2010 Baseball Media Guide

Page 1


Columbia University

In the City of New York


General

Location...............................................................................New York, N.Y. 10027 Founded.........................................................................................................1754 Enrollment.....................................................................................................5,708 President...................................................................................... Lee C. Bollinger Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education..........Dr. M. Dianne Murphy Colors................................................................................Columbia Blue & White Nickname...................................................................................................... Lions Affiliation....................................................................................... NCAA Division I Conference........................................................................................... Ivy League Website....................................................................................gocolumbialions.com

Baseball

Table of Contents This is Columbia University................................. 2-4 Head Coach Brett Boretti.................................... 6-7 Coaches and Staff............................................. 8-10 Roster....................................................................11 Meet the Lions................................................. 12-24

Head Coach................................................................... Brett Boretti, fifth season Address................................................Dodge Physical Fitness Center, MC 1901 ...................................................................3030 Broadway, New York, NY 10027 Office Phone.................................................................................... 212-854-8448 Email..............................................................................bmb2117@columbia.edu Columbia Record.............................................................. 62-122-1/Four seasons Overall Record............................................................... 178-204-1/Nine seasons Assistant Coaches.............................................Pete Maki, Jay Quinn, Jim Walsh 2009 Overall Record.....................................................................................11-32 2009 Ivy League Record/Finish............................................................. 7-13/T-6th Letterwinners Returning/Lost...................................................................20/6 Starters Returning/Lost..............................................................................6/3 Pitchers Returning/Lost............................................................................10/2 Newcomers...................................................................................................9 Captains.............................................. Dean Forthun ‘10CC, Jason Banos ‘11CC

Sports Information

Baseball Contact..............................................................................Pete McHugh Email...............................................................................ptm2102@columbia.edu Office Phone.................................................................................... 212-854-7064 Fax.................................................................................................. 212-854-8168

Credits The 2010 Columbia Baseball media guide was written, designed and edited by Pete McHugh, Assistant Director of Sports Information/Media Relations. Additional editorial assistance provided by Dan Lobacz, Kate Lombard, Steven Martinez and Bill Steinman. Photos by Gene Boyars, Mike McLaughlin, Eileen Barroso, Jack Forthun, Gil Talbot and Herold Roy. Printing by Register Graphics, Inc.

2008 Ivy League................................................... 26 2008 Statistics...................................................... 27 The Record Book............................................ 28-30 Lions in the Majors............................................... 31 Columbia Athletics Hall of Famers.................. 32-36 First Televised Sporting Event.............................. 37 Robertson Field.................................................... 38 Administration.................................................. 40-42

Columbia University Athletics Mission Statement

The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics of Columbia University in the City of New York serves the needs of its students, faculty, staff, alumni and the New York City community. To achieve and maintain excellence, we will: •Recruit student-athletes who will excel in our academic and athletic environment •Foster the physical, mental and emotional development of our student-athletes •Strengthen the bonds between the University and its alumni •Provide outstanding entertainment •Promote and exhibit appropriate sporting behavior by student-athletes, coaches, administrators and fans •Instill integrity and values that enhance decision-making •Comply with all NCAA and Ivy League rules and regulations •Empower the Columbia community through a diverse and equitable athletics program that meets the needs of students, alumni, faculty and staff

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NEW YORK CITY IS From its beginnings in a schoolhouse in lower Manhattan, Columbia University has grown to encompass two principal campuses in New York City: the historic, neoclassical campus in the Morningside Heights neighborhood and the modern Medical Center further uptown, in Washington Heights.

Today, Columbia is one of the top academic and research institutions in the world, conducting pathbreaking research in medicine, science, the arts, and the humanities. It includes three undergraduate schools, thirteen graduate and professional schools, and a school of continuing education.

A member of the Ivy League, Columbia sponsors 29 intercollegiate varsity sports for men and women which compete at the Division I level. Columbia has won 11 Ivy League titles over the past three years, the most in any three-year span in school history.

In New York, the greatest city in the world has everything at your fingertips. A baseball game at Yankee Stadium, a world-class Broadway show, or just a ride around the city where neighborhoods flow freely into one another, New York has it all. Columbia - - BASEBALL


COLUMBIA’S HOME

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BARACK OBAMA COLUMBIA COLLEGE CLASS OF 1983 44TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES Columbia University has produced a large number of distinguished alumni in many different fields, including but not limited to: David Altchek, CC 1978 • Renowned orthopedic surgeon Roone Arledge, CC 1952 • Former president, ABC News & Sports Caitlin “Katy” Bilodeau, CC 1987 • Two-time Olympian Katherine Boo, BC 1988 • Reporter, The Washington Post William V. Campbell, CC 1962 • Chairman, Intuit, Inc. DeWitt Clinton, CC 1786 • Former N.Y. state senator and governor Gary Cohen, CC 1981 • TV play-by-play announcer, New York Mets Brian De Palma, CC 1962 • Filmmaker Brian Dennehy, CC 1960 • Actor, Tony award-winner Amelia Earhart, GS 1919-1920 • Aviator Eileen Ford, BC 1943 • Co-founder, Ford Modeling Agency Chet Forte, CC 1957 • Director, creator of “Monday Night Football” Matthew Fox, CC 1989 • Actor, “Lost”, “We Are Marshall” Ellen Futter, BC 1971 • Barnard College President Emerita Art Garfunkel, CC 1965 • Musician, Grammy award-winner Lou Gehrig, CC 1923-25 • Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Allen Ginsberg, CC 1948 • Author, Howl and Other Poems Judd Gregg, CC 1969 • U.S. Senator, New Hampshire Maggie Gyllenhaal, CC 1999 • Actress, “The Dark Knight” Alexander Hamilton, King’s College 1774-76 • Secretary of the Treasury Patricia Highsmith, BC 1942 • Author, The Talented Mr. Ripley Eric Holder, CC 1973 • United States Attorney General Langston Hughes, School of Mines 1921-22 • Poet Zora Neale Hurston, BC 1928 • Author, Their Eyes Were Watching God John Jay, King’s College 1764 • Judge, statesman, abolitionist Jack Kerouac, CC 1940-1942 • Author, On The Road Jeanne Kirkpatrick, BC 1948 • First female U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Joel Klein, CC 1967 • Chancellor, New York City school system John Kluge, CC 1937 • Entrepreneur, founder of Metromedia, Inc. Robert Kraft, CC 1963 • Owner, New England Patriots Gene Larkin, CC 1983 • Former Major League Baseball champion Alfred Lerner, CC 1955 • Owner, Cleveland Browns Sid Luckman, CC 1939 • Football Hall of Fame inductee Jim McMillian, CC 1970 • Former NBA champion Philip L. Milstein, CC 1971 • Principal, Ogden CAP Properties Janice Min, CC 1990 • Editor-in-Chief, Us Magazine Martha Nelson, BC 1976 • Managing editor, People; founder, InStyle Cynthia Nixon, BC 1988 • Actress, “Sex and the City” Anna Paquin, CC 2004 • Actress, “True Blood” Fernando Perez, CC 2004 • Current Major League Baseball player Joan Rivers, BC 1954 • Emmy Award-winning comedienne Attoosa Rubenstein, BC 1993 • Editor-in-chief and creator, CosmoGIRL! Michael Sovern, CC 1953 • Columbia University President Emeritus George Stephanopoulos, CC 1982 • Anchor of ABC’s “This Week” Julia Stiles, CC 2005 • Actress, “Save The Last Dance” Cristina Teuscher, CC 2000 • Olympic gold medalist, swimming Russell Warren, CC 1962 • New York Giants team physician Marcellus Wiley, CC 1997 • Former All-Pro football player

Alexander Hamilton

Marcellus Wiley

Amelia Earhart

Cristina Teuscher

Robert Kraft

Jim McMillian

Maggie Gyllenhaal

Janice Min

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Jack Kerouac


THE 2010 TEAM Columbia - - BASEBALL


coaches and staff

BRETT BORETTI Head Coach Fifth season

Brett Boretti is in his fifth season as Columbia skipper. Among his many accomplishments so far in just four years, he led Columbia in 2008 to its first Ivy League title and NCAA regional appearance in more than 30 years, and last year Boretti guided the Lions to the program’s first victories over teams from Texas (#23 Lamar) and California (Cal State Northridge). In 2009, Ron Williams ‘09CC broke the Columbia all-time hit record. Williams finished his prolific four-year career under Boretti’s guidance with 205 hits, breaking a record that had stood for 14 years. Williams also ranks third all-time in doubles, third in runs batted in, fifth in total bases and tied for fourth in triples. In 2008, Boretti led Columbia to its first Ivy League Championship since 1977 as the Lions established a new program record for most Ivy League wins in a season with 15. After defeating Dartmouth in a best-of-three series, Columbia received an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, marking its first appearance since 1976. Already, Boretti has coached 18 players to All-Ivy League recognition, including eight players in 2008. The 2008 post-season honors were highlighted by Henry Perkins ‘08CC being named the Ivy League Player of the Year, while Nick Cox ‘11CC was unanimously selected as the Ivy League Rookie of the Year. Noah Cooper ‘08CC won the Blair Bat award after batting .520 in Ivy League play and John Baumann ‘08CC was a first team All-Ivy Leaguer as a starting pitcher.

Since Boretti has taken over the Lions’ baseball program, tangible progress has followed. In 2006, the Lions went 6-14 in the Ivy League, before improving to 10-10 in 2007. In 2008, the Lions finished 15-5 in the Ivy League and the team’s 22 wins were the most since 2002. The success of the Lions, Boretti’s efforts, and increased donations from alumni, friends and fans have led to improvements and renovation of Columbia’s stadium, which was renamed Robertson Field on April 26, 2008. In 2007, the playing surface was completely redone with the installment of a FieldTurf™ infill system. The stadium received other major upgrades including 250 chairback seats, a press box, an extended major league-style backdrop behind home plate and an improved sound system. A turf batting cage was installed in left field, bullpens were reconfigured, and a strengthened retaining wall was put in place along the right field line. “With the installation of the FieldTurf, Robertson Field is one of the best baseball facilities in the league,” Boretti said. Prior to coming to Morningside Heights in July 2005 as just the third Lion head coach in 25 years, Boretti was the head coach at Franklin & Marshall College, posting a 116-82 record over five seasons. The Diplomats made history in 2005 when Boretti coached the team to a 25-16 record, including a school record-setting 15-3 mark in Centennial Conference play. Franklin & Marshall won the conference title for only the second time in school history and ranked seventh in the final American Baseball Coaches Association MidAtlantic Region poll.

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coaches and staff Boretti’s junior year was his best, when he led the squad with a .386 average and slugged .705 with 17 doubles and 13 home runs (with just 13 strikeouts) while driving in 48. A model of durability, he started all but two games at catcher in his last three years, plus set school records for being hit by a pitch in a season (16) and a career (25). Among career records, Boretti ranks first in sacrifice flies, second in doubles, fourth in total bases, fifth in RBI, tied for fifth in home runs, eighth in games played and tenth in batting average. He earned All-Southern Conference first team honors in 1993 and 1994. A team captain and Most Valuable Player in 1994, he also was named to the Southern Conference’s academic honor roll. Boretti also played football at Davidson and was Offensive Player of the Year in 1990 as a freshman. While attending Davidson, he participated in the prestigious Cape Cod League in the summer of 1992 and 1993 and made the all-star squad in 1993. After college, he was an all-star catcher for the North Central Professional Baseball League champion Brainerd Bears of Minnesota. In 1995, he spent spring training as a catcher with the Cleveland Indians. Boretti lives with his wife, Melissa, in Manhattan, close to the Columbia campus. The couple has a daughter, Mia, born in September 2008.

Franklin & Marshall posted 24 or more wins in three of Boretti’s five seasons as head coach. “Brett is a top-quality individual and a proven winner,” Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education Dr. M. Dianne Murphy noted. “He has demonstrated integrity and excellence as a player, assistant coach and head coach. He has experience with the Ivy League and Major League Baseball, and we are very pleased to have him lead our baseball program.” Boretti served two years, 1998-2000, as an assistant coach at Brown. During his tenure with the Bears, he coordinated recruiting efforts, coached hitting and the outfield, and was responsible for all daily operations of the program. Boretti coached at his alma mater, Davidson, from 1996-98, following a one-year stint at Endicott College in his hometown of Beverly, Massachusetts. Inducted into the Davidson Athletics Hall of Fame in January 2010, Boretti was one of the Wildcats’ best all-time players. He went on to become the most prolific hitting catcher in Davidson history, earning two All-Southern Conference first-team honors, and still remains as the only Davidson player to be named to the All-SoCon Tournament team.

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coaches and staff

pete maki

Assistant Coach Third season

Pete Maki is in his third season as an assistant coach at Columbia, working primarily with the Lion pitching staff. Maki reunited with his former head coach Brett Boretti when he joined the Columbia coaching staff in February 2008. A 2004 graduate of Franklin & Marshall, Maki was a left-handed pitcher under Boretti’s tutelage at F&M. “First and foremost, Pete is an excellent teacher,” notes Boretti. “I like his style of communication, and he has been a great fit for our program and the young men with whom we work.” Maki previously served as an assistant coach at the University of New Haven from 2006-07. Maki oversaw the pitching staff that led the East Coast Conference in earned run average and strikeout/ walk ratio in both 2006 and 2007. He also coached three players who went on to play professionally. “I feel he learned a lot from [head coach] Raphael Cerrato at New Haven, who is one of the best young coaches out there,” Boretti says. “That helped him make the transition to Columbia.” In addition to working with the UNH baseball team, Maki also served as the pitching coach for the CT Bombers, a 16-and-under AAU team for top prep players. Maki graduated from Franklin & Marshall with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology. During his senior season, he earned six saves as a closer, and posted a team-best 3.42 ERA. He was named the team’s “Cy Young” award winner.

jay quinn

“Pete was a very smart player who overcame a lot of adversity (injuries) to make himself into an excellent pitcher,” Boretti adds. “He pitched at the highest levels of college baseball, including the Cape Cod League.” Maki, who hails from Woodbury, Conn., graduated second in his class at Nonnewaug High School, and was selected all-state his senior year. He also was an all-state academic choice.

Assistant Coach Fourth season

Jay Quinn is in his fourth season on the Columbia coaching staff, where he works primarily with the catchers and hitters and serves as the team’s first-base coach. Quinn arrived in Morningside Heights after a highly successful four-year playing career at George Washington University, having graduated in 2006.

As a catcher at George Washington and in various summer leagues, Quinn has worked with more than a dozen players who have gone on to play professional baseball. Born and raised in New York City, Quinn attended the Bronx High School of Science, where he was named captain and team MVP as a senior.

At George Washington, Quinn’s teams racked up an average of 40 wins in his first three seasons, beating a number of ranked teams, including Miami (Fla.), on their way to back-toback Atlantic 10 Western Conference championships in 2004 and 2005 and four consecutive Atlantic 10 Tournament appearances.

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coaches and staff

jim walsh Assistant Coach Fifth season

Jim Walsh is in his fifth season as an assistant on Brett Boretti’s staff after serving as the head baseball coach at St. Peter’s College for four seasons. Walsh joined the staff after coaching at both the college and high school level following a successful playing career. Playing at Upsala College in East Orange, N.J. under coach Ed Lyons, who spent over 50 years in the game, Walsh was the 1989 New Jersey College Division Player of the Year as a pitcher and All-Middle Atlantic Conference as a designated hitter. He graduated in 1989 with a degree in business administration. In 2001, Walsh’s Union Hill High School squad was 14-9 and earned berths in the state tournament and in the Hudson County playoffs. In his first season (2000), the Hillers also made the state and county playoffs, going 13-12 overall for Union Hill’s best record since the mid-1990s. During his time at Union, Walsh also served

as the head freshman football coach and the assistant boys basketball coach. Prior to his time at Union Hill, Walsh led River Dell High in Oradell, N.J. to exactly 100 wins, earning berths in the Bergen County and the state tournaments in each of his six seasons. His teams captured three straight Bergen County Scholastic League American Division titles during his tenure. Walsh, a teacher of the handicapped for the Union City Board of Education, earned a master’s degree in education from New Jersey City University after graduating from Upsala. Walsh, his wife Susan, and two children, Kate and Jack, live in Westwood, N.J.

ajaya williams Assistant Athletic Trainer Fourth season

Ajaya Williams joined the Columbia Athletic Training staff in August 2006. She works with baseball, both tennis programs and the field hockey team. It is her second season with the Columbia baseball squad.

