite news|last=Liska|first=Jerry|title=NCAA Splits Into Three Divisions|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Fb5QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0dAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2608,651743&dq=ncaa+divisions&hl=en|accessdate=12 August 2012|newspaper=The Portsmouth Times|date=7 August 1973|agency=The Associated Press|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/69r4LMaIB|archivedate=12 August 2012|location=Portsmouth, Ohio, USA|page=8}}</ref> It continued to compete as an Independent through Wickman's final season as head coach in 1980.<ref name=yearlyrecords /> |
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In the 1980–1981 academic year, Hartford became a charter member of the [[Northeast-10 Conference|Northeast-7 Conference]], along with [[American International College]], [[Assumption College]], [[Bentley University|Bentley College]], [[Bryant University|Bryant College]], [[Springfield College (Massachusetts)|Springfield College]], and [[Stonehill College]]. The league became known as the Northeast-8 Conference when [[Saint Anselm College]] joined for the 1981–1982 academic year.<ref name=ne10hist>{{cite web|title=About the NE-10: History Timeline|url=http://www.northeast10.org/information/about_ne10/index|work=Northeast10.org|accessdate=June 10, 2013|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6HHMjVDPr|archivedate=June 10, 2013}}</ref> In four seasons (1981–1984) as a member of the conference, Hartford had an overall record of 11-61, including winless seasons in 1983 and 1984.<ref name=yearlyrecords /> |
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===Division I=== |
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For the start of the 1984–1985 academic year, Hartford's athletic programs transitioned to [[Division I (NCAA)|Division I]], joining the ECAC North (which eventually became known as the [[America East Conference]]). For the 1985 season, the program's first in Division I, it hired former [[Major League Baseball]] player [[Bill Denehy (baseball)|Bill Denehy]] as its head coach. That season, the team went 2-24.<ref name=yearlyrecords /> In 1986, Denehy's second season, the team's record improved slightly to 8-34. Denehy was fired during his third season for making inflammatory comments following a game against [[Connecticut Huskies baseball|Connecticut]] in which two brawls broke out. Athletic director Don Cook, assisted by Wickman, coached the team for the remainder of the season.<ref name=yearlyrecords /><ref name=denehyfiring /> |
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[[File:Bagwell.jpg|right|thumb|150px|Bagwell with [[Major League Baseball]]'s [[Houston Astros]].]] |
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Prior to the start of the 1988 season, Hartford hired [[Quinnipiac Bobcats baseball|Quinnipiac]] head coach [[Dan Gooley]] as a permanent replacement for Denehy. In Gooley's first season, the Hawks went 29-12 and finished second in the ECAC Tournament. In 1989, the team went 17-15-1 to give the program consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 1971–1972. In 1992, the team went 27-21 and finished second in the North Atlantic Conference (to which the ECAC North had been renamed following the 1988 season), again appearing in the ECAC Tournament.<ref name=yearlyrecords /><ref name=gooleybioqu>{{cite web|title=Dan Gooley|url=http://www.quinnipiacbobcats.com/sports/bsb/coaches/index|work=QuinnipiacBobcats.com|publisher=Quinnipiac Sports Information|accessdate=June 10, 2013|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6HHT0HaI2|archivedate=June 10, 2013}}</ref> |
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In the late 1980s, future Major League Baseball player [[Jeff Bagwell]] played three seasons for the program. Recruited by Denehy, Bagwell played under him in 1987, then under Gooley from 1988–1989.<ref name=bagwelldenehy>{{cite web|title=Remember Me?|url=http://articles.courant.com/1997-08-03/sports/9708030242_1_bill-denehy-major-leagues-rhode-island|publisher=Hartford Courant|accessdate=June 11, 2013|date=August 3, 1997}}</ref><ref name=bagwellgooley>{{cite web|last=Cloutier|first=Bill|title=Baseball: Jeff Bagwell, 'Greatest Player' Quinnipiac's Dan Gooley Ever Coached, Doesn't Make Hall of Fame|url=http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2013/01/09/sports/doc50eb545c6a9d3180079943.txt|work=NHRegister.com|accessdate=June 11, 2013|date=January 9, 2013}}</ref> In 400 [[at bat]]s with the program, Bagwell's [[batting average]] was .413, a program record.<ref name=indivcareerrecords>{{cite web|title=All-Time Career Records|url=http://hartfordhawks.com/documents/2013/1/22/Records_BB-Career.pdf|work=HartfordHawks.com|publisher=Hartford Sports Information|accessdate=June 11, 2013}}</ref> Bagwell was drafted by the [[Boston Red Sox]] in the fourth round of the [[1989 Major League Baseball Draft|1989 MLB Draft]].<ref name=gammonsbagwell>{{cite web|last=Gammons|first=Peter|title=Bagwell Deserves Hall of Fame Call|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101226&content_id=16368866&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb|work=MLB.com|accessdate=June 11, 2013|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6HJ2rnqIU|archivedate=June 11, 2013|date=December 26, 2010}}</ref> He had a fifteen-year major league career with the [[Houston Astros]] in which he won a [[National League MVP]] Award and appeared in four [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]]s.<ref name=bagwellbref>{{cite web|title=Jeff Bagwell|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bagweje01.shtml|work=Baseball-Reference.com|accessdate=June 11, 2013|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6HJ2gJuJQ|archivedate=June 11, 2013}}</ref> |
