Alphabetical List of Wall of Famers
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Mark Anderson '81
C. Everett Bacon - 1913
Bob Barringer '84
William Bixby '56
Jeff Blout '14
Charles L. Bonnell -1868
Will Brandenburger '95
Craig Brewer '93
John Brown '85
Rick Burpee '75
Dave Bushnell '02
Derek Butts '94
Jesse Carpenter '96
Jon Churchill '96
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Mark Consorte '92
Rob Coughlin '07
Norm Daniels -Coach 1941-73
Dave Darling '59
Drew Dominguez '09
Steve Donovan '83
Dave Durian '75
Roy Fazendeiro '65
Christian Fratasio '00
Paul Gallo '89
Joe Giaimo '11
Joe Grasso '86
Jeff Hopkins '66
Peter Hicks '72
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Cliff Hordlow '58
Jed Hoyer '96
Steve Humphrey '63
John Hurley '91
Will James '02
Pat Kiley '79
Pete Kostacopoulos -Coach 74-01
Les Lanning - 1916
Jacques Legette '68
Jim Lukowski '89
Jeffrey Maier '06
Walter MacNaughten - 1900
Doug Mannen '82
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Jim Martello '69
Jim Maynard '88
Jim McGarry '80
Sean McKeown '77
Tom Miceli '81
Todd Mogren '83
Stephen Henry Olin -1866
Sam Player '91
Alan Poon '76
Bill Robinson '03
Phil Rockwell '65
'78Kevin Rose
Peter Sipples '64
Edwin O. Smith - 1893
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Fred Stone '59
Ike Terrell - 1902
Bill Trapp '65
Brad Vanacore '77
Chris Vane '75
Dave Vanech '03
Mike Volpe '00
John Vrooman '65
Frank Waters '70
Wells John - 1931
Barbara-Jan Wilson -82-19
Tom Young '59
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WESLEYAN BASEBALL WALL OF FAME
2014 Inductees (Inaugural Class)
May 3, 2014 |
Fred Stone '59
ABCA All-American 1959
A third baseman, Fred hit .414 his senior year. In 14 games, he recorded 24 hits, including five doubles, two triples and one home run. In three seasons, he had a .342 career average. In 1959, the Cardinals went 11-2-1 and won Little Three titles in both his junior and senior years.
Jeff Hopkins '66
MLB Draft-N.Y. Yankees 1966
A standout pitcher and left-fielder, he is the only player ever drafted by a Major League Baseball organization in Wesleyan's history. Jeff hit .366 his senior year with eight walks and only two strikeouts on a team that went 9-4. His sophomore year, he hit .341 for a 14-2 team. The Cardinals won Little Three titles in all three of his seasons, from 1964 to 1966.
Peter Hicks '72
Academic All-American 1972
Peter had a standout senior year at third base, and combined with his outstanding academic work, earned Academic All-America honors. He hit .393 with only one strikeout in 61 at-bats and helped the Cardinals to a 10-5 record.
Rick Burpee '75
ABCA All-American 1974, 1975
Rick was a two-time winner of Wesleyan's MacNaughten Award. In his junior year, he led all of college baseball with 1.5 RBI's per game and had four triples and two home runs. That same year, the Cardinals went 14-7 and won the ECAC championship over Amherst.
Mark Anderson '81
ABCA All-American 1980
A shortstop, Mark was named All-American as a junior after hitting .375 with eight doubles and three home runs. He finished his career with a .333 batting average and helped lead the Cardinals to two ECAC tournament appearances and a Little Three title.
Craig Brewer '95
ABCA All-American 1994
Craig recorded 23 straight victories - at the time, the NCAA Division III record. His junior year, he went 12-0 with a 2.09 ERA and won two games in the Division III College World Series. He finished his career with a 29-4 record and a 2.94 ERA. His Cardinal teams won four straight Little Three titles.
Pete Kostacopoulos - Coach 1974-2001
New England Coach of the Year 1983, 1994
Coach Kosty skippered the Cardinals for 28 seasons, winning 11 Little Three titles, including six straight from 1991 to 1996. His 1994 team was the NCAA New England champ and finished second place in the Division III College World Series. He coached eight All-New England and All-America players, and won ECAC titles in 1974 and 1992.
Teammates and fellow members of the Wesleyan Baseball Wall of Fame:
Tom Young '59, Fred Stone '59, Dave Darling '59
2015 Inductees (Inaugural Class)
May 1, 2015 |
Dave Darling '59
Dave was a standout first baseman on fantastic Cardinal teams that won Little Three titles in his junior and senior years and went 24-4-1 over those two seasons. As a senior, he hit .348 with two home runs. He also played in the Cape Cod League with fellow teammate, catcher Tom Young. A Middletown native, he is a charter member of the Middletown Sports Hall of Fame.