State, Williams earned her master’s while working with both Seminole tennis programs. She also worked with the New York Dragons professional arena football team.

Williams came to Columbia after completing a two-year stint as a graduate assistant trainer at Florida State University. At Florida

Williams graduated from Hofstra in 2004 and from Florida State in May of 2006.

matt herhal

Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach Fourth season Matt Herhal is in his fourth season as assistant strength and conditioning coach at Columbia, where he primarily works with baseball, football, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, and softball. He came to Morningside Heights after two years as a graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach at his alma mater, the University of Connecticut. At UConn, he was the primary strength and conditioning coach for the Huskies’ baseball, field hockey and men’s ice hockey teams. He also assisted with men and women’s track and field and football. In the latter sport, he worked with several members of the Lions’ football staff who came from UConn, including head coach Norries Wilson. Herhal was a four-year member of the Huskies’ ice hockey team and competed for the 2000 MAAC Championship team. He gradu-

ated in 2002 with a B.S. in science exercise physiology. While a graduate assistant in Storrs, he completed coursework toward his master’s in kinesiology. Prior to returning to UConn, Herhal was a strength and conditioning coach and fitness center coordinator at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, where he worked with the Hawks’ men’s basketball team that reached the ‘elite eight’ of the NCAA Tournament in 2004. He also was a sport performance coach at Summit Sports Training Center in Bryn Mawr, Pa. Following graduation, Herhal worked as an assistant strength coach for the Reading Royals of the ‘AA’ hockey league.

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coaches and staff

TOMMY SHEEHAN

Director of Strength & Conditioning 11th season Tommy Sheehan is in his 11th year at Columbia, his ninth as Director of Strength and Conditioning. In that position, he supervises a two-person staff in all aspects of strength and conditioning for Columbia’s 29 intercollegiate teams. Well-known throughout the strength and conditioning profession, he was asked to produce an instructional DVD during the past year for the Cleveland Indians, on movement training in an off-season conditioning program. It was shot at the Indians’ Jacobs Field and distributed to the players in the Cleveland system. Sheehan first came to Columbia in the fall of 1990 as a graduate assistant on the football staff, reuniting him with Columbia’s head coach at the time, Ray Tellier. Tellier had originally recruited the Buffalo, N.Y., native when he was head coach at the University of Rochester. Sheehan spent three years on the Columbia staff, and earned a master’s in applied physiology.

He then joined the New York State Police as a physical training instructor before attending the State Police academy and becoming a New York State trooper. He left the police force two years later and returned to Columbia as assistant strength and conditioning coach. He was named Director of Strength and Conditioning in 2001. Sheehan is one of the finest offensive players in the University of Rochester’s gridiron history. An All-American as a junior and senior, he twice earned All-ECAC and all-conference honors. He ranks among the Yellowjackets’ all-time leaders in every receiving category, and topped the list at the completion of his playing career in receiving yardage for a game (189), season (835), and career (1,982). In 2005, he was inducted into Rochester’s Athletics Hall of Fame. Sheehan and his wife, Dr. Tricia Lipani, live on Morningside Heights with their daughter Guiliana, born in April 2008. Dr. Lipani, a former track and field athlete at Columbia, is a psychologist in the hematology department at Columbia University Medical Center. She holds a master’s and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Vanderbilt.

Aldo T. "Buff" Donelli Strength & Conditioning Room In 1995, Columbia opened the state-of-the-art Aldo T. “Buff” Donelli Intercollegiate Strength & Conditioning Room, which serves all of Columbia’s intercollegiate athletes. The 6,000 square-foot facility, a $2.5 million project, includes 20,000 pounds of free weights, 65 multi-faceted exercise stations and 10 self-contained power areas (SCPAs).

Strength & Conditioning Philosophy

Columbia’s strength and conditioning coaches are dedicated to the improvement of an athlete’s performance. Our student-athletes are not trained to be power lifters or body builders. The program makes use of multi-joint movements emphasizing triple extension of the ankle, knee and hip as it relates to movement. Columbia student-athletes train from the ground up; they work with their feet on the ground in free space. Student-athletes receive instruction in movement training. Initially, the foot is educated in strength, reaction and timing. The body is then trained to respond in synchronized motion. Our student-athletes gain balance, explosiveness, quickness and efficiency in the execution of sportspecific drills. This system develops the movement patterns to create an on-balance condition that every student-athlete must have in order to reach his or her potential. We use video to identify and correct compensations to improve balance. Balance and efficiency are keys to improving performance and reducing the risk of injury.

The Columbia Athletic Training and Sports Medicine Program provides a valuable service to the nearly 750

athletes that compete at Columbia University. The goal is a simple one ­– to be the best athletic training service in the Ivy League and strive to equal any Division I program in the country. Under the 30-year tutelage of head trainer Jim Gossett, Columbia has achieved an outstanding national reputation and employs an excellent staff that includes five full-time and two associate athletic trainers. Dr. William N. Levine of Columbia University Medical Center serves as the Chief Team Physician and Orthopedic Surgeon, and Dr. Gloria Cohen, Family Practice and Sports Medicine Specialist, is a team physician. The Columbia program has left its mark throughout the country in both the professional and collegiate ranks, as close to 20 graduate assistants or former assistants have gone on to exciting and impressive professional careers in sports medicine, including Bill Peters who has worked with the New York Jets, Vincent Comiskey who is the head athletic trainer at the United States Olympic Training Center in San Diego, Eric Rozen who is head athletic trainer at the University of Rochester, and Gene Schafer, who has started his own fitness club in the Columbia area.

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2010 roster No. Name Pos. Cl. Ht. 2 Jon Eisen 2B So. 5-9 3 Nick Cox OF Jr. 6-1 4 Dean Forthun C Sr. 5-11 5 Alex Godshall SS/2B Jr. 5-9 6 Nick Ferraresi OF Fr. 6-1 8 Billy Rumpke OF So. 5-9 9 Jason Banos OF Jr. 5-10 10 Roger Aquino RHP Jr. 5-11 11 Nick Crucet 2B Fr. 5-9 12 Eric Williams 3B/RHP Fr. 6-0 13 Geoff Whitaker RHP Jr. 6-0 14 Alex Ferrera SS/RHP Jr. 5-10 16 Harrison Slutsky RHP So. 6-2 18 Anthony Potter 1B So. 5-10 20 Zach Epstein RHP So. 6-1 21 Kevin Roberts 3B/SS Jr. 6-3 22 Alex Black SS/RHP Fr. 6-3 23 Bobby O’Brien OF Jr. 6-2 24 Mark Heil C So. 6-2 25 Dario Pizzano OF Fr. 5-11 27 Dan Bracey RHP Jr. 6-4 28 Ricky Kleban RHP/OF Fr. 6-0 29 Stefan Olson RHP Fr. 6-5 30 Alexander Aurrichio 1B So. 6-6 32 Max Lautmann LHP Jr. 6-5 34 Clay Bartlett RHP Sr. 6-2 35 Brian Valero RHP So. 6-3 36 Pat Lowery RHP So. 6-5 44 Derek Squires LHP Sr. 5-11 45 Tim Giel RHP Fr. 6-2

Wt. B-T Hometown/High School 170 S-R Nashville, Tenn./Montgomery Bell Academy 185 R-R Lake Mary, Fla./Bishop Moore 190 R-R Glendora, Calif./Bishop Amat Memorial 165 R-R Vero Beach, Fla./Palm Beach Gardens 185 R-R Wellington, Fla./Wellington 180 R-R Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Xavier 185 L-R Lynnfield, Mass./Lynnfield 185 R-R Cliffside Park, N.J./Cliffside Park 165 R-R Weston, Fla./Cypress Bay 180 L-R Sarasota, Fla./Sarasota 190 R-R Peoria, Ariz./Cactus 185 R-R Huntington, N.Y./Chaminade 180 R-R Canton, Mass./Thayer Academy 195 L-L Cazenovia, N.Y./Cazenovia 190 R-R Woodmere, N.Y./George W. Hewlett 195 R-R Malverne, N.Y./Archbishop Molloy 190 R-R The Woodlands, Texas/The Woodlands 200 R-R Fairfield, Conn./Hopkins School 200 S-R Clayton, Mo./Clayton 190 L-R Saugus, Mass./Malden Catholic 195 R-R East Greenwich, R.I./East Greenwich 185 R-R Marietta, Ga./Blessed Trinity 180 R-R Ladera Ranch, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic 225 L-L Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills West 205 L-L Portola Valley, Calif./Bellarmine Prep 205 R-R Washington, D.C./St. Albans 215 R-R Miami, Fla./Christopher Columbus 195 R-R Oakdale, Conn./St. Bernard 190 R-L Shirley, N.Y./William Floyd 220 R-R Gibsonia, Pa./Shady Side

Head coach: Brett Boretti (Davidson ‘94), fifth season Assistant coaches: Pete Maki (Franklin & Marshall ‘04), Jay Quinn (George Washington ‘06), Jim Walsh (Upsala ‘89) Captains: Dean Forthun, Jason Banos

Positional Breakdown (9) Infielders (6) Outfielders (2) Catchers (13) Pitchers

Class Breakdown (8) First-Years (9) Sophomores (10) Juniors (3) Seniors

B/T Breakdown (21) Bat Right (7) Bat Left (2) Bat Both (26) Throw Right (4) Throw Left

Pitcher Breakdown (11) Throw Right (2) Throw Left

Ohio - 1 Massachusetts - 3 Rhode Island - 1 Connecticut - 2 New York - 6 New Jersey - 1 Pennsylvania - 1 Washington D.C. - 1

Tennessee - 1 California - 3 Georgia - 1

Arizona - 1

Texas - 1

Missouri - 1

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Florida - 6


the captains

dean forthun

Senior • Captain • Catcher • R/R • 5-11 • 190 Glendora, Calif. • Bishop Amat Memorial 2009: Second team All-Ivy League ... started 41 of the 42 games he played behind the plate ... led team with 14 doubles ... team-high 17 walks ... threw out 35.5 percent of base runners attempting to steal ... batted .299 during Ivy League play with 16 RBI and a .435 on-base percentage ... 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles in Lions’ 13-5 win in series opener vs. Penn ... belted first collegiate home run in first inning of final game at Princeton ... 2for-4 with two doubles in doubleheader nightcap win vs. Harvard ... 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored in 10-1 win at Cal State Northridge ... 2-for-3 with two doubles in doubleheader nightcap at Charlotte ... had four RBI in doubleheader sweep at Yale.

4

2008: Honorable mention All-Ivy League ... started 48 of 49 games he played behind the plate ... threw out 33.3 percent of runners attempting to steal ... ranked second in the Ivy League with seven doubles ... batted .292 with 22 RBIs, 17 runs scored and 11 doubles for the season ... 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI and a run scored at Georgia Southern ... ripped tie-breaking, two-run triple in Lions’ 7-5 win in final game of the series vs. Princeton. 2007: Appeared in 34 games behind the plate, starting 31 ... threw out 17-of-40 potential base stealers (42.5 percent), an impressive percentage for college baseball ... had a .976 fielding percentage ... hit .239 with 11 RBI, 17 runs and 21 hits in rookie season ... earned Gotham Baseball Rookie of the Week honors on April 3, after going 6-for-13 (.462) that week, while throwing out three base stealers at Harvard on April 1 ... went 3-for-4 with 4 RBI on March 15 at Gardner-Webb ... had four other multi-hit games, including a 2-for-4 performance with one RBI in 3-2 win at Princeton ... was hit by a pitch on six occasions. At Bishop Amat: Two-time letterwinner ... hit .342 with one home run as a senior ... Serra League and Glendora Tournament champions ... played for the Southern California Bombers, a San Diego Padres scout team during the summer ... was a running back and safety on freshman football team ... San Dimas Rodeo Scholarship award winner ... male student-athlete award recipient. Personal: Political science major ... son of John and Sara Forthun ... cousin, Tony Canzoneri, was a world champion welterweight boxer ... b. Aug. 27, 1988.

Yr. AVG G-GS AB R H 2007 .239 34-31 88 17 21 2008 .292 49-48 161 17 47 2009 .298 42-41 141 24 42 Total .282 125-120 390 58 110

2B 4 11 14 29

3B HR RBI SB BB SO 0 0 11 2 11 15 2 0 22 2 9 22 0 1 20 2 17 19 2 1 53 6 37 56

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9

the captains

jason banos

Junior • Captain • Outfielder • L/R • 5-10 • 185 Lynnfield, Mass. • Lynnfield 2009: Did not play due to preseason injury.

2008: Earned second team All-Ivy League accolades ... started all 44 games he played in left field ... hit .389 with six doubles and a pair of home runs in Ivy League play ... .484 onbase percentage ranked fourth in the league ... overall, hit .316 with four home runs, 31 RBI, 21 walks and 40 runs scored ... team-high 17 doubles despite missing eight games late in the season ... 2-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored in first game of Ivy championship series win at Dartmouth ... had seven hits in 11 at-bats, with a home run, six RBI, and three runs scored in final two games at Georgia Southern ... went 2-for-4 with three RBI to complete two-game sweep of Brown to begin Ivy play ... 3for-4 with a pair of RBI and a pair of runs scored in game two win at Harvard ... went 3-for-5 with two homers and three RBI in game two of four-game series against Princeton. 2007: Started 43 games in rookie campaign ... led the Lions with three triples ... was top-five on the team with 25 runs, 43 hits, 20 RBI, seven doubles, 59 total bases ... hit .264 on the year ... earned Ivy League Rookie of the Week honors on March 21 after batting 13/27 (.481) against Campbell, Gardner-Webb and Western Carolina ... on April 9, had five RBI on three hits against Yale ... had a four-hit game at Rutgers ... scored four times at Western Carolina on March 17 ... had nine multi-hit games. At Lynnfield: Earned three baseball letters ... three-time all-league outfielder ... 2006 Boston Globe All-Scholastic honors ... 2006 Wakefield Item Scholar Athlete of the Year ... 2005 Lynn Item Player of the Year ... senior year captain ... hit .560 with four home runs, 24 RBI and 18 stolen bases as a senior...had 27 RBI and hit .551 as a junior ... in sophomore campaign, hit .636 ... member of Eastern Massachusetts championship team in 2005 and was on team that captured Cape Ann League in 2004 and 2005 ... earned three letters in soccer and two in basketball ... two-time all-league soccer defenseman ... two-time student-athlete of the month. Personal: Political science major ... son of Christopher and Kristine Banos ... b. November 28, 1987.

Yr. AVG 2007 .264 2008 .316 Total .290

G-GS AB R H 44-43 163 25 43 44-44 171 40 54 88-87 334 65 97

2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO 7 3 1 20 4 20 18 17 0 4 31 10 21 20 24 3 5 51 14 41 38

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returning players

34

clay bartlett

Senior • Right-Handed Pitcher • R/R • 6-2 • 205 Washington, D.C. • St. Albans 2009: Made 13 appearances in relief ... pitched 2/3 innings of scoreless relief to hold the Columbia lead in 8-6 win over Yale, completing a doubleheader sweep ... tossed a scoreless inning in opener at Penn ... pitched a 1-2-3 inning in home opener vs. St. John’s ... struck out two and allowed one run in 2 2/3 innings of doubleheader nightcap at Cal State Northridge. 2008: Appeared on the mound in 20 games ... team-high four saves ... 3.68 ERA for the season ... pitched 29.1 innings of relief ... tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief as Lions defeated Yale, 6-5, to win three out of four in first Ivy League weekend ... faced one batter in game two of four vs. Penn, inducing a double-play to end a Columbia doubleheader sweep at the newly-dedicated Robertson Field.

2007: Appeared in 17 games on the mound as a first-year, starting three games ... earned All-Ivy League honorable mention ... went 4-2 and led the team with a 3.94 ERA ... in 45.2 innings pitched, allowed only 20 earned runs and 49 hits ... was 2-1 with a 4.44 ERA in Ivy League contests ... earned first collegiate victory on March 13 at Campbell, going 4.2 innings, surrendering one run on six hits in relief ... picked up a win at Penn, throwing 4 2/3 scoreless innings ... won the 5-3 game at Hofstra, pitching six innings, allowing only one run on five hits ... also earned 5-2 victory against Cornell after throwing six innings. At St. Albans: Four-time letterwinner ... led team with a 0.93 ERA as a junior ... IAC Champions in 2005 ... played for the Headfirst Gamers of the Old Dominion League last summer. Personal: Political science major ... son of Larry and Karen Bartlett ... born January 26, 1988.