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Following the 1992 season, Gooley left Hartford to become a baseball [[corporate executive]], and the program promoted assistant coach and former Major League player [[Moe Morhardt]] to replace him.<ref name=gooleybioqu /><ref name="ctsports">[http://ctsports.homestead.com/Morhardt.html Morhardt honored for his passion, love of the game] at ctsports.homestead.com, URL accessed December 20, 2009. [http://www.webcitation.org/5mA77DS4b Archived] 12/12/09</ref> Morhardt held the position for two seasons (1993–1994), in which the program won at least 20 games per season and made consecutive [[America East Conference Baseball Tournament|NAC Tournament]] appearances.{{efn|name=allnac}} The team was eliminated in the opening round in the [[1993 North Atlantic Conference Baseball Tournament|1993 tournament]]. As the fifth seed in [[1994 North Atlantic Conference Baseball Tournament|1994]], Hartford defeated fourth-seeded [[Maine Black Bears baseball|Maine]] in a [[Best-of-three playoff|best-of-three]] opening round. It then won its first two games in the [[double-elimination]] final round (5-1 against first-seeded [[Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens baseball|Delaware]] and 6-5 against second-seeded [[Northeastern Huskies baseball|Northeastern]]. The team then lost consecutive games to Northeastern in the championship round, however, and finished as the tournament runner-up.<ref name=aecrb>{{cite web|title=2013 America East Conference Baseball Record Book|url=http://www.americaeast.com/fls/14000/records/base.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=14000|work=AmericaEast.com|publisher=America East Conference|accessdate=May 20, 2013|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6GlusoR5g|archivedate=May 20, 2013}}</ref> Morhardt resigned as head coach following the season.<ref name=1994resig>{{cite news|title=Transactions: College|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2199&dat=19940621&id=ITczAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KucFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4052,7031933|accessdate=March 7, 2013|newspaper=Lawrence Journal-World|date=June 21, 1994|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6EvzucaxT|archivedate=March 7, 2013|location=Lawrence, Kansas, USA|page=5C|quote=HARTFORD-- ... Announced the resignation of Moe Morhardt, baseball coach.}}</ref> |
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[[UNC Asheville Bulldogs baseball|UNC Asheville]] head coach and [[Manchester, Connecticut]] native Jim Bretz was hired to replace Morhardt, and Bretz held the position for three seasons (1995–1997).<ref name=bretzhire>{{cite web|title=Bretz to Coach Hartford Baseball|url=http://articles.courant.com/1994-08-24/sports/9408240437_1_big-east-seton-hall-assistant-women-s-soccer-coach|publisher=Hartford Courant|accessdate=June 12, 2013|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6HKVMpkK8|archivedate=June 12, 2013|date=August 24, 1994}}</ref> Under him, the program averaged only 16 wins per season and finished no higher than sixth in conference play.<ref name=yearlyrecords /> It qualified for the [[1996 North Atlantic Conference Baseball Tournament|1996 NAC Tournament]], in which it finished third.<ref name=aecrb /><ref name=97outlook>{{cite web|title=1997 Baseball Outlook|url=http://uhaweb.hartford.edu/BASEBALL/|work=Hawks Baseball|accessdate=June 12, 2013|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6HKVzoZgU|archivedate=June 12, 2013}}</ref> Bretz resigned following the 1997 season, "for personal reasons," according to Hartford's sports information department. Bob Nenna, one his Bretz's assistants and a player at Hartford from 1989–1992, led the team to a 13-32 record as interim head coach in 1998.<ref name=bretzresigns>{{cite web|title=Baseball Coach at U of H Resigns|url=http://articles.courant.com/1997-10-18/sports/9710180269_1_resigns-interim-head-coach-cross-country|publisher=Hartford Courant|accessdate=June 12, 2013|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6HKVq3Fsd|archivedate=June 12, 2013|date=October 18, 1997}}</ref><ref name=yearlyrecords /><ref name=indivcareerrecords /> Future Major League player [[Earl Snyder]] played under Bretz and Nenna from 1995–1998. Snyder set program career records for [[home run]]s (53) and [[runs batted in]] (173). Snyder later played for both the [[Cleveland Indians]] and [[Boston Red Sox]].<ref name=snyderba>{{cite web|title=Earl Snyder|url=http://www.baseballamerica.com/statistics/players/cards/25986|work=BaseballAmerica.com|accessdate=June 12, 2013|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6HKWPbG3C|archivedate=June 12, 2013}}</ref><ref name=indivcareerrecords /> |
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From 1999–2011, the program had a pair of head coaches whose career winning percentages were below .300.<ref name=yearlyrecords /> Hartford hired [[Bowdoin Polar Bears|Bowdoin]] and [[Falmouth Commodores]] head coach Harvey Shapiro for the start of the 1999 season.<ref name=shapirohire>{{cite web|last=Anderson|first=Woody|title=Hartford Names Shapiro Baseball Coach|url=http://articles.courant.com/1998-05-27/sports/9805270278_1_new-baseball-coach-harvey-shapiro-hawks|publisher=Hartford Courant|accessdate=June 12, 2013|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6HKd6BzlM|archivedate=June 12, 2013|date=May 27, 1998}}</ref> In six seasons (1999–2004), Shapiro's head coaching record was 76-199-1, and the team finished no higher than sixth in conference play and not qualifying for an America East Tournament, which in 1998 had adopted a four-team format.<ref name=aecrb /> Shapiro resigned following the [[2004 NCAA Division I baseball season|2004 season]].<ref name=fieldsandhsresig>{{cite web|title=Turning for Home: UHart Baseball to Get Own Field|url=http://articles.courant.com/2005-04-09/sports/0504090389_1_real-home-field-campus-fields-memorial-field|publisher=Hartford Courant|accessdate=June 12, 2013|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6HKdH41jG|archivedate=June 12, 2013|date=April 9, 2005}}</ref> [[Indiana Hoosiers baseball|Indiana]] assistant Jeff Calcaterra replaced Shapiro.