A Diamond Legacy: Exploring the History of Bryant University Baseball
The Bryant University baseball program boasts a history rich with tradition, development, and a growing presence in collegiate baseball. From its humble beginnings in the late 1960s to its current status as a Division I competitor, the program has consistently strived for excellence, producing talented players and achieving notable success on the field.
Early Years and Formation (1969-1986)
The Bryant University baseball program officially began in 1969. Under the guidance of head coach Bill Stein, the team posted a 5-14 record in its inaugural season. The following year saw improvement, with the Bulldogs achieving an 11-8 record. During these initial years, Bryant competed in the College Division's Southern New England Conference (SNEC).
For its first three seasons, Bryant was located in Providence; Stein coached the team in all three seasons before moving to Georgetown to become an assistant men's basketball coach under John Thompson. The school hired Steve Thornton to replace Stein. The school did not sponsor a team in 1974 or 1976, but in the three seasons Thornton did coach (1972, 1973, and 1975), Bryant went 26-28 overall. In the middle of this stretch, in August 1973, the NCAA reorganized its divisions. Prior to then, the NCAA had competed in two divisions, a large-school University Division and a small-school College Division. Following the reorganization, the University Division became Division I, while the College Division split into Division II and Division III.
A significant milestone occurred in 1976 when Keith MacWhorter became the program's first MLB draft selection, chosen by the Dodgers in the 15th round. Former Providence hockey player Bob Reall coached the team from 1977 to 1978. The team went a combined 11-41. Another Providence alumnus, Michael McGuinn, was the head coach from 1979 to 1983. The program had its worst season in McGuinn's first year, going 1-22. The team suffered two 18-run losses (22-4 to New Haven and 18-0 to Eastern Connecticut) but also lost five one-run games. Bryant was a founding member of the Northeast-7 Conference in the 1980-81 academic year.
Earl Matthewson took over as head coach in 1984 and remained until 1986. During his tenure, he achieved an impressive overall record of 58-32-1 and earned the Northeast-10 Coach of the Year award in all three seasons. The 1985 team finished with a 21-11 record, narrowly losing to Stonehill in the NE-10 title game. In 1986, Bryant went 22-11-1, won the NE-10, and qualified for its first NCAA tournament.
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Continued Growth and Development (1987-2008)
Following Matthewson's departure, Dale O'Dell coached the team from 1987 to 1990. Under his leadership, two players received major conference awards in 1987: Tony Garganese was named NE-10 Player of the Year, and Bob Heinzemann was named Freshman of the Year. Heinzemann was the fourth consecutive Bulldog to win the award (Garganese won it in 1985).
Bryant alumnus and Rhode Island assistant Jon Sjogren became the program's head coach after O'Dell. The Bulldogs went 13-17 in Sjogren's first season. Outfielder Glenn Tatro became Bryant's second draftee when the Orioles picked him in the 25th round. In 1997, facility problems plagued the team, which had to play 42 of its 43 games on the road. It finished the season with a 21-22 record. In 1998, Bryant reached its second NCAA tournament after winning the NE-10's regular season title. It went 1-2 at the Northeast Regional, notching its first tournament win with a 10-inning, 7-6 defeat of UMass Lowell in the opening game.
The program experienced a period of significant growth under head coach Jon Sjogren, who led the team from 1991 to 2005. Sjogren emphasized a focus on the fundamentals of the game. For the 2003 season, the Northeast-10 switched from metal to wooden baseball bats. Sjogren said of the decision, "We did it for the sake of the game, to make it cleaner and return it to the way it was meant to be played. Bryant's 2004 team made the program's deepest postseason run, going 40-17 and reaching the College World Series. The team used wooden bats during the regular season in accordance with NE-10 rules, then switched to metal bats for the NCAA postseason. Bryant hosted the Northeast Regional, which it won with a 3-1 record, defeating Dowling in the championship game. At the Division II World Series in Montgomery, Bryant won its opener against Rollins, then lost games to Grand Valley State and Central Missouri and was eliminated. B.J. Gagnon, who had been named the regionals MVP, was named to the All-World Series Team.