Yr. ERA W-L App. GS 2007 3.94 4-2 17 3 2008 3.68 0-4 20 0 2009 7.11 0-0 13 0 Total 4.31 4-6 50 3

CG SHO/CBO 0 0/0 0 0/0 0 0/0 0 0/0

derek squires

Senior • Left-Handed Pitcher • L/L • 5-11 • 190 Shirley, N.Y. • William Floyd 2009: Made eight appearances on the mound, including one start in the doubleheader opener vs. Manhattan ... tossed a scoreless inning with a strikeout in Lions’ 9-1 win at Rutgers ... threw a scoreless inning in the win at Fordham. 2008: Appeared in three games, all in relief late in the season ... pitched a scoreless inning at Manhattan ... also appeared in Lions’ NCAA Tournament opener at Coastal Carolina. 2007: Missed entire rookie season due to injury. At William Floyd: Three-sport athlete, earning letters in baseball, basketball and cross country ... baseball captain in senior year ... Yr. 2008 2009 Total

ERA W-L App. GS 9.00 0-0 3 0 6.10 0-2 8 1 6.57 0-2 11 1

CG SHO/CBO 0 0/0 0 0/0 0 0/0

44

played first base and pitcher ... all-league, all-county and the league MVP in 2006 ... in 2004 and 2005, earned all-league honors and all-league academic recognition ... had 102 strikeouts and 1.09 ERA, while batting .402 in senior year ... earned Presidential Award for Academic Excellence. Personal: Political science major ... son of David and Carolyn Squires ... born April 5, 1988.

SV IP H R ER BB 0 2.0 5 3 2 2 0 10.1 15 10 7 9 0 12.1 20 13 9 11

SO 1 4 5

Columbia - 16 - BASEBALL

SV IP H R ER BB 0 45.2 49 20 20 15 4 29.1 32 14 12 8 0 12.2 18 16 10 13 4 87.2 99 50 42 36

SO 17 14 7 38


10

returning players

roger aquino

Junior • Right-Handed Pitcher • R/R • 5-11 • 185 Cliffside Park, N.J. • Cliffside Park

2009: Pitched in 12 games ... made five starts ... first collegiate start was against 20th-ranked San Diego, when he allowed just three runs on four hits in 6 1/3 innings in the series opener ... career-high six strikeouts in six innings vs. Dartmouth ... threw seven scoreless innings of relief against Princeton, holding Tigers to four hits while striking out three without allowing a walk. 2008: Appeared on the mound in nine games of relief ... fanned eight batters in 10 innings.

Yr. ERA 2008 18.90 2009 6.64 Total 9.00

27

At Cliffside Park: Earned three letters in baseball and one in basketball ... captained baseball squad ... first team All-BCSL American League pitcher as senior and second team as sophomore ... honorable mention AllBergen Country pitcher ... struck out 92 batters in senior year ... played for the Bergen County Clipper summer club ... salutatorian ... National Honor Society. Personal: Economics major ... Rogelio Moises Aquino III, born June 23, 1989 in North Bergen, N.J.

W-L App. GS 0-0 9 0 1-3 12 5 1-3 21 5

CG SHO/CBO 0 0/0 0 0/0 0 0/0

SV IP H R ER BB 0 10.0 25 22 21 9 0 42.0 49 35 31 10 0 52.0 74 57 52 19

SO 8 19 27

dan bracey

Junior • Right-Handed Pitcher • R/R • 6-4 • 195 East Greenwich, R.I. • East Greenwich

2009: Made nine starts as a part of Columbia’s weekend rotation ... Ivy League Pitcher of the Week on March 24 after seven-inning gem at Cal State Northridge, when he allowed one run on four hits in 10-1 Lion rout ... picked up the win in game two vs. Harvard, completing doubleheader sweep with eight innings, allowing two earned runs while striking out six, a career best ... allowed two earned runs and struck out five in 7 1/3 innings of eight-inning setback vs. Cornell ... allowed two earned runs in 5 2/3 innings in third game at Princeton. 2008: Appeared on the mound in 16 games ... made four starts ... notched first collegiate win at Liberty, allowing just two earned runs over seven innings of Lions’ 7-3 win ... earned the win in the Ivy League Championship clinching game after striking out one

Yr. 2008 2008 Total

batter in 1/3 inning ... picked up a save in Columbia’s 6-2 win at Cornell with a pair of scoreless innings. At East Greenwich: Earned four letters in baseball and three in basketball ... captained baseball and basketball squads ... two time first team all-division in baseball and earned second team honors once ... was 19-5 in his career at East Greenwich with a 1.98 ERA ... had a 6:1 K/BB ratio as senior ... Rhode Island Baseball Coaches Association (RICBA) Academic Achievement Award ... second team all-division basketball as senior ... played for American Legion Post 2 in the summer, going 9-2 with 1.95 ERA in two seasons ... participated in national Tournament of Stars as member of American Legion team. Personal: Economics major ... son of Jim and Rhonda Bracey ... father played baseball at Brown ... Daniel Bracey, born April 13, 1989 in Warwick, R.I.

ERA W-L App. GS 7.03 2-6 16 4 6.23 2-6 9 9 6.60 4-12 25 13

CG SHO/CBO 0 0/0 0 0/0 0 0/0

Columbia - 17 - BASEBALL

SV IP H R ER BB 1 39.2 62 40 31 16 0 47.2 64 38 33 11 1 87.1 126 78 64 27

SO 18 24 42


returning players

NICK COX

Junior • Outfielder • R/R • 6-1 • 185 Lake Mary, Fla. • Bishop Moore 2009: Honorable mention All-Ivy League ... started all 39 games he played ... team leader with 16 stolen bases ... second on team with 23 RBI ... tied for team lead with four sacrifice bunts ... made just one error while patrolling center field ... six outfield assists ... batted .361 in Ivy League play with three home runs, six doubles, a triple and 17 RBI ... finished season with 11-game hit streak ...was 4-for-7 with five RBI in final home doubleheader vs. Penn ... was 3-for-5 with a homer in doubleheader vs. Dartmouth ... 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles in win at Fordham ... had five RBI during the four-game series with Cornell, including a pair of home runs. 2008: Unanimously named Ivy League Rookie of the Year ... also earned second team All-Ivy League honors ... named Louisville Slugger Freshmen All-American ... earned Ivy League Player of the Week honors on April 22 after going 9-for-16 with a grand slam in the four-game series at Cornell ... started 49 of the 50 games he played in center field ... from the leadoff spot, batted .375 with six doubles, four triples and a home run in Ivy League play ... 25 runs scored, which ranked first in the league ... totaled 11 stolen bases, which ranked second ... for the season, posted a .355 avYr. AVG G-GS AB R H 2B 2008 .355 50-49 200 46 71 13 2009 .290 39-39 145 21 42 9 Total .328 89-88 345 67 113 22

3B HR RBI 5 1 21 1 3 23 6 4 44

SB BB SO 28 11 35 16 14 19 44 25 54

alex ferrera

Junior • Infielder • R/R • 5-10 • 185 Huntington, N.Y. • Chaminade 2009: Played in 39 games, starting 38 ... made three appearances on the mound ... tied for team lead with four home runs, all in Ivy League play ... batted .314 during league play with a .543 slugging percentage ... did not commit an error at shortstop in final 17 games of the season ... went 4-for-4 with two doubles, a home run and three RBI in Lions’ 13-5 win vs. Penn ... 3-for-5 with two RBI in doubleheader nightcap at Brown ... drove in five runs with two doubles and two homers in four-game set with Cornell ... went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI in league-opening win vs. Harvard. 2008: Started 49 of the 51 games he played, mainly at shortstop ... also made three appearances on the mound ... in deciding game of championship series at Dartmouth, clubbed a pair of home runs, including a go-ahead, three-run shot in the sixth to give Columbia the lead for good ... for the season, had four home runs, 19 RBIs, four doubles, a triple, and six stolen bases ... team-high eight sacrifice bunts ... went 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored at Liberty ... ripped a two-run homer in Ivy League debut, a 6-3 win over Brown. Yr. AVG G-GS AB R H 2008 .204 51-49 142 22 29 2009 .252 39-38 131 22 33 Total .227 90-87 273 44 62

2B 4 8 12

3

erage with a home run, 21 RBI, 13 doubles, five triples and 28 stolen bases ... went 4-for-6 with two runs scored in Lions’ opening-game victory in championship series at Dartmouth ... batted .467 during the three-game series with five runs scored and four steals ... 3-for-5 with two RBI, four runs scored, a double, a triple and two stolen bases in game-two win at Harvard. At Bishop Moore: Earned four varsity letters in baseball and four in football ... captained baseball and football squads ... all-state and all-county in 2007 ... team won 4A state title in 2007 ... played for the Orlando Scorpions in the Scout League during the summer ... National Honor Society ... Student-Athlete Leadership Award. Personal: Pre-medical concentration ... Nicholas John Cox, born January 19, 1989 in New Jersey.

14 At Chaminade: Earned four letters in baseball ... allleague shortstop ... StudentAthlete Award ... championship series MVP ... MVP as first-year ... hit .350 with two home runs and 12 RBI (wood bat) as senior ... team won CHSAA three times ... played for the Long Island Tigers over the summer ... NHSAA All-Academic team ... Latin Merit Award ... Long Island Catholic Journalism Award for first place in Best Feature and Best News Story. Personal: Economics major ... son of Anthony and Annette Ferrera ... Alexandro John Ferrera, born December 25, 1988 in Mineola, N.Y.

3B HR RBI SB BB SO 1 4 19 6 17 31 0 4 17 2 10 31 1 8 36 8 27 62

Columbia - 18 - BASEBALL


32

returning players

max lautmann

Junior • Left-Handed Pitcher • L/L • 6-5 • 205 Portola Valley, Calif. • Bellarmine Prep

2009: Made nine appearances on the mound ... first collegiate start came against Manhattan in doubleheader nightcap ... worked a 12-3 inning in series opener at UC Riverside ... allowed one run in three innings in series opener at Cal State Northridge ... threw two scoreless innings in Lions’ 9-1 win at Rutgers. 2008: Appeared in 18 games on the mound, all in relief ... his first collegiate win was Columbia’s first win of the season, an 8-5 victory at Georgia Southern ... also picked up the win in Lions’ 2-1 midweek win over Fordham ... fanned three batters in two hitless innings of relief vs. Yale.

Yr. 2008 2009 Total

At Bellarmine Prep: Earned two letters in baseball and two in basketball ... captained basketball squad as sophomore ... was undefeated on the mound as junior and senior (4-0, 3-0) with three saves ... team won California state championship and finished ranked fifth in nation ... squad won WCAL League and CCS Section titles ... played for the San Jose Blaze in the summer, going 6-0 with a 1.10 ERA ... Scholar-Athlete Award. Personal: Political science major ... brother, Nico, plays football at the University of San Diego ... Maxwell Pitzer Lautmann, born April 22, 1989 in Stanford, Calif.

ERA W-L App. GS 7.48 2-2 18 0 9.00 0-2 9 1 8.04 2-4 27 1

22

2009: Breakout season saw him finish with a .337 batting average ... played in 30 games, made 22 starts ... hit .356 in Ivy League play ... slugged at a .506 clip ... drove home eight in doubleheader at Brown, including a grand slam in game two, when he had five RBI ... hit first collegiate home run as a pinch-hitter in ninth inning at Army ... first at-bat of the season was a two-run double in opener at UC Riverside ... had a double and a triple in home finale vs. Penn ... went 2-for-3 with an RBI and stolen base in 10-1 win at Cal State Northridge ... 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI in opener at Yale ... went 6-for-13 in four-game set with Cornell.

CG SHO/CBO 0 0/0 0 0/0 0 0/0

SV IP H R ER BB 0 27.2 35 26 23 17 0 16.0 27 17 16 5 0 43.2 62 43 39 22

SO 15 10 25

bobby o’brien

Junior • Outfielder • R/R • 6-2 • 200 Fairfield, Conn. • Hopkins School

At Hopkins School: Received seven letters in baseball (3) and basketball (4) ... captained baseball and basketball squads ... three-time All-Fairchester League catcher and first base ... Connecticut American Legion Zone IV AllStar three times ... New Haven Register AllArea ... hit .456 with five home runs, 32 RBI as senior .... batted .557 as junior ... played for Fairfield American Legion Post 74, Connecticut Zone IV during summer ... team won Fairchester League three times ... three-time All-Fairchester League small forward ... All-Kingswood-Oxford Invitational small forward (three times) ... New Haven Tap-Off Club Scholar-Athlete ... sports editor of high school newspaper that won three Columbia Scholastic Association Gold Medals. Personal: Double major in economics and environmental science ... son of Janice and Daniel O’Brien ... Robert Edwin O’Brien, born January 27, 1989 in Greenwich, Conn.

2008: Played in three games ... made three plate appearances ... hitless in only official at-bat ... was hit by a pitch and scored a run in final game at Georgia Southern. Yr. AVG G-GS AB R H 2008 .000 3-0 1 1 0 2009 .337 30-22 89 16 30 Total .333 33-22 90 17 30

Columbia - 19 - BASEBALL

2B 0 7 7

3B HR RBI SB BB SO 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 20 1 6 19 1 2 20 1 7 19


returning players

21

kevin roberts

Junior • Infielder • R/R • 6-3 • 195 Malverne, N.Y. • Archbishop Molloy 2009: Played in 12 games ... started eight times ... drove in two runs in four at-bats during UC Riverside series ... went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI in series opener at San Diego ... scored twice and drove in a run in 10-1 Columbia win at Cal State Northridge ... belted a two-run double in opening game of doubleheader sweep at Yale ... scored twice and had a stolen base in season finale at Penn. 2008: Appeared in 19 games ... made six starts ... went 2-for-3 with a run scored at St. John’s ... doubled in three at-bats in opening game at Davidson.

Personal: Mathematics major ... brother, Ryan, played baseball at Lafayette College ... cousin, Craig Cooper, is a minor league player in the San Diego Padres farm system ... cousin, Brendan O’Rourke, played baseball at Manhattan College ... Kevin Roberts, born May 2, 1989 in Inwood, N.Y.

At Archbishop Molloy: Earned three varsity letters in baseball ... captained baseball ... New York City CHSAA all-city honors ... gold medalist at 2006 New York Empire State Games ... played for the Long Island Titans during summer 2006 and the Long Island Tigers in 2007 ... National Honor Society. Yr. AVG 2008 .154 2009 .167 Total .161

G-GS AB R H 2B 19-6 26 2 4 1 12-8 36 5 6 3 31-14 62 7 10 4

3B HR RBI SB BB SO 0 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 6 1 1 2 0 0 6 1 1 12

geoff whitaker

Junior • Right-Handed Pitcher • R/R • 6-0 • 190 Peoria, Ariz. • Cactus 2009: Pitched in 11 games ... made eight starts in Columbia’s weekend rotation ... pitched a gem against UC Riverside, allowing two runs, just one earned, and six hits in seven innings ... worked a scoreless inning in home opener vs. St. John’s ... picked up the win in relief in game two vs. Cornell, going three innings, allowing one run on two hits ... closed out his season strong with seven innings in season finale at Penn, giving up two runs and striking out six. 2008: Started in 10 of his 13 appearances on the mound as a firstyear ... named Ivy League Rookie of the Week on March 19 after picking up his first collegiate win, giving up two runs on six hits in an 11-3 Columbia win at Georgia Southern ... posted a 6-3 record ... was 4-1 in Ivy League games ... six wins were most on the staff ... allowed three earned runs in seven innings in first game of doubleheader sweep at Liberty ... pitched 7 1/3 innings in Ivy League debut vs. Brown to complete doubleheader sweep ... in six innings at Harvard, struck out seven while only allowing two runs to cap doubleheader sweep.

Yr. 2008 2009 Total

ERA W-L App. GS CG SHO/CBO 7.21 6-3 13 10 0 0/0 6.89 1-5 11 8 0 0/0 7.07 7-8 24 18 0 0/0

13

At Cactus: Received four varsity letters in baseball ... captained baseball ... four-time Wells Fargo Region All-Academic ... Wells Fargo Region Player of the Year in 2007 ... Wells Fargo Region first team pitcher ... Arizona Republic first team all-state ... Arizona Baseball Coaches Association second team ... all-state pitcher ... had 10 wins, 107 strikeouts and 1.50 ERA as senior ... valedictorian ... National Honor Society. Personal: Economics major ... son of Geoffrey and Cynthia Whitaker ... Geoffrey Wade Whitaker II, born June 13, 1989 in Phoenix, Ariz.