<ref name=calcaterrahire>{{cite web|title=Jeff Calcaterra New Head Man at Hartford|url=http://www.iuhoosiers.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/111904aaa.html|work=IUHoosiers.com|publisher=Indiana Sports Information|accessdate=June 12, 2013|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6HKeOt64l|archivedate=June 12, 2013}}</ref> Calcaterra held the position from the start of the [[2005 NCAA Division I baseball season|2005 season]] until partway through the [[2011 NCAA Division I baseball season|2011 season]], when he was fired with an overall record of 79-236-1.<ref name=yearlyrecords /><ref name=calcaterrafired1>{{cite web|last=Amore|first=Dom|title=UHart Parts Ways with Baseball Coach|url=http://articles.courant.com/2011-05-04/sports/hc-hartford-baseball-0505-20110504_1_new-baseball-coach-pat-meiser-hawks-coach|publisher=Hartford Courant|accessdate=June 12, 2013|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6HKeW8j2s|archivedate=June 12, 2013|date=May 4, 2011}}</ref><ref name=calcaterrafired2>{{cite web|last=Rutledge|first=Jessica|title=Calcaterra Fired, Hartford Baseball in Search of a New Head Coach|url=http://hartfordinformer.com/2011/05/sports/calcaterra-is-out-hartford-baseball-in-search-of-new-head-coach/|work=HartfordInformer.com|accessdate=June 12, 2013|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6HKefbjkD|archivedate=June 12, 2013|date=May 4, 2011}}</ref> At the start of the [[2006 NCAA Division I baseball season|2006 season]], Calcaterra's second season, the program opened [[Fiondella Field]], the program's first on-campus venue since the mid 1980s.<ref name=facil /> |
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To replace Calcaterra, the program hired [[Connecticut Huskies baseball|Connecticut]] assistant Justin Blood for the [[2012 NCAA Division I baseball season|2012 season]].<ref name=bloodhirecourant>{{cite web|last=Anthony|first=Mike|title=Coach Justin Blood Aims to Build Respect for UHart Baseball|url=http://articles.courant.com/2011-09-20/sports/hc-university-of-hartford-basball-coach-0920-20110920_1_jeff-calcaterra-justin-blood-baseball-coach|publisher=Hartford Courant|accessdate=June 12, 2013|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6HKeyrpwu|archivedate=June 12, 2013|date=September 20, 2011}}</ref> Commenting on Blood's hiring, Aaron Fitt of ''Baseball America'' called him "one of the top up-and-coming coaches in the Northeast."<ref name=bloodhireba>{{cite web|last=Fitt|first=Aaron|title=Coaching Roundup: Nebraska Hires Darin Erstad|url=http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/college/2011/06/coaching-roundup-nebraska-hires-darin-erstad/|work=BaseballAmerica.com|accessdate=June 12, 2013|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6HKf463xg|archivedate=June 12, 2013|date=June 2, 2013}}</ref> In both 2012 and [[2013 NCAA Division I baseball season|2013]], Blood's first two seasons as head coach, the Hawks finished in fifth place in the America East.<ref name=aecrb /><ref name=aecst13 /> |
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===Conference affiliations=== |
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*Independent (College Division/[[Division II (NCAA)|Division II]]) (1958–1980) |
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*[[Northeast-10 Conference|Northeast-8 Conference]] (Division II) (1981–1984) |
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**Known as the Northeast-7 Conference in 1981 |
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*[[America East Conference]] ([[Division I (NCAA)|Division I]]) (1985–present) |
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**Known as the ECAC North from 1985–1988 |
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**Known as the North Atlantic Conference from 1989–1996 |
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==Venues== |
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===Early venues=== |
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In its early years as a [[Division II (NCAA)|Division II]] program, Hartford played home games on campus. It began to use off-campus venues in the mid 1980s, however.<ref name=facil>{{cite web|title=Fiondella Field|url=http://hartfordhawks.com/sports/2008/3/28/771818399.aspx?id=91|work=HartfordHawks.com|publisher=Hartford Sports Information|accessdate=June 8, 2013|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6HDMMqioT|archivedate=June 8, 2013}}</ref> These venues included [[New Britain, Connecticut|New Britain]]'s [[Beehive Field]], [[Bristol, Connecticut|Bristol]]'s [[Muzzy Field]], [[East Hartford, Connecticut|East Hartford]]'s Ray McKenna Field, and [[Simsbury, Connecticut|Simsbury]]'s Memorial Field.<ref name=mckenna>{{cite web|title=Hawks Split with Binghamton in Conference Opener|url=http://hartfordhawks.com/news/2004/4/9/767617822.aspx?path=baseball|work=HartfordHawks.com|publisher=Hartford Sports Information|accessdate=June 8, 2013|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6HDMQpzGr|archivedate=June 8, 2013|date=April 9, 2004}}</ref><ref name=memorialsimsbury>{{cite web|title=Baseball Falls 11-6 to Holy Cross|url=http://hartfordhawks.com/news/2005/4/13/292105079.aspx?path=baseball|work=HartfordHawks.com|publisher=Hartford Sports Information|accessdate=June 8, 2013|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6HDMUuqog|archivedate=June 8, 2013}}</ref><ref name=fieldsandhsresig /> |
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===Fiondella Field=== |
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{{main|Fiondella Field}} |
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Since its opening at the start of the [[2006 NCAA Division I baseball season|2006 season]], the program has played at [[Fiondella Field]], located on the university's campus. The facility has a capacity of 1,000 spectators and features an [[artificial turf]] surface.<ref name=facil /> |
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==Coaches== |