After the 2005 season, Sjogren left to become the head coach at Rollins, where he replaced Bob Rikeman, who had left to become the head coach at Newberry. Bryant hired Assumption head coach Jamie Pinzino to replace him. Bryant went 18-33 in Pinzino's first season but made back-to-back NCAA tournaments in 2007 and 2008. Both times, it lost to Franklin Pierce in the Northeast Regional finals. Pitcher Eric Loh of the 2007 team received several major awards: ABCA Division II All-American, ABCA Northeast Region Pitcher of the Year, and NE-10 Pitcher of the Year.
Transition to Division I and Continued Success (2009-Present)
Bryant joined the NCAA Division I in the 2009 season. Playing as an independent, the Bulldogs went 32-22. Shortstop Pat McKenna was drafted by the Tigers following the season. In 2010, Bryant won the NEC regular season title with a 25-7 conference record. It won three of the NEC's four major awards: Pinzino was named Coach of the Year, Kevin Brown Rookie of the Year, and Brent Almeida Pitcher of the Year. Following the season, Pinzino was involved in an incident that led to his resignation. At a postseason athletic department barbecue in May, Pinzino became intoxicated, got in a fight with an assistant baseball coach on Bryant's baseball field, and was confrontational with police when they arrived at the scene. Pinzino was arrested and charged with three misdemeanors (simple assault, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest).
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The program experienced a turning point with the arrival of Steve Owens as head coach. Owens came from Le Moyne, which had left Division I for Division II the same offseason. Owens instilled a culture of hard work, development, and belief in the program's potential. Karinchak, James said "I wasn't heavily recruited, but he (Head Coach Steve Owens) sold the program like I've never heard it sold before. I think it's more development, too. A lot of us weren't recruited by the LSUs. He developed us into great baseball players. He made us believe in ourselves."
In Owens's second season, 2012, Bryant won another NEC regular season title, going 33-21 (24-8 NEC). In 2013, Bryant set a program wins record and reached its first Division I NCAA tournament. The Bulldogs had a 40-15-1 regular season that included a 19-game winning streak from March 22 to April 16. For the third time, the team won three NEC major awards, with Owens the Coach of the Year, AJ Zarozny the Rookie of the Year, and Brown the Player of the Year. The team lost its opener in the NEC tournament to Long Island, then won four games in a row to win the tournament and the NEC's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. As the third seed in the Manhattan Regional, Bryant defeated Arkansas in the opener before losing consecutive games. They finished the season at 45-18-1. Owens was named the ABCA Northeast Region Coach of the Year. Brown was named a Third-Team All-American by the ABCA, and five players were named First-Team All-New England.
In 2014, Bryant reached a second consecutive NCAA tournament. After a 39-14 regular season. Owens won his second conference Coach of the Year award; Craig Schlitter won Pitcher of the Year and Matt Albanese Rookie of the Year. The Bulldogs swept through the NEC tournament, defeating Wagner, Central Connecticut, and Sacred Heart to win the title. As the third seed at the Baton Rouge Regional, Bryant went 0-2, losing two one-run games. Owens was named the ABCA Northeast Region Coach of the Year for the second year in a row.
Bryant has appeared in the NCAA Division I baseball tournament four times.
Facilities and Coaching Staff
Bryant has played at Conaty Park since it was built for the 2000 season. Prior to being dedicated to alumni donor Bill Conaty on April 28, 2012, it was known as the Bryant Baseball Complex. In 2004, the facility hosted the Division II Northeast Regional, which included Bryant, Saint Anselm, Dowling, and Caldwell.
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Since its first season in 1969, Bryant has had nine head coaches. Bill Stein, who held the position from 1969 to 1971, was the program's first head coach.
Notable Players and Draft Selections
Throughout its history, the Bryant University baseball program has produced several talented players who have gone on to professional careers. In 1976, Keith MacWhorter became the program's first MLB draft selection when the Dodgers picked him in the 15th round. One Bulldog was selected in the 2010 MLB draft. Catcher Jeff Vigurs was taken in the 22nd round by the Chicago Cubs. In 2014, a record four Bulldogs were selected in the MLB draft. Pitcher Kevin McAvoy, chosen by Boston in the fourth round, became the program's highest draft pick. Outfielder Carl Anderson (Pittsburgh) and catcher Tom Gavitt (Oakland) were selected with consecutive picks in the 19th round. Did you know that there were three former Bryant University ballplayers who made it to the majors?
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