SV IP H R ER BB SO 0 58.2 94 51 47 9 38 0 47.0 67 46 36 12 26 0 105.2 161 97 83 21 64

Columbia - 20 - BASEBALL


30

returning players

alexander aurrichio Sophomore • Infielder • L/L • 6-6 • 225 Dix Hills, N.Y. • Half Hollow Hills West

2009: Played in 29 games ... 24 starts ... tied for team lead with four home runs ... posted a .539 slugging percentage ... batted .375 in 13 Ivy League games ... hit first collegiate homer at Charlotte ... also homered against San Diego fireballer A.J. Griffin ... had a pair of doubles in game two vs. Dartmouth ... went 3-for-4 with a home run in second game at Princeton. At Half Hollow Hills West: Three-year letterwinner in baseball, basketball, and soccer ... captained each team as a se-

nior ... 2008 Long Island Athlete of the Year ... named All-Long Island ... league MVP as a senior ... Suffolk County Gold Glove winner as a senior ... started in the Long Island Classic, Nassau vs. Suffolk County top 40 senior game ... 2008 Army National Scholar of the Year ... batted .497 as a senior ... two-time AllSuffolk County ... team’s MVP as a junior and senior ... Wendy’s High School Heisman State Finalist ... National Honor Society member. Personal: Liberal arts student who plans to go into law after college ... also a starting goalkeeper on the men’s soccer team ... son of Jill and Louis Aurrichio ... b. February 1, 1990 in Huntington, N.Y.

Yr. AVG G-GS AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO 2009 .289 29-24 76 10 22 5 1 4 9 0 8 25 Total .289 29-24 76 10 22 5 1 4 9 0 8 25

2

jon eisen

Sophomore • Infielder • S/R • 5-9 • 170 Nashville, Tenn. • Montgomery Bell Academy

2009: Played in 39 At Montgomery Bell Academy: Four letters games ... started 38 in baseball, two in football, one in cross countimes ... twice named try ... All-Middle Region as a junior and senior Ivy League Rookie of ... selected to Tennessee Baseball Coaches the Week ... finished Association All-Star team as a junior ... named season with team-high Under-Armour Preseason All-American senior 48 base hits ... team- year ... AP Scholar as a junior ... National Honbest .426 on-base or Society 2008. percentage ... second on team with 11 steals Personal: Liberal arts student ... son of Gay and Steve Eisen ... ... batted .400 in Ivy Jonathan Jacob Eisen, b. November 21, 1989 in Nashville, Tenn. League play, including a .506 on-base percentage in league games ... reached base safely in all but three games ... went 11-for13 in final three games of the season vs. Penn, including 5-for-5 outing in final home game with two runs scored and an RBI ... was a home run short of the cycle in final game of the season at Penn ... went 2-for-3 with three RBI and two walks in league opener vs. Harvard Yr. AVG G-GS AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO 2009 .331 39-38 145 25 48 7 1 0 20 11 15 14 ... 3-for-7 with a stolen base in Lions’ 15-8 win at Lamar. Total .331 39-38 145 25 48 7 1 0 20 11 15 14

Columbia - 21 - BASEBALL


returning players

zach epstein

Sophomore • Right-Handed Pitcher • R/R • 6-1 • 190 Woodmere, N.Y. • George W. Hewlett 2009: Appeared in 13 games on the hill ... made three starts ... threw 4 1/3 scoreless innings of relief in first game of doubleheader at Cal State Northridge ... tossed a 1-2-3 inning in home opener vs. St. John’s ... made the start in Columbia’s 9-1 win at Rutgers, going four strong innings, allowing just a single run ... also made the start in Lions’ win at Fordham. At George W. Hewlett: Four-time letterwinner ... captain as a senior ... All-Nassau County as a junior ... went 5-2 during junior year and hit .529 ... team MVP in 2007 ... named to ESPN “Rise” Mag-

20

azine’s N.Y. Metro-All-Area as a senior ... 167 career strikeouts ... National Honor Society 2008 ... Wendy’s High School Heisman Scholar-Athlete school winner. Personal: Plans to major in economics ... son of Elise and David Epstein ... Zachary Michael Epstein, b. September 13, 1990 in Manhasset, N.Y.

Yr. ERA W-L App. GS CG SHO/CBO SV IP H R ER BB SO 2009 9.24 0-1 13 3 0 0/0 0 25.1 34 26 26 17 14 Total 9.24 0-1 13 3 0 0/0 0 25.1 34 26 26 17 14

mark heil

Sophomore • Catcher • S/R • 6-2 • 200 Clayton, Mo. • Clayton 2009: Played in two games ... had an inning behind the plate at UC Riverside ... caught two innings and had an at bat at Army. At Clayton: Three-year letterwinner in baseball, also lettered in basketball ... two-time captain ... first-team All-Conference Suburban East as a junior and senior, honorable mention as a sophomore ... team MVP in 2008 ... named Clayton Male Athlete of the Year as a

24

senior ... National Honor Society as a junior and senior. Personal: Liberal arts student ... son of Harrison and John Heil ... brother, Henry, played baseball at Davidson ... Mark Harrison Heil, b. November 1, 1989 in Davidson, N.C.

Yr. AVG G-GS AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO 2009 .000 2-0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Total .000 2-0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

pat lowery

Sophomore • Right-Handed Pitcher • R/R • 6-5 • 195 Oakdale, Conn. • St. Bernard 2009: Pitched in 11 games ... made four starts ... earned two saves ... first collegiate start came at San Diego, when he allowed two earned runs in five innings, striking out five ... tossed a perfect ninth inning at Yale to gain first collegiate save ... struck out two in a perfect ninth at Fordham for the save ... allowed one run in six innings in second game with Cornell, striking out six, a career high ... tossed a scoreless inning in home opener vs. St. John’s. At St. Bernard: Lettered in baseball and basketball ... captain of baseball team as a senior ... Norwich Bulletin Player of the Year as a senior ... New London Day player of the year as a senior ... CCHSCA All-State in 2008 ... two-time All-Eastern CT Conference

36

... 9-2 record as a senior with 96 strikeouts and a 1.05 ERA in 60 innings ...won three of four games en route to the Class S state championship as a junior ... had a 19-3 career record.

Personal: Plans to major in psychology ... son of Michele and Frank Lowery ... Patrick Morrison Lowery, b. April 2, 1990 in Norwich, Conn.

Yr. ERA W-L App. GS CG SHO/CBO SV IP H R ER BB SO 2009 4.32 0-4 11 4 0 0/0 2 25.0 35 22 12 9 19 Total 4.32 0-4 11 4 0 0/0 2 25.0 35 22 12 9 19

Columbia - 22 - BASEBALL


18

returning players

anthony potter

Sophomore • Infielder • L/L • 5-10 • 195 Cazenovia, N.Y. • Cazenovia

2009: Played in 31 games ... made 27 starts ... hit first collegiate homer in third game at Lamar ... the following day, went 2-for-5 with three RBI in Lions’ 15-8 win ... cracked a solo homer in Ivy League opener vs. Harvard ... in game two, hit a key bases-clearing double in five-run eighth to help clinch doubleheader sweep ... went 3-for-4 with three RBI and two stolen bases in 9-1 win at Rutgers ... 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI to help complete doubleheader sweep in game two at Yale.

8

At Cazenovia: Earned five letters in baseball and indoor track ... captained baseball team during senior season ... first-team all-conference as a junior and second-team as a sophomore ... hit .444 as a junior ... earned highest honor roll each year every quarter. Personal: Liberal arts student ... son of Andrea DeAngelis and Thomas Potter ... uncle, Joe Potter, played football at Brown in the 80s ... Anthony Joseph Potter, b. January 17, 1990 in Philadelphia, Pa.

Yr. AVG G-GS AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO 2009 .200 31-27 95 9 19 5 0 2 14 2 3 19 Total .200 31-27 95 9 19 5 0 2 14 2 3 19

billy rumpke

Sophomore • Outfielder • R/R • 5-9 • 180 Cincinnati, Ohio • St. Xavier

2009: Played in 41 games ... made 39 starts ... team leader with 30 runs scored ... batted .303 during Ivy League play ... finished season by hitting safely in final eight games ... 10 multi-hit games ... hit first collegiate home run in doubleheader nightcap vs. Manhattan ... went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a stolen base in Lions’ 10-1 win at Cal State Northridge ... went 2-for-4 with three walks, three runs scored and a stolen base in 15-8 win at Lamar ... scored four runs in doubleheader sweep at Yale ... went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI in series-opening win vs. Penn.

At St. Xavier: Earned three letters in baseball and football ... first-team All-Greater Catholic League as a senior ... second-team All-GCL and honorable mention All-City as a junior ... hit .405 in final season with 25 RBI ... district champions in 2007 and 2008 ... football team ranked second nationally in 2007 ... football team was two-time state champions and three-time GCL Champions. Personal: Plans to major in economics ... son of Diane and Bill Rumpke ... grandfather, Jim Schmidt, played football at University of Kentucky ... William Joseph Rumpke III, b. January 3, 1990 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Yr. AVG G-GS AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO 2009 .294 41-39 126 30 37 5 1 1 10 4 13 24 Total .294 41-39 126 30 37 5 1 1 10 4 13 24

Columbia - 23 - BASEBALL


returning players

harrison slutsky

Sophomore • Right-Handed Pitcher • R/R • 6-2 • 180 Canton, Mass. • Thayer Academy 2009: Led pitching staff with 15 appearances ... made two starts ... limited opposition to a .265 batting average ... tossed two hitless innings in Lions’ 15-8 win at Lamar ... threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings in two games at Cal State Northridge ... tossed a 1-2-3 inning with two strikeouts in home opener vs. St. John’s ... made first collegiate start at Army, going three solid innings, allowing one run ... gained first collegiate win at Yale, allowing three earned runs over 4 2/3 innings ... pitched two scoreless innings with three strikeouts to earn the win at Rutgers. At Thayer Academy: Earned three letters in baseball and basketball ... captained both teams as a senior ... named All-ISL 2007, 2008 ... Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic as a junior and senior ... went 5-0 with 1.19 ERA and 46 strikeouts as a senior ... helped team to win 2008 ISL Championship outright for the first time in 17 years ... MVP of basketball team as a senior.

16

Personal: Liberal arts student ... son of Marilyn and David Slutsky ... uncle, Alan Gallotta, played baseball and basketball at Brown ... uncle, Robert Berluti, played football and baseball at Tufts University ... Harrison Maxwell Slutsky, b. June 16, 1990 in Boston, Mass.

Yr. ERA W-L App. GS CG SHO/CBO SV IP H R ER BB SO 2009 6.57 2-2 15 2 0 0/0 0 24.2 27 25 18 16 17 Total 6.57 2-2 15 2 0 0/0 0 24.2 27 25 18 16 17

brian valero

Sophomore • Right-Handed Pitcher • R/R • 6-3 • 215 Miami, Fla. • Christopher Columbus 2009: Made 10 appearances on the hill ... held opponents to a .235 batting average ... threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings in collegiate debut at UC Riverside ... tossed a scoreless inning at Cal State Northridge ... worked a scoreless inning in home opener vs. St. John’s ... struck out two in two hitless innings of work in win at Fordham. At Christopher Columbus: Earned three letters in baseball ... second team all-county as a junior, honorable mention as a senior

35

... went 5-0 and 6-0 as a sophomore and junior, respectively ... recorded an ERA under 1.5 each of those seasons ... received the Miami Herald Scholar-Athlete Award ... National Society of High School Scholars. Personal: Plans to pursue a career in law ... son of Susan and Bernardo Valero ... Brian Daniel Valero, b. November 22, 1989 in Miami, Fla.

Yr. ERA W-L App. GS CG SHO/CBO SV IP H R ER BB SO 2009 5.25 0-0 10 0 0 0/0 0 12.0 12 13 7 11 8 Total 5.25 0-0 10 0 0 0/0 0 12.0 12 13 7 11 8

Columbia - 24 - BASEBALL


22

newcomers

alex black

First-Year • Infielder/Right-Handed Pitcher • R/R • 6-3 • 190 The Woodlands, Texas • The Woodlands

At The Woodlands: Played four years of baseball ... captain as a senior ... selected to play in the All-Houston All-Star game ... honorable mention all-district ... batted .379 with eight home runs and 33 runs batted in as a senior ... played summer ball with the Houston Heat.

11

nick crucet

First-Year • Infielder • R/R • 5-9 • 165 Weston, Fla. • Cypress Bay

At Cypress Bay: Three-year letterwinner ... captain as a senior ... Miami Herald all-county second team as a senior ... all-county scholar-athlete as a senior ... Sun-Sentinel all-county second team as a junior ... batted .393 as a senior with 40 runs scored and 18 stolen bases ... batted over .400 as a sophomore and junior ... team was district champions in senior year ... summer team, Florida Pokers, won 2009 Perfect Game World Wood Bat tournament.

6

nick ferraresi Personal: Plans to major in economics or mathematics ... also enjoys basketball and football ... son of Marianne and Daniel Ferraresi ... Nicholas Vittorio Ferraresi, b. December 23, 1990 in Coral Gables, Fla.

tim giel

First-Year • Right-Handed Pitcher • R/R • 6-2 • 220 Gibsonia, Pa. • Shady Side

At Shady Side: Four-year baseball letterwinner ... also lettered four times in football and three times in wrestling ... two-time baseball team captain ... captained wrestling team as a junior and senior and captained football squad as a senior ... Western Pennsylvania AA League Pitcher of the Year as a senior ... two-time all-section ... two-time team MVP ... team won AA league and Section 4 in senior year ... went 10-2 as a senior with a 1.08 ERA and 128 strikeouts ... set school records for career wins and strikeouts and single-season wins, strikeouts and lowest opponent batting average.

5

Personal: Plans to major in economics ... enjoys tennis and skiing ... AP scholar ... father played football at Iona ... son of Nora and Alfredo Crucet ... Nicholas Alexander Crucet, b. October 10, 1990 in Puerto Rico.

First-Year • Outfielder • R/R • 6-1 • 185 Wellington, Fla. • Wellington

At Wellington: Three-year letterwinner ... captain as a senior ... first team All-Palm Beach County ... twice named first team allconference ... selected for Dick Howser Senior All-Star game ... led team with a .420 batting average as a sophomore ... had six outfield assists as a senior ... team was district champions in junior year.

45

Personal: Liberal arts student ... father played soccer and tennis at Allegheny (Pa.) College ... mother played golf at Stephen F. Austin ... grandmother is a Barnard College grad ... son of Judith and Dana Black ... Alexander Dana Black, b. February 27, 1991 in Houston.

Personal: Enrolled in the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science ... intends to major in computer engineering ... father was a four-year wrestler at Pitt ... son of Donna and Tim Giel ... Timothy King Giel, Jr., b. September 29, 1990 in Pittsburgh.

alex godshall

Junior • Infielder • R/R • 5-9 • 165 Vero Beach, Fla. • Palm Beach Gardens

At Santa Fe (2009): Named Distringuished Academic All-American (at least a 3.8 grade point average) ... batted .269 with a home run and 20 runs batted in, starting 52 of team’s 54 games ... swiped a team-high 13 bases and team-high 11 sacrifices ... scored 31 runs. At Samford (2008): Batted .230 in 43 games, including 30 starts ... stole six bases ... scored 21 runs. At Palm Beach Gardens: Played baseball for four years ... Palm Beach Post and Sun-Sentinel first team all-county as a senior ...

gained a spot on the Orlando National Baseball Classic All-Tournament team ... batted .467 with 22 stolen bases as a senior, helping lead the team to a 28-4 record, regional semifinals, and a No. 3 ranking in Florida’s 6A classification. Personal: Intends to major in economics or philosophy ... AP scholar ... son of Patricia and David Godshall ... Alexander Matthew Godshall, b. October 7, 1988 in Panama City, Fla.

Columbia - 25 - BASEBALL


newcomers

ricky kleban

First-Year • Right-Handed Pitcher/Outfielder • R/R • 6-0 • 185 Marietta, Ga. • Blessed Trinity At Blessed Trinity: Four-year baseball letterwinner ... also played three years of football ... first team all-county ... three-time Georgia Dugout Club Player of the Week as a senior ... won team’s Defensive Player of the Year award as a senior ... team reached the Georgia AAA State Elite Eight in senior year ... hit .426 with nine home runs and 32 RBI as a junior.