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===Head coaches=== |
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Roger Wickman is both the program's longest-tenured and winningest head coach. He held the position from 1961–1980 and won 146 games.<ref name=yearlyrecords>{{cite web|title=All-Time Coaching Records|url=http://hartfordhawks.com/documents/2013/1/22/Records_BB-Year-byYear.pdf|work=HartfordHawks.com|publisher=Hartford Sports Information|accessdate=June 10, 2013|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6HGzUZiiz|archivedate=June 10, 2013}}</ref> |
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{| border="0" style="width:100%;" |
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|- |
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| valign="top" | |
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{| cellpadding="1" border="1" cellspacing="0" style="width:57%;" |
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|- |
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! style="background:#D81E05; width:15%;"| <span style="color:#FFFFFF;">Tenure(s) |
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! style="background:#D81E05; width:16%;"| <span style="color:#FFFFFF;">Coach |
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! style="background:#D81E05; width:6%;"| <span style="color:#FFFFFF;"> Seasons |
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! style="background:#D81E05; width:15%;"| <span style="color:#FFFFFF;">W-L-T |
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! style="background:#D81E05; width:5%;"| <span style="color:#FFFFFF;">Pct |
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|- style="text-align:center;" |
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| 1958–1960 |
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| Frank Klein |
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| 3 |
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| 14-29 |
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| .326 |
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|- style="text-align:center;" |
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| 1961–1980 |
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| Roger Wickman |
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| 20 |
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| 146-178-5 |
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| .459 |
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|- style="text-align:center;" |
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| 1981–1983 |
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| Bill Nardi |
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| 3 |
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| 11-46 |
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| .234 |
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|- style="text-align:center;" |
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| 1984 |
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| Jim Keener |
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| 1 |
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| 0-15 |
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| .000 |
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|- style="text-align:center;" |
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| 1985–1987 |
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| [[Bill Denehy]] |
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| 2+{{efn|name=Denehy|Denehy was fired partway through the 1987 season, due to an altercation with a Connecticut assistant coach.}} |
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| 17-73 |
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| .189 |
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|- style="text-align:center;" |
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| 1987 |
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| Don Cook |
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| <1 |
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| 4-12 |
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| .250 |
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|- style="text-align:center;" |
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| 1988–1992 |
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| [[Dan Gooley]] |
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| 5 |
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| 101-90-1 |
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| .529 |
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|- style="text-align:center;" |
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| 1993–1994 |
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| [[Moe Morhardt]] |
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| 2 |
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| 42-54 |
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| .438 |
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|- style="text-align:center;" |
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| 1995–1997 |
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| Jim Bretz |
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| 3 |
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| 48-78-1 |
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| .382 |
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|- style="text-align:center;" |
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| 1998 |
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| Bob Nenna |
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| 1 |
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| 13-32 |
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| .298 |
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|- style="text-align:center;" |
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| 1999–2004 |
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| Harvey Shapiro |
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| 6 |
