2021 Baseball Letter from the Athletic Director Dear Friends of UConn Avery Point Baseball: I offer my sincerest greetings as the 2021 season kicks off for our baseball program at the University of Connecticut Avery Point. Pointers There certainly have been a lot of changes in the world since the team took the field to start the 2020 season. Pointers However, we are excited to see our Pointers back out on the field for action this spring on the heels of a 2020 campaign that was cut short after just five games due to the pandemic. With a mix of student-athletes in their first, second or third academic years here at Avery Point, I believe that we’re looking ahead towards a strong season. Coach Ratchford and his staff have assembled a fine group of student-athletes that has already achieved great things academically in the last 12 months. Last year’s team posted a 3.3 combined GPA in the spring, 2020 semester and closed the year by earning NJCAA All-Academic Team Honors. This year’s squad followed that up by notching a 3.28 team GPA in the fall semester. Despite some changes to participating teams in the region and across New England, we have assembled another competitive schedule here in 2021. Thank you for your continued support of UConn Avery Point athletics. Go Pointers! Michael Kobylanski Athletic Director Pointers 1 WHAT'S ON THE INSIDE Content Page # Letter from the AD.....................................................1 Letter from the Campus Director................................2 UCAP Quick Facts......................................................2 2020 Season in Review...............................................3 University of Connecticut at Avery Point...................3 Record of Excellence..................................................3 Pointers Philosophy of UCAP Baseball Program.....................3 2021 Preview...............................................................4 Annemarie Seifert, Ph.D. Coaches and Management Staff .............................5-7 Campus Director 2021 Roster.................................................................8 University of Connecticut Avery Point Player Profiles.....................................................9 - 16 Baseball Beyond UCAP...........................................17 The days are starting to get a little longer, and the weather a little warmer – which means baseball 2020 Schedule and Results.......................................18 season has arrived here at UConn Avery Point. We 2020 Statistics...........................................................19 are proud to welcome all UConn Nation members and Draft Picks................................................................20 fans back to support our team for the 2021 season. Tournament Results..................................................20 The past 12 months have certainly been unprecedented, All-Americans...........................................................21 but we are excited to start the season for our team. UCAP Major Leaguers.............................................22 The upcoming season should be another Hall of Fame.............................................................23 exciting one for our Pointers’ baseball program, which has developed a long-standing tradition Records..............................................................24 - 27 of excellence both on and off the field. Advertisements.........................................................28 2021 Schedule...........................................Back Cover Despite an unplanned, abbreviated season in UCAP QUICK FACTS 2020, head coach Ian Ratchford has assembled an outstanding group of student-athletes. Specifically, I Location..1084 Shennecossett Rd., Groton, CT 06340 want to commend the entire coaching staff and our Main Telephone Number........................860.405.9000 student-athletes for their academic success over the past two years. The 2020 team was honored with the Website.............................www.averypoint.uconn.edu NJCAA Team Academic Award for its efforts in the Enrollment..............................................................800 classroom. In addition, the team followed that up with Colors....................................................Navy & White a 3.28 cumulative GPA during the fall, 2020 semester. Athletic Department Phone.....................860.405.9183 Our athletes are students, family members, Athletic Department Fax........................860.405.9043 friends, and role models for the entire UConn and Southeastern Connecticut communities. We recognize Affiliation....National Junior College Athletic Association and celebrate their leadership and strong character, Campus Director........................Dr. Annemarie Seifert and wish them the best in the coming season. Athletic Director..........................Michael Kobylanski Thank you for your support of our programs Assistant Athletic Director................George Hardison Pointers Pointers and UConn Avery Point. It promises to be an exciting spring at Washington Park! 2 2021 Baseball 2020 Season in Review The University of Connecticut Avery Point baseball team saw its 2020 season come to an abrupt close after just five games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Optimism was high under the direction of first-year head coach Ian Ratchford. However, the pandemic forced the cancellation of the remainder of the season. The NJCAA granted all baseball student-athletes an extra year of athletic eligibility, and several Pointers will utilize that award to return to the club in 2021. Pointers Ratchford, a former Pointers’ student-athlete, earned his first win as the team’s skipper on March 8 in a 6-3 triumph over Northern Essex. UConn Avery Point finished with a 2-3 record in its abbreviated schedule. Chris Bogan (.500 batting average, one home run, seven RBI, five runs scored) paced the offense for the Pointers. Corey Plasky and Noah Yokoi each registered a .429 batting averaged during the shortened campaign. The Pointers’ final game of the season was a 12-8 win over Monroe College on March 11. THE UNIVERSITY·OF CONNECTICUT AT AVERY POINT UConn Avery Point is one of four regional campuses in the University of Connecticut system. Located on Long Island Sound at the mouth of the Thames River, UConn Avery Point challenges students with specialized four-year degree programs in English, Marine Sciences and Maritime Studies. Students here also receive an outstanding education in more traditional areas of study, beginning their college journey in most any of the 100+ majors that UConn offers and then, upon completing of the first 54 credits, seamlessly transition to the main campus in Storrs to finish their degree. Students at Avery Point benefit from small classes taught by esteemed faculty, distinctly modern facilities and unlimited opportunities for undergraduate research, internships and education abroad programs. The interdisciplinary approach to learning is complemented by a fully-staffed Academic Center where supplemental free tutoring in math, the sciences, writing, computer literacy and study skills help students participate with confidence in every class. At UConn Avery Point you can start small, save money and still enjoy all the benefit of a nationally renowned UConn education while taking advantage of our beautiful waterfront location. PHILOSOPHY OF THE UCAP BASEBALL PROGRAM The philosophy of the UConn Avery Point Baseball Program is to help our student-athletes adjust to college life and meet the demands both academically and athletically, enabling them to continue to the Storrs campus. They may also achieve success at other four year programs, while competing at the college level. This can be challenging, but with much hard work our student-athletes learn to succeed academically, and compete athletically. Our emphasis on academics is achieved through mandatory study halls, and our administration who monitors and assists our student-athletes throughout the year. The UCAP Program is one of individual attention to its student-athlete’s academic and athletic needs in a small and personal setting. Our goal at Avery Point is to teach our players to be successful in the classroom, as well as on the playing field. RECORD OF EXCELLENCE Since 1999, The UCAP Baseball Program has posted impressive winning percentage of 80%, 623 wins and 201 losses, and an average of 32 wins per full season. The 2010 team established the program record with 41 wins, and the 2003 team posted the best winning percentage of 85.3% with a 29-5 record. During the past 18 years UCAP has won 13 NJCAA Division II New England Championships (1999, 2000, 2004-2008, 2010, 2011,2013, 2015, 2017); Seven East District Championships (1999, 2004, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017), Seven World Series appearances (1999, 2004,2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017), capped off with the 41-10 National Runner-Up performance of the 2010 team, and a third-place finish for the 2015 team. In addition, in 2006, three UConn Avery Point alumni played in the major leagues: shortstop John McDonald and pitcher Pete Walker with the Toronto Blue Jays and outfielder Rajai Davis with the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 2008, John McDonald played for the Toronto Blue Jays and Rajai Davis for the Oakland A’s. In 2011, Rajai Davis joined John McDonald with the Toronto Blue Jays. In 2013, Pete Walker was named the Pitching Coach for the Toronto Blue Jays. In 2013, John McDonald played for the World Series Champion Boston Red Sox and Rajai Davis was second in the American League with 45 stolen