Personal: Plans to concentrate in pre-medicine ... intends to pursue a career in sports medicine ... graduated magna cum laude ... father holds the Penn State record in the decathlon ... grandfather also graduated from Penn State, where he played football ... son of Debbie and Rick Kleban ... Richard Michael Kleban, b. March 11, 1991 in Atlanta.

stefan olson

First-Year • Right-Handed Pitcher • R/R • 6-5 • 180 Ladera Ranch, Calif. • Santa Margarita Catholic At Santa Margarita Catholic: Two-time letterwinner ... pitched to a 3.55 ERA as a senior ... played summer ball with the ASD Bulldogs, Milwaukee Brewers elite team and the Kansas City Royals scout team.

dario pizzano

25

Personal: Liberal arts student ... member of 2003 Little League World Series United States finalists ... son of Tracie and Paul Pizzano ... b. April 25, 1991 in Boston.

eric williams

First-Year • Infielder/Right-Handed Pitcher • L/R • 6-0 • 180 Sarasota, Fla. • Sarasota At Sarasota: Four-year letterwinner ... went 6-3 on the mound as a senior with a 2.30 ERA ... also batted .438 as a senior ... named to Sarasota Baseball Classic All-Tournament team ... team was 6A district champions in his junior year ... played summer ball with the Akadema Raiders.

29

Personal: Liberal arts student ... lifetime member of California Scholarship Federation ... son of Kristin and Mark Olson ... Stefan Paul Olson, b. June 23, 1991 in Mission Viejo, Calif.

First-Year • Outfielder • L/R • 5-11 • 190 Saugus, Mass. • Malden Catholic At Malden Catholic: Four-year letterwinner ... also played basketball for three years ... captained baseball team as a junior and a senior ... Catholic Conference Player of the Year ... first team Massachusetts all-star ... two-time all-conference honoree ... led conference in batting as a junior and a senior ... batted .474 as a junior ... batted .520 as a senior ... team was conference champions his junior year ... played summer ball with the Andre Chiefs.

28

12

Personal: Plans to major in political science ... 6A district representative for Florida’s all-state academic team ... son of Kathy and Todd Williams ... Eric Byron Williams, b. December 29, 1990 in Sarasota, Fla.

Columbia - 26 - BASEBALL


PROGRAM HISTORY Columbia - 27 - BASEBALL


2009 ivy league

2009 Ivy League Standings Overall

Ivy League Standings W L T Gehrig Division Cornell 10 10 0 Princeton 10 10 0 Columbia 7 13 0 Penn 5 15 0

Pct.

GB

.500 .500 .350 .250

Rolfe Division *Dartmouth Brown Harvard Yale

.800 .750 .500 .350

16 15 10 7

4 5 10 13

0 0 0 0

W L T

Pct.

--- --- 3 5

18 17 11 17

19 23 32 24

0 0 0 0

.486 .425 .256 .415

--- 1 6 9

27 24 13 13

18 19 28 24

0 1 0 0

.600 .557 .317 .351

* -- Cornell defeated Princeton in a one-game tiebreaker for the Gehrig Division championship. Dartmouth defeated Cornell 2-1, in best-of-three championship series.

2009 Ivy League Statistics TEAM BATTING G Avg AB R H 2B 3B HR BB SO SB-ATT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Pennsylvania........ 41 .310 1417 298 439 104 8 39 125 235 15-33 Dartmouth........... 45 .308 1531 341 472 89 19 44 186 318 28-33 Brown............... 44 .308 1421 293 438 67 9 50 154 241 47-67 Cornell............. 40 .297 1310 219 389 58 10 38 124 263 41-52 Harvard............. 41 .288 1363 227 392 78 7 32 123 245 50-78 Yale................ 37 .281 1198 197 337 74 9 27 124 238 41-62 Princeton........... 37 .277 1232 189 341 72 7 25 129 285 20-31 Columbia............ 43 .275 1399 219 385 84 7 22 119 271 49-67 TEAM PITCHING G ERA W L Sv IP H R ER BB SO ------------------------------------------------------------------------------Princeton........... 37 5.08 18 19 6 310.1 359 222 175 132 266 Cornell............. 40 5.94 17 23 9 318.1 370 247 210 127 254 Dartmouth........... 45 6.06 27 18 13 372.2 507 297 251 96 240 Brown............... 44 6.38 24 19 11 348.1 448 277 247 125 237 Pennsylvania........ 41 6.74 17 24 4 335.0 454 318 251 171 241 Columbia............ 43 6.78 11 32 2 338.1 445 313 255 138 192 Yale................ 37 6.82 13 24 3 300.2 358 273 228 179 232 Harvard............. 41 8.00 13 28 5 332.0 480 355 295 135 211 TEAM FIELDING G PO A E Pct DP PB SBA-ATT --------------------------------------------------------------------Brown............... 44 1045 438 45 .971 34 7 20-39 Yale................ 37 902 375 48 .964 30 6 50-61 Dartmouth........... 45 1118 466 61 .963 49 5 28-44 Cornell............. 40 955 384 56 .960 34 6 25-41 Columbia............ 43 1015 464 62 .960 31 9 24-38 Harvard............. 41 996 404 63 .957 24 9 36-58 Princeton........... 37 931 382 63 .954 35 5 51-68 Pennsylvania........ 41 1005 429 77 .949 47 5 43-61

Columbia - 28 - BASEBALL


2009 statistics Player

AVG

GP-GS

AB

R

H

2B

3B

O’Brien, Bobby...... Eisen, Jon.......... Forthun, Dean....... Rumpke, Billy....... Cox, Nick........... Aurrichio, Alex..... Williams, Ron....... Roberts, Mike....... Ferrera, Alex....... Tasman, Jon......... Roberts, Kyle....... Meininger, Chris.... Potter, Anthony..... Roberts, Kevin...... Lamping, Andy....... Heil, Mark..........

.337 .331 .298 .294 .290 .289 .269 .265 .252 .242 .222 .219 .200 .167 .143 .000

30-22 39-38 42-41 41-39 39-39 29-24 43-43 43-43 39-38 14-8 6-2 18-9 31-27 12-8 10-6 2-0

89 145 141 126 145 76 160 166 131 33 9 32 95 36 14 1

16 25 24 30 21 10 20 23 22 6 2 4 9 5 2 0

30 48 42 37 42 22 43 44 33 8 2 7 19 6 2 0

7 7 14 5 9 5 10 8 8 2 0 0 5 3 1 0

1 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

Totals.............. Opponents...........

.275 .315

43-43 43-43

1399 219 385 1414 313 445

84 99

7 10

HR RBI

TB

SLG%

BB HBP

SO GDP

20 20 20 10 23 9 27 21 17 1 1 1 14 6 2 0

45 57 59 47 62 41 61 61 53 10 2 7 30 9 5 0

.506 .393 .418 .373 .428 .539 .381 .367 .405 .303 .222 .219 .316 .250 .357 .000

6 15 17 13 14 8 12 13 10 1 1 4 3 1 1 0

19 14 19 24 19 25 28 39 31 14 1 11 19 2 5 1

22 192 55 283

549 729

44 271 59 192

2 0 1 1 3 4 2 3 4 0 0 0 2 0 0 0

.392 119 .516 138

5 9 6 1 5 2 7 0 2 1 0 0 3 0 3 0

OB%

SF

SH

SB-ATT

PO

A

3 2 2 3 1 2 4 7 3 0 0 0 2 2 0 0

.410 .426 .394 .362 .370 .372 .343 .318 .315 .286 .300 .306 .248 .189 .333 .000

0 0 1 1 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 3 1 4 4 1 0 0 2 0 0 2 1 0 0 0

1-1 11-15 2-2 4-7 16-21 0-0 5-7 2-3 2-3 0-0 1-1 2-2 2-4 1-1 0-0 0-0

36 3 82 93 183 22 64 2 93 6 2 0 357 26 31 96 47 121 0 0 5 9 22 32 39 1 3 13 19 3 3 0

31 24

.350 .395

5 15

18 19

49-67 24-38

1015 464 1068 469

E

FLD%

4 .907 12 .936 5 .976 3 .957 1 .990 1 .667 6 .985 5 .962 11 .939 0 .000 1 .933 2 .964 4 .909 1 .941 1 .957 0 1.000 62 62

.960 .961

LOB - Team (296), Opp (317). DPs turned - Team (31), Opp (44). IBB - Team (3), Roberts, M 1, Eisen 1, Aurrichio 1, Opp (1). Picked off - Williams 2, Rumpke 2, Forthun 1, Cox 1, Roberts, Ke 1, Eisen 1. (All games Sorted by Earned run avg) Player

ERA

W-L

APP

GS

Lowery, Pat......... 4.32 Valero, Brian....... 5.25 Scarlata, Joe....... 5.52 Squires, Derek...... 6.10 Bracey, Dan......... 6.23 Slutsky, Harrison... 6.57 Aquino, Roger....... 6.64 Whitaker, Geoff..... 6.89 Bartlett, Clay...... 7.11 Lautmann, Max....... 9.00 Epstein, Zach....... 9.24 Mizzoni, Joey....... 12.66 Ferrera, Alex....... 13.50

0-4 0-0 4-5 0-2 2-6 2-2 1-3 1-5 0-0 0-2 0-1 1-2 0-0

11 10 10 8 9 15 12 11 13 9 13 11 3

4 0 10 1 9 2 5 8 0 1 3 0 0

0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0/0 0/0 1/0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/0

11-32 32-11

43 43

43 43

5 6

1/0 3/1

Totals.............. Opponents...........

6.78 4.45

CG SHO/CBO SV

IP

H

R

ER

BB

SO

2B

3B

HR

25.0 12.0 60.1 10.1 47.2 24.2 42.0 47.0 12.2 16.0 25.1 10.2 4.2

35 12 71 15 64 27 49 67 18 27 34 17 9

22 13 42 10 38 25 35 46 16 17 26 16 7

12 7 37 7 33 18 31 36 10 16 26 15 7

9 11 12 9 11 16 10 12 13 5 17 11 2

19 8 30 4 24 17 19 26 7 10 14 14 0

7 4 21 3 15 9 7 11 3 6 8 3 2

1 0 2 1 1 0 1 3 0 1 0 0 0

3 1 6 1 7 4 9 10 2 2 2 7 1

2 338.1 445 313 255 138 192 12 356.0 385 219 176 119 271

99 84

10 7

2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

AB B/Avg

WP HBP

BK

SFA SHA

105 51 243 41 203 102 167 206 51 73 101 48 23

.333 .235 .292 .366 .315 .265 .293 .325 .353 .370 .337 .354 .391

3 5 4 0 4 1 0 6 2 7 2 1 1

2 2 10 2 6 8 8 4 4 5 5 1 2

1 0 0 2 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0

2 0 3 1 1 1 0 3 1 0 2 1 0

2 0 2 1 2 1 3 3 1 2 2 0 0

55 1414 22 1400

.315 .275

36 28

59 44

8 3

15 5

19 17

PB - Team (9), Forthun 9, Opp (4). Pickoffs - Team (5), Forthun 4, Lowery 1, Opp (8). SBA/ATT - Forthun (20-31), Whitaker (3-6), Epstein (2-6), Lowery (3-5), Slutsky (5-5), Lamping (4-5), Bartlett (4-4), Scarlata (0-3), Squires (3-3), Mizzoni (1-2), Lautmann (1-1), Aquino (1-1), Bracey (0-1), Valero (1-1).

Ivy League Baseball (All games Sorted by Fielding pct) Player Scarlata, Joe....... Bracey, Dan......... Whitaker, Geoff..... Lowery, Pat......... Bartlett, Clay...... Heil, Mark.......... Epstein, Zach....... Squires, Derek...... Mizzoni, Joey....... Lautmann, Max....... Cox, Nick........... Williams, Ron....... Forthun, Dean....... Meininger, Chris.... Roberts, Mike....... Rumpke, Billy....... Lamping, Andy....... Roberts, Kevin...... Ferrera, Alex....... Eisen, Jon.......... Roberts, Kyle....... Potter, Anthony..... O’Brien, Bobby...... Aquino, Roger....... Slutsky, Harrison... Aurrichio, Alex..... Valero, Brian....... Tasman, Jon......... Totals.............. Opponents...........

C

A

E

FLD%

DPs

6 7 7 5 3 4 2 3 4 1 3 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 93 6 357 26 183 22 22 32 31 96 64 2 19 3 3 13 47 121 82 93 5 9 39 1 36 3 1 11 4 2 2 0 0 1 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 6 5 2 5 3 1 1 11 12 1 4 4 2 2 1 1 0

1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 .990 .985 .976 .964 .962 .957 .957 .941 .939 .936 .933 .909 .907 .857 .750 .667 .500 .000

1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 28 2 7 10 0 1 0 18 17 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0

0 0 3 3 4 0 2 3 1 1 0 0 20 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 0 1 0

1541 1015 464 1599 1068 469

62 62

.960 .961

31 44

24 49

13 12 7 5 5 3 2 1 1 1 100 389 210 56 132 69 23 17 179 187 15 44 43 14 8 3 2 0

PO

SBA CSB

SBA%

PB

CI

3 1 3 2 0 0 4 0 1 0 0 0 11 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

.000 .000 .500 .600 1.000 --.333 1.000 .500 1.000 ----.645 ------.800 ------------1.000 1.000 --1.000 ---

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

14 18

.632 .731

9 4

0 0

Ron Williams ‘09CC ended his career in a Columbia uniform as the program’s all-time leader in base hits.

Columbia - 29 - BASEBALL


single-season records Batting Average

.467 .458 .458 .448 .444 .443 .429 .424 .417 .413 .412 .409 .406 .403 .400 .400 .394 .386 .386 .386 .385 .379 .379 .378

Adam Rakowski Garrett Neubart Bart “B” Teal Mike Wilhite Lou Gehrig Mike Esposito Gene Larkin Matt Buckmiller Tom Rieger Ted Kiendl Glenn Meyers Billy Hess John Kreuscher Ken Cavazzoni Frank Antonelli Frank Stimley Steve Richman Ken Cavazzo John Guilfoy Archie Roberts Derek Johnson Travis Hunter Gene Larkin Archie Roberts

Hits

71 Nick Cox 71 Garrett Neubart 70 Billy Hess 70 Henry Perkins 67 Matt Buckmiller 67 Ron Williams 63 Gene Larkin 60 Mike Baxter 60 Jorge Livermore 56 Bart “B” Teal 55 Jorge Livermore 55 Travis Hunter 54 Pete Aswad 54 Jason Banos 54 Billy Hess 54 Glenn Meyers 54 Bart “B” Teal

Runs

54 Matt Buckmiller 53 Garrett Neubart 51 Gene Larkin 49 Mike DiChiaro 46 Nick Cox 44 Glenn Meyers 44 Mike Baxter 43 Marc Mezzadri 43 Jorge Livermore 43 Jorge Livermore 43 Billy Hess 42 Matt Buckmiller 41 Billy Hess 41 Henry Perkins 41 Andrew Pisano 40 Jason Banos 39 Andrew Pisano

1948 1995 1995 1977 1923 1961 1983 2002 1986 1913 1984 2003 1992 1991 1981 1968 1966 1988 1995 1965 2002 1996 1982 1963

2008 1995 2003 2008 2002 2007 1984 2003 2002 1993 2003 1996 2000 2008 2002 1984 1995

2002 1995 1984 1983 2008 1984 2003 1995 2002 2003 2003 2001 2002 2008 2000 2008 1998

Blair Bat Winners

(highest batting average in Ivy League play) 1944 Vincent Lolordo 1953 Leo Bookman 1957 Robert Lehner 1961 Mike Esposito 1963 Archie Roberts 1977 Mike Wilhite 1989 Ken Cavazzoni 2000 Matt Buckmiller 2008 Noah Cooper

Doubles

Billy Hess ’03CC is in Columbia’s single season and career top ten lists for hits, runs, total bases, doubles and RBI

Total Bases

133 Gene Larkin 124 Matt Buckmiller 112 Travis Hunter 109 Garrett Neubart 108 Glenn Meyers 107 Henry Perkins 105 Billy Hess 97 Nick Cox 96 Pete Aswad 93 Ryan Schmidt 87 Bart “B” Teal 87 Ron Williams 84 Bart “B” Teal 84 Glenn Meyers 83 Jason Banos 82 Mike Wilhite 82 Ron Williams 81 Matt Buckmiller 81 Jim Goryeb 80 Mike Wilhite