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| 76-199-1 |
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| .275 |
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|- style="text-align:center;" |
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| 2005–2011 |
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| Jeff Calcaterra |
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| 6+{{efn|name=Calcaterra|Calcaterra was fired partway through the 2011 season.}} |
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| 79-236-1 |
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| .251 |
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|- style="text-align:center;" |
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| 2011 |
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| Jerry Shank |
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| <1 |
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| 3-9 |
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| .250 |
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|- style="text-align:center;" |
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| 2012–present |
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| Justin Blood |
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| 2<!-- 2013 was 2nd season, as 2012 was his first --> |
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| 33-76<!-- 33-76 as of end of 2013 season --> |
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| .303 |
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|- style="text-align:center; background:#D81E05;" |
|||
|| <span style="color:#FFFFFF;"><center>'''TOTALS'''</center> |
|||
|| <span style="color:#FFFFFF;"><center>13</center> |
|||
|| <span style="color:#FFFFFF;"><center>56</center><!-- 2013 was 56th season --> |
|||
|| <span style="color:#FFFFFF;"><center>587-1127-9</center><!-- 587-1127-9 record as of end of 2013 season --> |
|||
|| <span style="color:#FFFFFF;"><center>.342</center> |
|||
|} |
|||
===Current coaching staff=== |
|||
Below is the Hawks' coaching staff for the [[2013 NCAA Division I baseball season|2013 season]].<ref name=13coaches>{{cite web|title=2013 Baseball Coaching Staff|url=http://hartfordhawks.com/coaches.aspx?path=baseball&|work=HartfordHawks.com|publisher=Hartford Sports Information|accessdate=June 10, 2013|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6HH0xI07q|archivedate=June 10, 2013}}</ref> |
|||
* '''Head coach''' – Justin Blood |
|||
* '''Assistant coach''' – Steve Malinowski |
|||
* '''Assistant coach''' – Mike Nemeth |
|||
* '''Volunteer assistant coach''' – John Slusarz |
|||
==Year-by-year records== |
|||
Below is a table of the program's yearly records as both a [[Division II (NCAA)|Division II]] and [[Division I (NCAA)|Division I]] program.<ref name=yearlyrecords /><ref name=aecst13>{{cite web|title=2013 America East Conference Baseball Standings|url=http://www.d1baseball.com/conferences/standings_ameast.htm|work=D1Baseball.com|publisher=Jeremy and Cynthia Mills|accessdate=June 10, 2013|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6HH4H2e1Z|archivedate=June 10, 2013}}</ref> |
|||
{{CBB yearly record start | type = coach }} |
|||
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead |
|||
| name = Independent (College Division) |
|||
| conference= no |
|||
| startyear = 1958 |
|||
| endyear = 1973 |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1958 |
|||
| name = Frank Klein |
|||
| overall = 4-8 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1959 |
|||
| name = Frank Klein |
|||
| overall = 5-11 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1960 |
|||
| name = Frank Klein |
|||
| overall = 5-10 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1961 |
|||
| name = Roger Wickman |
|||
| overall = 7-5 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1962 |
|||
| name = Roger Wickman |
|||
| overall = 9-6 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1963 |
|||
| name = Roger Wickman |
|||
| overall = 8-7-1 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1964 |
|||
| name = Roger Wickman |
|||
| overall = 9-8 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1965 |
|||
| name = Roger Wickman |
|||
| overall = 8-8-1 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1966 |
|||
| name = Roger Wickman |
|||
| overall = 4-9 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1967 |
|||
| name = Roger Wickman |
|||
| overall = 1-11 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1968 |
|||
| name = Roger Wickman |
|||
| overall = 8-9 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1969 |
|||
| name = Roger Wickman |
|||
| overall = 7-9 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1970 |
|||
| name = Roger Wickman |
|||
| overall = 10-10-1 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1971 |
|||
| name = Roger Wickman |
|||
| overall = 10-9 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1972 |
|||
| name = Roger Wickman |
|||
| overall = 8-4-1 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1973 |
|||
| name = Roger Wickman |
|||
| overall = 5-10 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead |
|||
| name = Independent ([[Division II (NCAA)|Division II]]) |
|||
| conference= no |
|||
| startyear = 1974 |
|||
| endyear = 1980 |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1974 |
|||
| name = Roger Wickman |
|||
| overall = 8-4 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1975 |
|||
| name = Roger Wickman |
|||
| overall = 8-10 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1976 |
|||
| name = Roger Wickman |
|||
| overall = 8-10 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1977 |
|||
| name = Roger Wickman |
|||
| overall = 4-15 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1978 |
|||
| name = Roger Wickman |
|||
| overall = 9-11 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1979 |
|||
| name = Roger Wickman |
|||
| overall = 10-10 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1980 |
|||
| name = Roger Wickman |
|||
| overall = 5-13-1 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record subtotal |
|||
| name = Independent |
|||
| overall = 160-207-5 |
|||
| confrecord = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead |
|||
| name = [[Northeast-10 Conference|Northeast-7/Northeast-8]] ([[Division II (NCAA)|Division II]]) |
|||
| conference= no |
|||
| startyear = 1981 |
|||
| endyear = 1984 |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1981 |
|||
| name = Bill Nardi |
|||
| overall = 4-20 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1982 |
|||
| name = Bill Nardi |
|||
| overall = 7-13 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1983 |
|||
| name = Bill Nardi |
|||
| overall = 0-13 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1984 |
|||
| name = Jim Keener |
|||
| overall = 0-15 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record subtotal |
|||
| name = Northeast-7/Northeast-8 |
|||
| overall = 11-61 |
|||
| confrecord = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead |
|||
| name = [[America East Conference|ECAC North/North Atlantic/America East]] ([[Division I (NCAA)|Division I]]) |
|||
| conference= no |
|||
| startyear = 1985 |
|||
| endyear = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1985 |
|||
| name = [[Bill Denehy]] |
|||
| overall = 2-24 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1986 |
|||
| name = Bill Denehy |
|||
| overall = 8-34 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1987 |
|||
| name = Bill Denehy/Don Cook{{efn|name=Denehy}} |
|||
| overall = 11-27 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1988 |
|||
| name = [[Dan Gooley]] |
|||
| overall = 29-12 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = ECAC Tournament |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1989 |
|||
| name = Dan Gooley |
|||
| overall = 17-15-1 |
|||
| conference = |
|||
| confstanding = |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1990 |
|||
| name = Dan Gooley |
|||
| overall = 15-20 |
|||
| conference = 4-10 |
|||
| confstanding = 6th |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1991 |
|||
| name = Dan Gooley |
|||
| overall = 13-22 |
|||
| conference = 5-10 |
|||
| confstanding = 5th |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1992 |
|||
| name = Dan Gooley |
|||
| overall = 27-21 |
|||
| conference = 18-10 |
|||
| confstanding = 2nd |
|||
| postseason = ECAC Tournament |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1993 |
|||
| name = [[Moe Morhardt]] |
|||
| overall = 20-27 |
|||
| conference = 9-15 |
|||
| confstanding = 6th |
|||
| postseason = [[1993 North Atlantic Conference Baseball Tournament|NAC Tournament]]{{efn|name=allnac|In this season, all members of the North Atlantic Conference qualified for its postseason tournament.}} |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1994 |
|||
| name = Moe Morhardt |
|||
| overall = 22-27 |
|||
| conference = 10-11 |
|||
| confstanding = 5th |
|||
| postseason = [[1994 North Atlantic Conference Baseball Tournament|NAC Tournament]]{{efn|name=allnac}} |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1995 |
|||
| name = Jim Bretz |
|||
| overall = 14-25 |
|||
| conference = 10-12 |
|||
| confstanding = 7th |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1996 |
|||
| name = Jim Bretz |
|||
| overall = 18-30-1 |
|||
| conference = 10-14 |
|||
| confstanding = 6th |
|||
| postseason = [[1996 North Atlantic Conference Baseball Tournament|NAC Tournament]] |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1997 |
|||
| name = Jim Bretz |
|||
| overall = 16-23 |
|||
| conference = 7-16 |
|||
| confstanding = 7th |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1998 |
|||
| name = Bob Nenna |
|||
| overall = 13-32 |
|||
| conference = 7-19 |
|||
| confstanding = 8th |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 1999 |
|||
| name = Harvey Shapiro |
|||
| overall = 12-34 |
|||
| conference = 7-20 |
|||
| confstanding = 8th |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 2000 |
|||
| name = Harvey Shapiro |
|||
| overall = 13-34 |
|||
| conference = 6-22 |
|||
| confstanding = 8th |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = 2001 |
|||
| name = Harvey Shapiro |
|||
| overall = 14-35 |
|||
| conference = 10-18 |
|||
| confstanding = 8th |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = [[2002 NCAA Division I baseball season|2002]] |
|||
| name = Harvey Shapiro |
|||
| overall = 17-29 |
|||
| conference = 8-14 |
|||
| confstanding = 7th |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = [[2003 NCAA Division I baseball season|2003]] |
|||
| name = Harvey Shapiro |
|||
| overall = 9-34-1 |
|||
| conference = 7-15 |
|||
| confstanding = 6th |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = [[2004 NCAA Division I baseball season|2004]] |
|||
| name = Harvey Shapiro |
|||
| overall = 11-33 |
|||
| conference = 5-16 |
|||
| confstanding = 8th |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = [[2005 NCAA Division I baseball season|2005]] |
|||
| name = Jeff Calcaterra |
|||
| overall = 6-30 |
|||
| conference = 3-18 |
|||
| confstanding = 8th |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = [[2006 NCAA Division I baseball season|2006]] |
|||
| name = Jeff Calcaterra |
|||
| overall = 11-38 |
|||
| conference = 8-16 |
|||
| confstanding = 6th |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = [[2007 NCAA Division I baseball season|2007]] |
|||
| name = Jeff Calcaterra |
|||
| overall = 15-34 |
|||
| conference = 9-14 |
|||
| confstanding = 6th |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = [[2008 NCAA Division I baseball season|2008]] |
|||
| name = Jeff Calcaterra |
|||
| overall = 18-31 |
|||
| conference = 10-13 |
|||
| confstanding = 5th |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = [[2009 NCAA Division I baseball season|2009]] |
|||
| name = Jeff Calcaterra |
|||
| overall = 15-32 |
|||
| conference = 7-15 |
|||