Stolen Bases

31 Garrett Neubart 28 Nick Cox 27 Mike Brown 27 Garrett Neubart 25 Mike DiChiaro 25 Jay Dipasupil 20 Kevin Holbert 20 Matt Murphy 20 Henry Perkins 19 John Stamatis 19 Mike Brown

1984 2002 1997 1995 1984 2008 2003 2008 2000 2003 1993 2007 1995 1983 2008 1977 2008 2001 1983 1978

1992 2008 1978 1995 1982 1986 1997 1996 2008 1986 1977

SINGLE-GAME STRIKEOUT RECORD 17 Lou Gehrig vs. Williams 1923 17 Paul Brosnan vs. Rhode Island 1968

21 Matt Buckmiller 17 Garrett Neubart 17 Jason Banos 16 Henry Perkins 15 Travis Hunter 15 Billy Hess 15 Ryan Schmidt 14 Dean Forthun 14 Billy Hess 14 Matt Spielman

Triples

7 Mike Wilhite 6 Henry Perkins 5 Nick Cox 5 Charlie Manzione 5 Garrett Neubart 5 Mike Wilhite 4 Jim Coppola 4 Glenn Meyers 4 Jesse Parks 4 Luke Urban 4 Ron Williams

19 14 12 12 12 11 9 8 8 8

62 57 56 50 50 47 45 43 42 39 39 38 37 37 36

Home Runs

Gene Larkin Travis Hunter Glenn Meyers Matt Buckmiller Joe Catsam Pete Aswad Glenn Meyers Jim Goryeb Mike Wilhite Ryan Schmidt

8 8 8 8 8 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

Victories

Rolando Acosta (8-4) Neil Farber (8-2) Gary Goldenberg (8-2) Bob Koehler (8-1) Doug Softy (8-2) Joe Bruno (6-3) Lou Gehrig (6-4) Bob Koehler (6-3) Kurt Lundgren (6-3) Adam Schwartz (6-7) Doug Softy (6-4) Kermit Tracy (6-3) Geoff Whitaker (6-3) Paul Wojcicki (6-2)

1979 1963 1987 1960 1981 1984 1923 1961 1982 2000 1983 1951 2008 1983

Earned Run Average

2002 1995 2008 2008 1996 2002 2003 2009 2003 1993

1.04 1.11 1.45 1.56 1.63 1.64 1.74 1.76 1.85 1.88

Bob Koehler Bob Koehler Tom Whelan Tellef Tellefsen Mark Yushchak Gary Goldenberg Kermit Tracy Jim Romanosky Peter Down Tellef Tellefsen

1977 2008 2008 1976 1992 1978 1989 1984 1973 1960 2008

90 90 87 85 78 77

Bob Koehler Kurt Lundgren Ed Weathers Bob Koehler Bob Koehler Lou Gehrig

Strikeouts

1961 1960 1977 1949 1986 1985 1951 1972 1971 1948

1961 1980 1968 1960 1962 1923

1984 1996 1984 2002 2002 2000 1983 1983 1978 2004

Runs Batted In Gene Larkin Pete Aswad Matt Buckmiller Travis Hunter Glenn Meyers Ryan Schmidt Glenn Meyers Bart “B” Teal Joe Catsam Bart “B” Teal Billy Hess Ron Williams Ken Cavazzoni Mike Roberts Ron Williams

Columbia - 30 - BASEBALL

1984 2000 2002 1996 1984 2003 1983 1995 2002 1993 2003 2008 1991 2008 2007

Former Lion assistant coach Bob Koehler ’61CC holds the single-season records for strikeouts and ERA


career records Batting Average

.391 .376 .371 .371 .366 .352 .344 .344

Garrett Neubart Ken Cavazzoni Gene Larkin Archie Roberts Mike Wilhite Glenn Meyers Travis Hunter Matt Buckmiller

205 203 198 189 186 175 174 170 170 159 158 145 141 135 134 123

Ron Williams Bart “B” Teal Billy Hess Garrett Neubart Henry Perkins Matt Buckmiller Jorge Livermore Jay Dipasupil Gene Larkin Jason Wynn Mike Roberts Craig Rodwogin Travis Hunter Noah Cooper Dave Lewis Ken Cavazzoni

145 143 140 132 120 112 106 100 98 89 88 81 79 78 72

Hits

Runs

Matt Buckmiller Jay Dipasupil Garrett Neubart Billy Hess Jorge Livermore Gene Larkin Bart “B” Teal Mike Roberts Henry Perkins Ron Williams Jason Wynn Craig Rodwogin Noah Cooper Mike Brown Travis Hunter

1992-95 1989-91 1981-84 1963-65 1976-78 1981-85 1993-97 1999-02

2006-09 1992-95 2000-03 1992-95 2005-08 1999-02 2001-04 1984-87 1981-84 1994-97 2006-09 2004-07 1994-97 2005-08 1996-99 1989-91 1999-02 1984-87 1992-95 2000-03 2001-04 1981-84 1992-95 2006-09 2005-08 2006-09 1994-97 2004-07 2005-08 1977-80 1994-97

Eibl/ivy League Championships

1933 (9-2) 1934 (8-4) 1944 (7-1) 1963 (6-3) 1976 (12-1) 2008 (15-5)

302 300 298 285 282 267 259 236 235 217 216 205 196 185 185 181 167 167

15 11 9 8 8 8 8

Triples

Mike Wilhite Henry Perkins Garrett Neubart Jorge Livermore Jesse Parks Bart “B” Teal Ron Williams

Total Bases

Bart “B” Teal Matt Buckmiller Billy Hess Gene Larkin Ron Williams Garrett Neubart Henry Perkins Mike Roberts Travis Hunter Jorge Livermore Jason Wynn Mike Wilhite Pete Aswad Mark Hanewich Craig Rodwogin Andrew Ward Noah Cooper Dave Lewis

1992-95 1999-02 2000-03 1981-84 2006-09 1992-95 2005-08 2006-09 1994-97 2001-04 1994-97 1976-78 1999-01 1977-81 2004-07 2004-07 2005-08 1996-99

Stolen Bases

90 Garrett Neubart 1991-95 65 Jay Dipasupil 1984-87 55 Mike Brown 1976-80 50 Jorge Livermore 2001-04 45 Matt Murphy 1995-98 44 Nick Cox 2008-pres. 44 Mike DiChiaro 1980-84 44 Kevin Holbert 1996-99 44 Henry Perkins 2005-08 43 Matt Buckmiller 1999-02 37 Doug Murphy 1989-92 35 Fernando Perez 2002-04

50 Matt Buckmiller 1999-02 49 Billy Hess 2000-03 40 Ron Williams 2006-09 39 Garrrett Neubart 1991-95 38 Craig Rodwogin 2004-07 36 Henry Perkins 2005-08 35 Bart “B” Teal 1992-95 34 Jay Dipasupil 1984-86 34 Travis Hunter 1994-97 31 Jason Wynn 1994-97 29 Dean Forthun 2007-pres. 29 Mike Roberts 2006-09 29 Craig Rodwogin 2004-07 28 Jorge Livermore 2001-04 26 Noah Cooper 2005-08 26 Gene Larkin 1980-84

Runs Batted In Bart “B” Teal Billy Hess Ron Williams Gene Larkin Matt Buckmiller Travis Hunter Pete Aswad Mike Roberts Jason Wynn Henry Perkins Ken Cavazzoni Ryan Schmidt Mark Hanewich Andrew Ward Mike Wilhite Garrett Neubart John Kreuscher

Victories

22 20 18 17 17

Rolando Acosta Bob Koehler Kurt Lundgren Neil Farber Doug Softy

1992-95 2000-03 2006-09 1980-84 1999-02 1994-97 1999-01 2006-09 1994-97 2005-08 1989-91 2002-05 1977-81 2004-07 1976-78 1991-95 1991-94

1976-79 1959-62 1979-83 1963-65 1979-83

Innings Pitched

Gene Larkin ’84CC holds both the Columbia career and season home run records 25 23 21 19 18 18 16 16 15 15 14

Home Runs

Gene Larkin Matt Buckmiller Glenn Meyers Travis Hunter Joe Catsam Pete Aswad Bart “B” Teal Mike Wilhite Mike Roberts Ryan Schmidt Billy Hess

Doubles

Craig Rodwogin ‘07CC is fourth all-time in doubles and 12th in total bases

1976-78 2005-08 1991-95 2001-04 1971-73 1992-95 2006-09

135 123 122 114 105 102 100 95 93 86 83 78 73 72 72 69 69

1981-84 1999-02 1981-85 1993-97 2000-03 1999-01 1992-95 1976-78 2006-09 2002-05 2000-03

277.1 Kurt Lundgren 268.2 Bill Purdy 247 Doug Softy 222.1 Rolando Acosta 218.1 Brian Doveala 211.2 Steve Ceterko

1980-83 2005-08 1981-84 1977-79 2001-04 1993-96

Earned Run Average

1.77 1.89 2.02 2.70 2.95 3.01

Tellef Tellefsen Kermit Tracy Bob Koehler Neil Farber Ed Weathers Bob Swanson

270 253 198 167 165 126

Kurt Lundgren Bob Koehler Rolando Acosta Charlie Brown Bob Swanson Neil Farber

1947-49 1950-52 1960-62 1963-65 1967-69 1948-50

Strikeouts

1980-83 1960-62 1977-79 1954-56 1947-49 1963-65

TEAM RECORDS

Wins: 28 1987 (28-14) Losses: 34 2000 (11-34) Runs Scored: 51 vs. NYU, 10/14/1887 (Game): 27 vs. Cornell 4/29/32 (modern record) Runs Against: 58 by Princeton, 5/16/1868 (Game): 28 by St. John’s, 3/25/98 (modern record)

Columbia - 31 - BASEBALL


the record book

2009 Honors

All-Ivy League Second Team Dean Forthun (C) All-Ivy League Honorable Mention Nick Cox (OF) Joe Scarlata (RHP) Lou Gehrig Most Valuable Player Award Dean Forthun (C) Columbia Cy Young Award Joe Scarlata (RHP) Columbia Rookie of the Year Award Jon Eisen (2B) Joseph P. Allen Memorial Award and Mr. Hustle Award Bobby O’Brien (OF)

Previous Honors

Mike Roberts ‘09CC finished his career in a Columbia uniform ranked among the top ten all-time in runs, total bases, home runs and runs batted in.

Division I North East Regional All-Star Mike Wilhite (1978) Pete Aswad (2000) District II All-Star Team Mike Wilhite (1978); Rolando Acosta (1978) All-EIBL Pitcher of the Year Rolando Acosta (1978, 1979) Kurt Lundgren (1983) Ivy League Player of the Year Garrett Neubart (1995) Henry Perkins (2008) Ivy League Rookie of the Year Nick Cox (2008) Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American Nick Cox (2008)

Joe Scarlata ‘09CC was the pitching staff’s go-to guy in 2009. In his final two seasons at Columbia, Scarlata posted an 8-1 record against Ivy League opponents. He was a two-time AllIvy League honoree in 2008 and 2009.

Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American Mike Baxter (2003) Academic All-America-District I Derek Johnson (2001, 2002) Billy Hess (2003) Roy Altman (2004) Brian Dovela (2004) Ryan Schmidt (2005) Academic-All-America Derek Johnson (2002) Ryan Schmidt (2005) ABCA/Rawlings All-Northeast Region First Team Matt Buckmiller (2002) ABCA/Rawlings All-Northeast Region Second Team Henry Perkins (2008) NCBWA Dick Howser Trophy, semifinalist Matt Buckmiller (2002)

Columbia - 32 - BASEBALL

Garrett Neubart ‘95CC (left) was Columbia’s first Ivy League Player of the Year.


lions in the majors Hall of Famers Lou Gehrig and Eddie Collins have long been familiar names to baseball enthusiasts. In the fall of 1991, yet another former Columbia baseball player became a household name to millions of baseball fans – Gene Larkin, the former Columbia All-America whose long drive to left center drove in the run that gave the Minnesota Twins their second World Series in five years. Larkin, who came up with the Twins in 1987, earned two World Series rings.

minor league Player of the Year in 2005. The speedy outfielder, who was added to the 40-man roster following the 2007 season, set a Southwest Michigan franchise record with 57 stolen bases, the most in the Rays organization. He began the 2008 season at Triple-A Durham, where he batted .288 with 86 runs scored, 43 stolen bases and 11 triples. At the time of his promotion, Perez ranked second in the International League in runs, third in steals and was tied for second in triples.

Larkin, who left baseball after the 1994 season, is part of a proud tradition of baseball at Columbia, that continued in 2008 with an electric Major League debut by Fernando Perez ‘04CC.

Perez got to experience a taste of the World Series with the upstart 2008 Rays as he earned a spot on the postseason squad with his play in September. In Tampa Bay’s game-two win over the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS, Perez scored the winning run in the 11th inning.

Perez was drafted in the 2004 draft and was named the Southwest Michigan Devil Rays Player of the Year and Tampa Bay’s

Name

William T. Finley

Graduation Position Teams 1887

C/OF

New York Giants

Eddie Collins 1907 2B

Philadelphia Athletics Chicago White Sox

George Smith 1915 P

New York Giants Cincinnati Reds Brooklyn Dodgers Philadelphia Phillies

Alfred H. Kellet

Philadelphia Phillies Boston Red Sox

Lou Gehrig

New York Yankees

1923

1B

Fresco Thompson 1925 IF

Pittsburgh Pirates New York Giants Philadelphia Phillies Brooklyn Dodgers

Art Smith

1928

P

Chicago White Sox

William P. Kalfass

1937

P

Philadelphia Athletics

Gene Larkin

1984

1B/OF

Minnesota Twins

Frank Seminara 1989 P

San Diego Padres New York Mets

Fernando Perez

Tampa Bay Rays

2004

OF

Greg Mullens ‘05CC pitched for the Brooklyn Cyclones in the New York Mets’ farm system.

Columbia - 33 - BASEBALL

A New Jersey native, Fernando Perez ‘04CC belted his first Major League home run at Yankee Stadium.

Columbia’s Minor Leaguers Ralph Hewitt 1932 OF Ray White 1933 P Owen McDowell 1934 1B Ed Brominski 1935 C Al Barabas 1936 OF Jim King 1954 P Charlie Brown 1956 P Bob Lehner 1957 1B/OF Mike Esposito 1961 C Bob Koehler 1962 P Howard Kitt 1964 P Steve Richman 1969 SS Jim Romanosky 1972 P Ron Pettinger 1975 C Mike Wilhite 1978 OF Kurt Lundgren 1983 P Glenn Meyers 1985 OF Joe Bruno 1985 P Peter Murphy 1986 P Ken Cavazzoni 1991 3B/OF Chris Kotes 1991 P Garrett Neubart 1995 OF Travis Hunter 1997 C Jason Halper 1997 OF Hawkeye Wayne 1999 P Jessen Grant 2004 P Greg Mullens 2005 P


columbia athletics hall of famers

Lou Gehrig

Inaugural Class, posthumous 1923CC

L

ou Gehrig’s accomplishments on the field made him an authentic American hero, and his tragic early death made him a legend. A tireless worker with a record 2,130 consecutive games played (this record has since been broken by Cal Ripken, Jr.), Gehrig spent his whole career in New York, the nation’s media capital. But it seemed that another teammate always got more headline attention-first Babe Ruth, then Joe DiMaggio. When historian Fred Lieb asked Gehrig about playing in Ruth’s shadow, Gehrig’s answer was true to form: “It’s a pretty big shadow. It gives me lots of room to spread myself.” When actor Edward Herrmann was hired to play Gehrig in a TV movie, he had trouble getting into the role. “What made it so tough is I could find no ‘key’ to his character. There was no strangeness, nothing spectacular about him. As Eleanor Gehrig told me, he was just a square, honest guy.” Sportswriter Jim Murray described the tall, strong Gehrig as “Gibraltar in cleats.” His lifetime batting average was .340, fifteenth all-time highest, and he amassed more than 400 total bases on five occasions. Only 13 men have achieved that level of power in a season. Ruth did it twice, and Chuck Klein did it three times. Gehrig is one of only seven players with more than 100 extra-base hits in one season, and only he and Klein accomplished the feat twice.