| confstanding = 6th |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = [[2010 NCAA Division I baseball season|2010]] |
|||
| name = Jeff Calcaterra |
|||
| overall = 11-37 |
|||
| conference = 5-19 |
|||
| confstanding = 5th |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = [[2011 NCAA Division I baseball season|2011]] |
|||
| name = Jeff Calcaterra/Jerry Shank{{efn|name=Calcaterra}} |
|||
| overall = 6-43-1 |
|||
| conference = 3-20 |
|||
| confstanding = 5th |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = [[2012 NCAA Division I baseball season|2012]] |
|||
| name = Justin Blood |
|||
| overall = 16-40 |
|||
| conference = 7-17 |
|||
| confstanding = 5th |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record entry |
|||
| championship = |
|||
| season = [[2013 NCAA Division I baseball season|2013]] |
|||
| name = Justin Blood |
|||
| overall = 17-36 |
|||
| conference = 13-17 |
|||
| confstanding = 5th |
|||
| postseason = |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record subtotal |
|||
| name = ECAC North/North Atlantic/America East |
|||
| overall = 416-859<!-- 416-859 as of end of 2013 season --> |
|||
| confrecord = 188-371<!-- 188-371 as of end of 2013 season --> |
|||
}} |
|||
{{CBB yearly record end |
|||
| overall = 587-1127-9<!-- 587-1127-9 as of end of 2013 season --> |
|||
}} |
|||
==Notable former players== |
|||
The following is a list of notable former Hawks and the seasons in which they played for the program.<ref name=alums>{{cite web|title=University of Hartford Baseball Players Who Made It to the Major Leagues|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/college/university_of_hartford_baseball_players.shtml|work=Baseball-Almanac.com|accessdate=June 10, 2013|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6HH4poBZC|archivedate=June 10, 2013}}</ref><ref name=alltimeroster>{{cite web|title=All-Time Player Roster|url=http://www.hartfordhawks.com/documents/2013/1/22/Records_BB-AllTimeRoster.pdf|work=HartfordHawks.com|publisher=Hartford Sports Information|accessdate=June 10, 2013|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6HH4tihxU|archivedate=June 10, 2013}}</ref> |
|||
* [[Jeff Bagwell]] (1987–1989) |
|||
* [[Gary LaRocque]] (1972–1975) |
|||
* [[Earl Snyder]] (1995–1998) |
|||
==See also== |
|||
* [[List of NCAA Division I baseball programs]] |
|||
* [[Hartford Hawks]] |
|||
==Notes== |
|||
{{notelist}} |
|||
==References== |
|||
{{reflist}} |
|||
{{America East Conference baseball navbox}} |
|||
[[Category:Hartford Hawks baseball|*]] |
Revision as of 22:13, 13 June 2013
Hartford Hawks | |
---|---|
File:Hartford Hawks.svg | |
Founded | 1958 |
University | University of Hartford |
Head coach | Justin Blood (2nd season) |
Conference | America East Conference |
Home stadium | Fiondella Field (Capacity: 1,000) |
Nickname | Hawks |
Colors | Scarlet and White |
The Hartford Hawks baseball team is the varsity intercollegiate baseball program of the University of Hartford, located in West Hartford, Connecticut. The program has been a member of the NCAA Division I America East Conference since the start of the 1985 season. It has played home games at Fiondella Field since the venue opened at the start of the 2006 season. Justin Blood has been the program's head coach since the start of the 2012 season. As of the start of the 2013 Major League Baseball season, two former Hawks have appeared in Major League Baseball.
History
The University of Hartford was founded in February 1957 upon the merger of the Hartford Art School, Hartt College of Music, and Hillyer College. It began operation for the 1957–1958 school year.[1] Although some Hartford athletic programs, such as men's basketball, trace their history to the teams of Hillyer College, records for the baseball program begin with the 1958 season.[2]
Division II
The program's first season of competition was in 1958. It competed as a member of the NCAA College Division, made up of small-school athletic programs. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the program competed as an Independent and played a schedule of between ten and twenty games each season.[3]
The program's first head coach, Frank Klein, served in the position for three seasons (1958–1960). The program had a losing record in each season, and Klein's overall record was 14-29.[3][4] He later became the first commissioner of the Connecticut Collegiate Summer Baseball League.[5]
In 1961, Roger Wickman became the program's second head coach. In his first season, the program had its first winning record, going 7-5 in 1961. In twenty seasons as head coach, Wickman had six total winning seasons and finished with a career record of 146-178-5. Following the 1980 season, he stepped down from the head coaching position to become an administrator in Hartford's athletic department.[3][6]
During Wickman's tenure (following the 1973 season), the NCAA had reorganized its divisions. The large-school University Division became Division I, while the small-school College Division split to become Divisions II and III. Hartford, which had competed as a College Division Independent, became a Division II Independent.[7] It continued to compete as an Independent through Wickman's final season as head coach in 1980.[3]
In the 1980–1981 academic year, Hartford became a charter member of the Northeast-7 Conference, along with American International College, Assumption College, Bentley College, Bryant College, Springfield College, and Stonehill College. The league became known as the Northeast-8 Conference when Saint Anselm College joined for the 1981–1982 academic year.[8] In four seasons (1981–1984) as a member of the conference, Hartford had an overall record of 11-61, including winless seasons in 1983 and 1984.[3]
Division I