advised by Giants Manager John McGraw to play summer professional baseball under an assumed name (“Henry Lewis”). “Everyone does it,” McGraw explained, even though the illegal ball playing could have jeopardized Gehrig’s collegiate sports career. Gehrig was discovered after playing a dozen games for Hartford of the Eastern League. As a result, Gehrig was banned from intercollegiate sports during his freshman year, 1921-22. Gehrig returned to sports to play fullback and tackle during Columbia’s 1922 football season, and then pitched and played first for the Columbia Nine in 1923. Signed by Yankee scout Paul Krichell in 1923, Gehrig returned to Hartford and hit .304. Called up to the majors in September, he hit .423 in 26 at-bats. Manager Miller Huggins petitioned McGraw to permit Gehrig to replace the ailing Wally Pipp on the Yanks’ roster for the World Series. McGraw, always looking for an edge, exercised his prerogative and refused. The Yankees won anyway. After a full season at Hartford, where Gehrig hit .369, he became a Yankee for good in 1925. Gehrig’s consecutive-game streak didn’t come easily. He played every game for more than 13 years despite a broken thumb, a broken toe, and back spasms. Later in his career Gehrig’s hands were X-rayed, and doctors were able to spot 17 different fractures that had “healed” while Gehrig continued to play. Despite having pain from lumbago one day, he was listed as the shortstop and leadoff hitter. He singled and was promptly replaced but kept the streak intact. After batting .295 in 1925, Gehrig hit .313, the first of 12 consecutive years he would top .300, and led the league with 20 triples in 1926. The Yanks won the pennant; Gehrig hit .348 in the World Series, but the Yankees lost to Rogers Hornsby’s Cardinals in seven games. Ruth and Gehrig began dominating the baseball headlines in 1927, in a way two players had never done before. That year Ruth hit 60 homers, breaking his old record of 59, and Gehrig clouted 47, more than anyone other than Ruth had ever hit. As late as August 10th, Gehrig had more homers than the Babe, but Ruth’s closing kick was spectacular. Together they out-homered every team in baseball except one. The Yankees chased away all competition, winning the flag by 19 games over the A’s and sweeping the Pirates in the World Series. Ruth was not eligible for the Most Valuable Player Award, because he had won it before, continued on next page

During his career, Gehrig averaged 147 RBIs a season. No player after him was to reach the 147 mark in a single season until George Foster did it in 1977. And, as historian Bill Curran points out, Gehrig accomplished it “while batting immediately behind two of history’s greatest base-cleaners, Ruth and DiMaggio.” Gehrig’s 184 RBIs in 1931 remains the second highest single season total in American League history. Gehrig won the Triple Crown in 1934, with a .363 average, 49 homers, and 165 RBIs, and was chosen Most Valuable player in both 1927 and 1936. Despite his towering size, Gehrig stole home 15 times in his career, and he batted .361 in 34 World Series games with 10 homers, eight doubles, and 35 RBIs. He also holds the record for career grand slams at 23; he hit 73 three-run homers, and 166 two-run shots, giving him the highest average of RBIs per homer of any player with more than 300 home runs. On June 3, 1932, Gehrig became the first American Leaguer to hit four home runs in a game. After Gehrig’s third homer to right field in a game against Philadelphia, an upset Connie Mack removed pitcher George Earnshaw and demanded that Earnshaw stay with him to watch reliever Roy Mahaffey pitch to Gehrig. Gehrig’s fourth homer was to left field, and only a great catch by Al Simmons kept Gehrig from hitting his fifth homer of the day. The son of German immigrants, Gehrig was the only one of four children to survive. He was preparing to enter Columbia University when he was

Gehrig hitting a home run on Columbia’s South Field, before baseball was moved to Baker Field

Columbia - 34 - BASEBALL


columbia athletics hall of famers so it went to Gehrig. In 1928, they tied for the RBI lead with 142 and put on quite a show in the World Series. Despite being walked six times, Gehrig hit .545 and slugged a stunning 1.727.

scored. In 1937, DiMaggio did the same.

Gehrig won the Triple Crown in 1934, and led the American League in home runs, on-base, and slugging percentages in 1936, as theYankees recaptured the title. For the next two years, DiMaggio and Gehrig would dominate the league the way Gehrig and Ruth had, and the Yankees began a fourseason dynasty that included winning four World Series and losing only three games out of 19. In 1936, Gehrig led the league in home runs and runs

In 1938, Gehrig fell below .300 for the first time since 1925, and it was clear that there was something wrong. He lacked his usual strength. Pitches he would have hit for home runs were only flyouts. Doctors diagnosed a gall bladder problem, and they put him on a bland diet, which only made him weaker. Wes Ferrell noticed that on the golf course, instead of wearing golf cleats, Gehrig was wearing tennis shoes and was sliding his feet along the ground. Ferrell was frightened. When asked if he would remove Gehrig from the lineup, Manager Joe McCarthy said, “That’s Lou’s decision.” Gehrig played the first eight games of the 1939 season, but he managed only four hits. On a ball hit back to pitcher Johnny Murphy, Gehrig had

trouble getting to first in time for the throw. When he returned to the dugout, his teammates complimented him on the “good play.” Gehrig knew when his fellow Yankees had to congratulate him for stumbling into an average catch it was time to leave. He took himself out of the game.

Gehrig’s Career (1B) 1923-39: New York Yankees Career Stats Games 2164

Avg. .340

HR 493

Games 34

Avg. .361

HR RBI 10 35

World Series

RBI 1995

The next day, as Yankee captain, he took the lineup card to the umpires, as usual, but his name was not on the roster. Babe Dahlgren was stationed at first. The game announcer intoned, “Ladies and gentlemen, Lou Gehrig’s consecutive streak of 2,130 games played has ended.” Doctors at the Mayo Clinic diagnosed Gehrig as having a very rare form of degenerative disease: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. There was no chance he would ever play baseball again. New York writer Paul Gallico suggested the team have a recognition day to honor Gehrig on July 4, 1939. With more than 62,000 fans in attendance, Gehrig spoke his immortal words of thanks. At the close of Gehrig’s speech, Babe Ruth walked up, put his arm around his former teammate and spoke in his ear the first words they had shared since 1934. Gehrig was elected to the Hall of Fame that December. He worked on youth projects for New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia until he was unable to walk. He died in 1941, at age 37

GEHRIG’S FAREWELL SPEECH “Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of this earth. I have been in ballparks for seventeen years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans.

tower of strength and shown more courage than you dreamed existed - that’s the finest I know. So I close in saying that I may have had a tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for.”

Look at these grand men. Which of you wouldn’t consider it the highlight of his career just to associate with them for even one day? Sure I’m lucky. Who wouldn’t consider it an honor to have known Jacob Ruppert? Also, the builder of baseball’s greatest empire, Ed Barrow? To have spent six years with that wonderful little fellow, Miller Huggins? Then to have spent the next nine years with that outstanding leader, that smart student of psychology, the best manager in baseball today, Joe McCarthy? Sure I’m lucky. When the NewYork Giants, a team you would give your right arm to beat, and vice versa, sends you a gift - that’s something. When everybody down to the groundskeepers and those boys in white coats remember you with trophies - that’s something. When you have a wonderful mother-in-law who takes sides with you in squabbles with her own daughter - that’s something. When you have a father and a mother who work all their lives so you can have an education and build your body - it’s a blessing. When you have a wife who has been a

Columbia - 35 - BASEBALL


columbia athletics hall of famers

Eddie Collins Inaugural Class, posthumous 1907CC

“Eddie Collins was one of the most accomplished all-around players ever to play the game,” Jack Kavanaugh wrote of the baseball Hall of Famer. “They called Collins `Cocky’ not because he was arrogant, but because he was filled with confidence based on ability.” Evidence of that ability first surfaced on the playing fields of Columbia University. A resident of Millerton, N.Y., Collins entered Columbia in 1903, the year of the first World Series. He soon demonstrated superior athletic skills. Collins joined a semi-pro team in the summer of 1906, playing under the moniker “Eddie Sullivan”. The practice was not unusual among college players and he probably would have gotten away with it if his playing hadn’t attracted the attention of the Philadelphia Athletics. They signed him to a contract - the major league draft was about 60 years away - and he actually got into six games before returning to Columbia for his senior year. Once his professional playing was discovered, Collins was declared ineligible for his senior season. However, he was allowed to stay on as a coach while he completed his degree, one of the few undergraduate coaches the Lions have ever had. Following his 1907 graduation, Collins returned to the Athletics

Gene Larkin

and wasted little time breaking into the starting lineup. In 1909, just three years after playing college ball, the now-second baseman hit .347, scored 104 runs and stole 67 bases. Collins stayed with Philadelphia through the 1914 season. A member of the “$100,000 infield”, he played in four World Series, winning three. In 1914, he batted .344, drove in 85 runs, scored 122, and stole 58 bases. He was named the American League Most Valuable Player. Deep in debt, the Athletics sold him to the Chicago White Sox for $50,000 after the 1914 season, and he remained with them through the 1926 campaign. He returned to the Athletics as a player-coach from 1927 to 1930, when he retired as a player. Collins moved into baseball administration as general manager of the Boston Red Sox. He spent many years in Boston - on one scouting trip for the Sox, he discovered future Hall of Famers Ted Williams and Bobby Doerr - before passing away in 1951 at the age of 63. The former Columbia star played 25 seasons in the major leagues, a 20th century record for position players. He batted .340 or better for 10 seasons and finished with 3311 hits and a .333 average. He still holds the major league records for putouts, assists and total chances by a second baseman and his 744 stolen bases are fourth all-time. Collins is considered by many the finest second baseman in major league history.

Inaugural Class 1984CC

It doesn’t matter here he goes or what he’s doing, Gene Larkin told Bob Sansevere of Baseball Digest in a 2002 article, shopping, eating, playing golf, or just going for a walk. People are always shaking his hand or patting him on the back. The hit came in the bottom of the 10th inning of Game 7 of the 1991 World Series. That hit, a long single to left field off Alejandro Pena of the Atlanta Braves, came with the bases loaded and sent Dan Gladden home from third base for a 1-0 victory and the Twins’ second world championship in five seasons. “It was one of the bigger moments in my life,” Larkin said in the article. “I was a role player. An average player at best. If I didn’t get this hit, I’d be just another player who had a so-so career.” Instead, he’s the player who had the hit that won Game 7 of the ‘91 World Series. But Gene Larkin is more than that to Columbia baseball fans. To them, he’s the person who hit three home runs in one game, each to a different field, at Army. He’s the man who had three hits in a game nine times during his 40-game senior season (1984), who drove in five runs in a game once and four runs five times during that season, the man who began the season with two hits

in three at-bats, including a triple and home run in the season opener against New Hampshire, and never really let up. The North Bellmore, Long Island resident, son of a retired New York City police officer, batted .309 as a first-year, .344 as a sophomore, and .373 as a junior, improving his home run and run production each season as he grew more comfortable with switch-hitting, which Columbia coach Paul Fernandes convinced him to do. But no amount of improvement could have prepared the college baseball world for Larkin’s senior year. He batted .429 that year, breaking or tying 13 of a possible 16 records. He hit 19 home runs, breaking both the Columbia season record of eight (which had topped Lou Gehrig’s seven) and the career record of 16; drove in 62 runs, 29 more than the old record; his .371 career batting average tied the then-season record. The American College Baseball Coaches Association voted him the only eastern player to make first team All-America, and the first Columbia player since Archie Roberts in 1965. Drafted in the 20th round by the Twins, he never hit below .302 in three minor league seasons, and played seven years in the majors with the Twins. He earned two Wold Series rings, in 1987 and 1991, and retired in 1994.

Columbia - 36 - BASEBALL


columbia athletics hall of famers

Archie Roberts Inaugural Class 1965CC

The only two-sport individual to be honored in the inaugural class of the Columbia Athletics Hall of Fame, Archie Roberts embodied the true essence of the student-athlete. One of a very few Columbia student-athletes to letter in three sports, Roberts excelled at football, basketball and baseball while at Columbia and went on to become one of the country’s leading heart surgeons. Roberts was a rifle-armed shortstop who attracted the attention of major league scouts throughout his four years. As a senior in 1965, he batted .386 and led the nation in runs batted in with 30 in just 21 games! His .371 career batting average set a Columbia record; although it has been passed, he still ranks fourth all-time. The 1965 Met Player of the Year, he was first team All-Eastern League and All-East, and was named the first team All-American shortstop as a senior, a rare honor for a northern player (and one that would be duplicated by first team All-American third baseman Gene Larkin 19 years later). He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals, but chose pro football instead. A draft selection of the AFL’s New York Jets, he was signed by Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell to a unique contract. For four years, Roberts participated only in pre-season practice with the Browns; the rest of the time, he attended medical school at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, funded by the team.

A renowned teacher, Roberts was assistant professor of surgery at Northwestern University; associate professor and Chief, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, at the University of Nevada; associate professor and director of adult cardiac surgery at the University of Florida; professor and chairman of the Department of cardiothoracic Surgery at Boston University Medical Center; and clinical professor of surgery at Temple University. He headed the cardiac surgery departments at the Heart Institute of Northeast Pennsylvania and the Jersey Shore Medial Center. At Columbia, in addition to athletics, Roberts majored in chemistry, was a member of several on-campus councils and societies, and Alpha Chi Rho fraternity. He woke every morning at 6:30 a.m. to deliver newspapers to the dormitories. He was awarded the Rolker Prize for academic and athletic excellence (voted by his classmates), the Swede Nelson Award for sportsmanship, and the Morningside Brotherhood Award for his work in Morningside Park as a coach, instructor and supervisor. In 1987, the Columbia College Alumni Association bestowed its most prestigious award on Roberts, presenting him with the John Jay Award for distinguished achievement.

Rolando Acosta Second Class 1979CC

Coming from nearby DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx, Rolando Acosta quickly made his home on the mound at Columbia, becoming a two-time Pitcher of the Year (1978, 1979) in the Eastern Intercollegiate Baseball League, the precursor to the Ivy League. Although possessing little command of English when he arrived, he excelled at DeWitt Clinton, academically and athletically. He could have gone to several big-time collegiate baseball programs, but always knew he wanted to go to an Ivy League school. There were several possibilities, including Yale and Harvard, but “when I visited Morningside Heights, I fell in love with the place. I chose Columbia over everybody else.” Everyone in the Columbia baseball program knew they had recruited an all-city pitcher. Jim Bruno first realized what that would mean during indoor workouts, long before Acosta’s first season would begin. “We had a lot of hitters in our teams, but we always lacked a true pitcher. Rolando was a true pitcher. When we saw him throw in the gym, we knew we had a pitcher. We knew we could be competitive, at least.” “Competitive” would be a major improvement for the 1976 Columbia baseball team. The previous season, it had finished last in the league. Buoyed by the addition of Acosta and another local athlete, freshman outfielder Tony Ramirez, the baseball players really began to anticipate having a competitive team. Not the two newcomers, though.

”I remember how confident they were. We didn’t have the same confidence [at first]. We said they were just freshmen. But they didn’t care about the past. They just said, we’re not going to lose.” And they didn’t, not that year, as Columbia won the Eastern League with a 122 record and went to the NCAA Championships, not the year after, when they tied for the title. Acosta earned four straight All-Eastern League (and All-Ivy League) honors, first team three times. In both 1977 and 1979, he was the Eastern League pitcher of the year. He still holds Columbia records for career victories, 22, and season victories, 8, in 1979, his final season. His 198 career strikeouts are third-best. They were the principal reasons he will be inducted into the Columbia Athletics Hall of Fame this fall. But his athletic skills were not all he contributed to Columbia. He brought, and imparted, that inner confidence that could not help but rub off. It has always stood him in good stead. “That inner confidence,” he said, “allowed me to succeed.” Not only in athletics, “but in Columbia College and the Law School.” Acosta has been highly supportive of those two entities, a member of the alumni boards of both the College and Law School as well as a Latino alumni group. Former University President George Rupp awarded him the University Medal for Excellence in 2000.

Columbia - 37 - BASEBALL


columbia athletics hall of famers

Andy Coakley Second Class, posthumous Head Baseball Coach, 1915-51 It is nearly impossible to discuss Co-

ers during his tenure from 1915-51. Coakley came to Columbia

lumbia’s rich baseball history without

following his career as a professional baseball player which was

mentioning the name of Andy Coakley,

cut short by a contract dispute and an injury.

the second most winningest baseball coach in Columbia history. During his

Coakley played professionally for the Philadelphia Athletics, the

37 years as head coach of the Lions, Coakley posted a record

Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, and the New York Highlanders

of 306-289-11.

during his ten-year career. The right-handed pitcher helped the Athletics win the 1902 and 1905 American League pennants.

It took little time before his impact was felt on the baseball program

After his professional playing career ended, Coakley coached at

at Columbia. In 1916, just his second year at the helm of the team,

Williams College from 1911 to 1913 before arriving on Morning-

Coakley led his team to a 17-1-1 record.

side Heights.