For the start of the 1984–1985 academic year, Hartford's athletic programs transitioned to Division I, joining the ECAC North (which eventually became known as the America East Conference). For the 1985 season, the program's first in Division I, it hired former Major League Baseball player Bill Denehy as its head coach. That season, the team went 2-24.[3] In 1986, Denehy's second season, the team's record improved slightly to 8-34. Denehy was fired during his third season for making inflammatory comments following a game against Connecticut in which two brawls broke out. Athletic director Don Cook, assisted by Wickman, coached the team for the remainder of the season.[3][6]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Jeff_Bagwell_batting.jpg/150px-Jeff_Bagwell_batting.jpg)
Prior to the start of the 1988 season, Hartford hired Quinnipiac head coach Dan Gooley as a permanent replacement for Denehy. In Gooley's first season, the Hawks went 29-12 and finished second in the ECAC Tournament. In 1989, the team went 17-15-1 to give the program consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 1971–1972. In 1992, the team went 27-21 and finished second in the North Atlantic Conference (to which the ECAC North had been renamed following the 1988 season), again appearing in the ECAC Tournament.[3][9]
In the late 1980s, future Major League Baseball player Jeff Bagwell played three seasons for the program. Recruited by Denehy, Bagwell played under him in 1987, then under Gooley from 1988–1989.[10][11] In 400 at bats with the program, Bagwell's batting average was .413, a program record.[12] Bagwell was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the fourth round of the 1989 MLB Draft.[13] He had a fifteen-year major league career with the Houston Astros in which he won a National League MVP Award and appeared in four All-Star Games.[14]
Following the 1992 season, Gooley left Hartford to become a baseball corporate executive, and the program promoted assistant coach and former Major League player Moe Morhardt to replace him.[9][15] Morhardt held the position for two seasons (1993–1994), in which the program won at least 20 games per season and made consecutive NAC Tournament appearances.[a] The team was eliminated in the opening round in the 1993 tournament. As the fifth seed in 1994, Hartford defeated fourth-seeded Maine in a best-of-three opening round. It then won its first two games in the double-elimination final round (5-1 against first-seeded Delaware and 6-5 against second-seeded Northeastern. The team then lost consecutive games to Northeastern in the championship round, however, and finished as the tournament runner-up.[16] Morhardt resigned as head coach following the season.[17]
UNC Asheville head coach and Manchester, Connecticut native Jim Bretz was hired to replace Morhardt, and Bretz held the position for three seasons (1995–1997).[18] Under him, the program averaged only 16 wins per season and finished no higher than sixth in conference play.[3] It qualified for the 1996 NAC Tournament, in which it finished third.[16][19] Bretz resigned following the 1997 season, "for personal reasons," according to Hartford's sports information department. Bob Nenna, one his Bretz's assistants and a player at Hartford from 1989–1992, led the team to a 13-32 record as interim head coach in 1998.[20][3][12] Future Major League player Earl Snyder played under Bretz and Nenna from 1995–1998. Snyder set program career records for home runs (53) and runs batted in (173). Snyder later played for both the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox.[21][12]
From 1999–2011, the program had a pair of head coaches whose career winning percentages were below .300.[3] Hartford hired Bowdoin and Falmouth Commodores head coach Harvey Shapiro for the start of the 1999 season.[22] In six seasons (1999–2004), Shapiro's head coaching record was 76-199-1, and the team finished no higher than sixth in conference play and not qualifying for an America East Tournament, which in 1998 had adopted a four-team format.[16] Shapiro resigned following the 2004 season.[23] Indiana assistant Jeff Calcaterra replaced Shapiro.[24] Calcaterra held the position from the start of the 2005 season until partway through the 2011 season, when he was fired with an overall record of 79-236-1.[3][25][26] At the start of the 2006 season, Calcaterra's second season, the program opened Fiondella Field, the program's first on-campus venue since the mid 1980s.[27]
To replace Calcaterra, the program hired Connecticut assistant Justin Blood for the 2012 season.[28] Commenting on Blood's hiring, Aaron Fitt of Baseball America called him "one of the top up-and-coming coaches in the Northeast."[29] In both 2012 and 2013, Blood's first two seasons as head coach, the Hawks finished in fifth place in the America East.[16][30]
Conference affiliations
- Independent (College Division/Division II) (1958–1980)
- Northeast-8 Conference (Division II) (1981–1984)
- Known as the Northeast-7 Conference in 1981
- America East Conference (Division I) (1985–present)
- Known as the ECAC North from 1985–1988
- Known as the North Atlantic Conference from 1989–1996
Venues
Early venues
In its early years as a Division II program, Hartford played home games on campus. It began to use off-campus venues in the mid 1980s, however.[27] These venues included New Britain's Beehive Field, Bristol's Muzzy Field, East Hartford's Ray McKenna Field, and Simsbury's Memorial Field.[31][32][23]
Fiondella Field
Since its opening at the start of the 2006 season, the program has played at Fiondella Field, located on the university's campus. The facility has a capacity of 1,000 spectators and features an artificial turf surface.[27]
Coaches
Head coaches
Roger Wickman is both the program's longest-tenured and winningest head coach. He held the position from 1961–1980 and won 146 games.[3]
Current coaching staffBelow is the Hawks' coaching staff for the 2013 season.[33]
Year-by-year recordsBelow is a table of the program's yearly records as both a Division II and Division I program.[3][30]
Notable former playersThe following is a list of notable former Hawks and the seasons in which they played for the program.[34][35]
See alsoNotesReferences
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