The Eastern Intercollegiate Baseball League, made up of the eight

Among the honors that he garnered during his lifetime were being

Ivy League institutions, Army and Navy, was formed in 1930. Under

named to the Holy Cross Athletic Hall of Fame in 1958 and his

the guidance of Coakley, Columbia won the league championship

induction into the Helms Athletic Foundation Hall of Fame in 1954.

in 1933, 1934, and again in 1944.

Posthumously, Coakley was inducted into the Collegiate Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969.

Andy Coakley is best remembered as Lou Gehrig’s coach at Columbia University. However, he developed many baseball play-

Coakley died in 1963 in New York City at the age of 80.

Bruce Gehrke Second Class, posthumous 1948CC

Bruce Gehrke was a typical three-sport star coming out of Sewanhaka High School in Floral Park, Long Island, but it was football that eventually became paramount in Gehrke’s life. It was a good choice for the future Columbia great who eventually went on to play for his hometown New York Giants and spent several years coaching high school football and basketball on his native Long Island. Gehrke began his collegiate career at Columbia in September 1942. In his first year, he starred on the varsity football, basketball and baseball teams. The following year, Gehrke played shortstop for Columbia’s 1944 championship baseball team, while training for the Navy. Hugely popular among his teammates and fellow students, Gehrke had that intangible flair for color that made him a crowd pleaser. His play, in every sport, was daring and spectacular, with little regard for personal safety, yet he was as crafty a competitor as anyone could have been.

Even competition in three varsity sports couldn’t fill Gehrke’s appetite for athletics, so he coached his fraternity basketball team in intramural play. Gehrke’s college career was cut into two parts when he spent a year with the Navy overseas in Okinawa during World War II. He returned to Columbia for his junior year in September 1946. In his senior year, Gehrke played a major role in Columbia’s 2120 victory over Army, regarded as one of the greatest Columbia Football games ever played. One of Columbia’s most versatile athletes ever, Gehrke is the last Lion athlete to have lettered all four years in three different varsity sports, other than track and cross country athletes. Gehrke graduated from Columbia in 1948, finishing a phenomenal career that included a league title in baseball, two in basketball as well as some of the Lions’ most successful football seasons.

Columbia - 38 - BASEBALL


first televised sporting event

Columbia vs. Princeton:

The First Televised Sporting Event In 1939, Columbia made history by partaking in the world’s first televised sporting event. On May 17, NBC broadcast the Lions as they hosted Princeton at Andy Coakley Field. A single TV camera, perched precariously on a wooden stand overlooking the stadium, broadcast the contest throughout the U.S. over the network’s experimental station, W2XBS. Fewer than 400 television sets were in use at the time and there were no network facilities. Princeton won the first game, 8-6, but the televised half of the doubleheader was much more exciting. The Lions’ Hector Dowd, pitched the entire 10-inning contest that Princeton eventually won, 2-1. In what would be the last inning, the Tigers’ hurler, Dan Carmichael, singled and came around to score a few batters later.

Columbia’s 1939 Roster

Joseph Anderofsky Alfred Bongiorno John Desmond Hector Dowd George Johnson George Krausse Peter Lambert Berndt Lindgren Sydney Luckman Fred Papsdorf Kenneth Pill Pennington E. Meyer Francis Murphy Harold Naidus Arthur Radvilas Duncan Reid Robert Richmond George Allen Smith Jr. William Stickel Robert Stoltz John Taylor (mgr.)

NBC must have been satisfied with its experiment because, later that summer, it aired the first major league baseball game, and then in the fall, the first college football game.

COLUMBIA BASEBALL 1939

Princeton’s 1939 Roster

Daniel Carmichael Norman Cosby Dawson Farber Frederick Foote Jack Gefaell Ashby Harper Mark Hill Brooks Jones Bill Moore Stanley Pearson Richard Plumer Ben Tate

Columbia - 39 - BASEBALL


robertson field On April 26, 2008, a special ceremony between games of the Penn doubleheader took place to rename Columbia’s home field as Robertson Field. October 12, 2007 marked the official launch of the Columbia Campaign for Athletics: Achieving Excellence. The campaign reflects a deep and shared commitment to athletics among the University community. One of the main goals for the campaign is to build world-class facilities that foster championship performances. Thanks to Hal Robertson ‘81SEAS, this goal has become a reality for the Columbia baseball team. “I thought about how much the university has meant to me over the last 30 years and thought it was the right thing to do,” said Robertson. “Columbia gave me my start to my professional career and this was an opportunity to give back.”

of a factor, and the team was able to practice outdoors all but five days in February. In the past, the Lions have been forced to spend most of their pre-season indoors due to harsh Northeast winters, something Robertson experienced first-hand. Robertson is a former two-sport student-athlete for Columbia. Not only was he a defensive back for the Lions’ football squad, he started at second base for the baseball team and served as Columbia’s co-captain during his senior year. As a sophomore, Robertson received All-Ivy League recognition after hitting .328 with 24 runs batted in and seven home runs in just 30 games. His seven home runs equaled Lou Gehrig’s 1923 total, and ranked second in single-season school history at the time.

Robertson flew to New York on the morning of the launch, which also happened to be Homecoming Weekend, still undecided on whether or not he would go ahead with his pledge. That afternoon, he spent an hour walking around Columbia’s campus, revisiting memories from his college years. It was then, one hour before the campaign launch, that he decided to make a pledge to Dr. M. Dianne Murphy, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education. He called his wife, Katie, and she fully supported his decision. “I walked over to Dianne’s office, not knowing if she would be there,” explained Robertson. Luckily, she was, and he told her he would make the commitment, pledging $1 million for the new baseball field. Thanks to Robertson’s generous donation, the baseball team was able to install a state-of-the-art artificial surface. The surface is a hybrid fiber, rubber and sand infill blend designed to have a more consistent feel. It covers both the infield and outfield, with the only dirt covering the mound and home plate.

Paul Fernandes took over the reigns of the Columbia baseball team in Robertson’s first year. “As a new coach, I wanted to build upon the success of the 1976 team,” explains Fernandes. “I could build upon it with people like Hal.” Almost thirty years later, it is no surprise to Fernandes that Robertson continues to help bring the baseball program to the next level. Robertson began his career as an industrial engineer in the food processing industry in Cincinnati after graduating in 1981 with a degree in industrial engineering. For the next several years, Robertson worked in the banking industry while he pursued a master’s in finance at the University of Cincinnati at night. Upon completion of his degree, he went on to work for a Fortune 200 company where he managed the corporate data center. Two years after he began consulting in the banking industry, Robertson founded Methods Research, Inc. In addition to this company, he is also majority owner of his own home building business, Heartwood Builders, LLC. Hal and his wife, Katie, live in Cincinnati with their five children.

“Hal has taken the facilities for Columbia Baseball to the top of the Ivy League,” noted head coach Brett Boretti. “Having a great facility is extremely important in the recruiting process and also in the everyday teaching capability of our staff. We now feel we have the best facility in order to teach our guys as best as we can.” The FieldTurf™ surface is more resilient than a grass field, allowing the team more practice opportunities during the offseason. With the installation of the new field, weather became less

Columbia - 40 - BASEBALL


administration

lee c. bollinger President, Columbia University

Lee C. Bollinger was named President of Columbia University in June 2002. He is also on the faculty of Columbia’s Law School. From November 1996 to 2002, he was the President of the University of Michigan. He also served as Provost, and Professor of Government, at Dartmouth College from 1994 to 1996; and from 1987 to 1994 he was the Dean of the University of Michigan Law School. A leading scholar on free speech and First Amendment issues, he is the author of numerous books, articles and essays on these subjects, and he teaches an undergraduate course, “Freedom of Speech and Press” at Columbia each year. Bollinger is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a member of the American Philosophical Society. He is a director of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, a trustee of the Kresge Foundation, and a Governor of the Royal Shakespeare Company of Great Britain. Bollinger was the named defendant in the twin Supreme Court cases—Gratz v. Bollinger and Grutter v. Bollinger (2003)—which respectively affirmed and clarified diversity as a compelling justification for affirmative action. For this leadership, he received the National Humanitarian Award from the National Conference for Community and Justice and the National Equal Justice Award from the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. He received the Clark Kerr Award, the highest award conferred by the faculty of the University of California, Berkeley, for his service to higher education, especially on matters of freedom of speech and diversity. Since graduating from the University of Oregon and Columbia Law School, where he was an Articles Editor of the Law Review, he has earned several honorary degrees. After serving as law clerk for Judge Wilfred Feinberg on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the Chief Justice Warren Burger on the United States Supreme Court, he joined the University of Michigan Law School faculty in 1973. Bollinger was born in Santa Rosa, California, and raised there and in Baker, Oregon. He is married to artist Jean Magnano Bollinger, and they have two children.

President Bollinger spoke at the kickoff of The Columbia Campaign for Athletics: Achieving Excellence in October, 2007

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administration

Dr. M. Dianne Murphy

Director, Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education When Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger set out to hire a new athletics director in 2004, he knew he needed someone with the vision to attain national excellence and put Columbia Athletics on par with the rest of the University, one of the greatest in the world. Five years later, there is little doubt that Dr. M. Dianne Murphy was the perfect fit for Columbia.

The Lions’ trend of success continued in 2007-08, when four Columbia teams won Ivy League championships, including the first title in nine years for men’s golf and the first in 31 years for baseball. To cap a memorable year, Murphy was named the Football Championship Subdivision Administrator of the Year by the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators. In 2008-09, men’s golf and men’s tennis continued their excellence within the Ivy League as the Lions won their second straight Ivy League title in men’s golf and the second league championship in three years in men’s tennis.

Now beginning her sixth full year as Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education, Murphy has presided over the three most successful years in recent Columbia Athletics history, including tangible improvements in football, men and women’s basketball, and a combined 11 Ivy League titles over the past three years – the most in any three-year span in school history.

Murphy came to Columbia after six years as Director of Athletics and Recreation at the University of Denver, where she led the Pioneers’ program from NCAA Division II to one of the nation’s top Division I athletics programs. Under Murphy’s leadership, eight Denver sport programs made NCAA tournament appearances and, on four occasions, Denver teams won a national title. In 2003-04, Denver enjoyed its best season when it won the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship, placed third in the NCAA Skiing Championship, and advanced to NCAA tournaments in women’s soccer, women’s tennis, and men and women’s golf.

Murphy has been Columbia University’s Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education since November 2004. In five years at the helm of the athletics program at Columbia, she has demonstrated the same passion and commitment to achieving excellence in intercollegiate athletics that has marked her entire career as an athletics administrator. She has overseen a number of initiatives aimed at transforming the experience of Columbia’s more than 800 student-athletes. She has undertaken a complete strategic planning process aimed at shortand long-term excellence in athletics.

The scope of Denver’s athletics excellence was recognized nationally through the United States Sports Academy’s Directors’ Cup, which recognized the best overall athletics programs in the nation, determined by an award of points based on teams’ finishes. The University of Denver finished among the nation’s top third of athletics programs in each of its six years since becoming a Division I member in 1998-99. In 2004, the Pioneers set a University record when they finished 58th in the Directors’ Cup, in the top 20 percent of all NCAA Division I schools.

She has attracted several new high-level head coaches and administrators to the program, and spearheaded the creation of the Columbia Athletics Hall of Fame, which had its inaugural ceremony on February 18, 2006. The second Athletics Hall of Fame class was inducted on October 2, 2008.

Denver’s athletics program served as a model for national and regional academic, as well as athletics, excellence. The Pioneers gained numerous academic honors, among them the Sun Belt Conference Graduation Rate Award, which it earned for five consecutive years.

During the 2008-09 academic year, Murphy spearheaded the celebration of the Columbia-Barnard Athletic Consortium Silver Anniversary, honoring 25 years of women’s athletics at Columbia. She also initiated the Leaders for Life program, designed to provide comprehensive leadership training to student-athlete representatives from all 29 of Columbia’s varsity sports programs. In 2006-07, women’s golf won an Ivy League title in just its fourth season as a varsity program, and women’s soccer won its first-ever Ivy League crown. The All-American Football Foundation recognized the success of the football program under Murphy, and, in March 2007, selected her as one of two recipients of the General Robert R. Neyland Outstanding Athletic Director Award for excellence in football.

Dr. M. Dianne Murphy with the Head Coaches of the 2008-09 Ivy League Team and Individual Champions. (L-R) Head Cross Country and Track & Field Coach Willy Wood; Director of Golf and Head Men’s Golf Coach Rich Mueller; Head Women’s Swimming and Diving Coach Diana Caskey; The Columbia Tennis Alumni and Friends Head Coach of Men’s Tennis Bid Goswami

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administration

AWARDS AND HONORS • Launched the largest capital campaign for Athletics in the history of Columbia University, the $100 Million Columbia Campaign for Athletics: Achieving Excellence (2007) • Established the Columbia Athletics Hall of Fame (2006) • Established The Leaders for Life program, a comprehensive leadership training program for student-athlete leaders (2008) • Serves on NCAA Athletics Certification Committee, 2006-present • Serves on Board of Directors for the Women’s Collegiate Sports Awards, the organization that presents the Honda Award and the Honda-Broderick Cup, 2007-present • Named NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Administrator of the Year, National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators, 2008 • Named General Robert R. Neyland Outstanding Athletics Director Award for excellence in football, 2007 • Served on NCAA Diversity Leadership Strategic Planning Committee, 2006-07 • Named Grad Made Good, The Florida State University, 2005 • Earned Distinguished Alumna Award, Tennessee Technological University, 2005 • Appointed to NCAA Division I Gambling Task Force, 2004-05 • Chosen General Sports Turf West Region Athletic Director of the Year, National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics, 2004 • Serves on State Farm Wade Trophy Selection Committee, presented annually to the top collegiate women’s basketball student-athlete in NCAA Division I, 2003present • Selected Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s Administrator of the Year, 2003-04 • Served as the President of the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators, 2002-03 • Elected chair of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Issues Committee, 2002-04 • Named NCAA Division I-AAA Athletics Administrator of the Year, National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators, 2001 • Earned Senior Sports Administrator Award, All-American Football

Prior to joining the University of Denver, Murphy served as associate athletics director and senior woman administrator at Cornell University from 1995 to 1998. She oversaw nine Division I sports, marketing and promotions, sports information and alumni and booster activities. She helped hire football and basketball coaches and was an advocate for the coaches. Cornell enhanced its equity initiatives and increased its fundraising revenues under her guidance. From 1988 to 1995, she was the assistant athletics director at The University of Iowa, serving as the university’s lead administrator for external activities. She worked on behalf of Iowa’s coaches, and was effective in enhancing a strong compliance program. Murphy began her athletics administrative career in 1987-88 as the assistant athletics director at Kentucky State University. From 1986 to 1988, she chaired the school’s Division of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, served as an associate professor and advised undergraduate students. Prior to becoming an athletics administrator, Murphy coached basketball for 13 years. She was the head women’s basketball coach at Shorter College (1973-76), Florida State University (1976-79) and Eastern Kentucky University (1979-86). Murphy was named the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Administrator of the Year in 2004. She chaired the NCAA Division I Basketball Issues Committee from 2002 to 2004 and currently is a member of the State Farm Wade Trophy Women’s Basketball Player of the Year Committee. She also served on the NCAA Certification and Diversity Committee and the Board of Directors for the Women’s Collegiate Sports Awards, the organization that presents the Honda Award and the Honda-Broderick Cup. She is active in several national organizations, including the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators (NACWAA), the National Association of College Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and the WBCA. She was named NACWAA’s Division I (Football Championship Subdivision) National Administrator of the Year for 2007-08 and served as NACWAA’s president during 2002-03. In 2004, NACDA honored her as the General Sports Turf West Athletic Director of the Year. The All-American Football Foundation has presented her with the Senior Sports Administrator Award. At Columbia, she helped initiate the University’s Sports Management master’s degree program. She serves on the faculty as an instructor. Murphy holds a Ph.D. in administration and curriculum from Florida State (1980), and master’s (1973) and bachelor’s (1972) degrees from Tennessee Technological University. The Tennessee Tech Alumni Association honored her with its 2005 Distinguished Alumna Award. Florida State presented her with its ”Grad Made Good“ award at its 2005 Homecoming.

Murphy poses with senior football player M.A. Olawale at the Columbia-Barnard Athletic Consortium Silver Anniversary Gala Luncheon

She lives in Manhattan, near the Columbia campus.

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