Peter Sipples '64
Peter was at the center of some very successful seasons for the Cardinals at shortstop and in the middle of the batting order. He helped lead his teams to Little Three titles in his junior and senior seasons, with overall records of 11-3 and 14-2 respectively. He hit .375 as a sophomore, and as a senior, he hit .333 and incredibly only struck out once in 66 at-bats.
Dave Durian '75
Dave dominated on the mound from the moment he stepped on the field at Wesleyan. The left-handed pitcher had an amazing 1.93 career ERA in 186 innings, and won 16 games. In his junior year, the Cardinals won the ECAC championship with Dave recording three shutout innings to get the save over Amherst.
Jim Lukowski '89
Jim was a leader and his impact on Wesleyan athletics was immeasurable. A four-year starter and standout hitter as a third baseman, and a four-year clutch starting pitcher, he also was a four-year starting quarterback for the football team. Jim graduated with Wesleyan's career batting average record (.383), and he recorded 21 wins on the mound with a 3.21 ERA. His teams won two Little Three titles, and made the ECAC tourney three times.
Mark Consorte '92
Mark was an elite hitter, culminating in being named first-team All-New England in his senior season. Affectionately known as "King Cardinal," he is Wesleyan's all-time home run king with 22 career homers, and is third all-time in career batting average (.380). He won two Little Three titles, and in his standout senior year (.410, 5 HR's), he helped lead the Cardinals to the New England ECAC title.
Bill Robinson '03
Bill graduated as Wesleyan's career hits leader with 168, achieving the record in his final at-bat with a double off the fence. He had a .352 career batting average with 45 doubles and 16 home runs. A standout shortstop with a strong arm, he also was a clutch pitcher, completely shutting down Williams and Amherst in both his junior and senior seasons. Bill helped lead the Cardinals to two Little Three titles.
Norm Daniels - Coach 1941-1973
Norm was a beloved coach and legend who inspired everyone who had the fortune of being coached by him at Wesleyan. He was an All-American in basketball at the University of Michigan, a second baseman in baseball, and halfback for the football team, where he played in the very first game in their famous stadium, "The Big House." Starting at Wesleyan in 1934, he was the football coach for 19 years, including recording 25 straight wins. But it was in his 33 years as baseball coach where his easy manner is remembered fondly, including his positive refrain, "You can do it." His teams won 10 Little Three titles, and he was one of the first coaches to bring his baseball teams down south for spring break. He was also a vanguard in civil rights before it was fashionable to do so, refusing to play an opponent when they balked at the race of one of Wesleyan's players.
The Wall of Fame Class of 2015: Coach Mark Woodworth '94, Peter Sipples, '64, Dave Durian '75, Bill Robinson '00, Dave Darling '59, Jim Lukowski '89, Mark Consorte '92
2016 Inductees
May 6, 2016 |
Tom Young '59
Tom was the captain and catcher for a great Class of 1959 team that went 24-4-1 in his junior and senior years and won two Little Three titles. He batted .354 his senior year, as well as played in the Cape Cod League, but it was his leadership that led the way. Following Wesleyan, he was the long-time baseball coach at the Berkshire School, where the field is named after him. Tom also coached fellow inductee Jesse Carpenter '96, as well as current Wesleyan senior Wilson Flower '16 when they were in high school.
Phil Rockwell '65
Phil was an ace left-handed pitcher and co-captain for the Cardinals and was part of two Little Three champion teams including a 14-2 squad in 1964. He went 8-1 in his career with a 3.03 ERA, including 5-1 with a 2.35 ERA as a senior. He dominated against Williams and Amherst in both his junior and senior years as well as beat Yale. The 1965 MacNaughten Award winner, he played for Wareham in the Cape Cod League. Also a standout football player, he was a tight end and kicker for the Cardinals.
Kevin Rose '78
Kevin had a storied career at the plate for Wesleyan, culminating in being named First-Team All-New England as a senior. He had a .352 career batting average and his .442 average as a sophomore is the second-best season ever. He had seven career home runs, as well as six triples in his senior year and was named the 1978 MacNaughten Award winner. Kevin played in the Cape Cod League, as well as professional baseball with the Newark Bears. His son Danny is a current member of the Wesleyan team in the class of 2019.
Steve Donovan '83
Steve graduated as Wesleyan's all-time hit leader, completing a fantastic career both individually and as part of a great run of teams. A centerfielder, he helped lead his squad to two Little Three titles, three ECAC tournament appearances, and a sparkling 24-6 record in his senior year. He had a .346 career batting average with 152 hits, 32 doubles, eight triples and 10 home runs. His senior year, he hit .393 with five home runs.
Todd Mogren '83
Todd had a storied career on the mound and was honored in being named First-Team All-New England as a senior. He still holds two Wesleyan records - for appearances in a season (20) and career innings (289.1), In his senior year, he went 11-1 with a 2.57 ERA in 84 innings. The 1983 MacNaughten Award winner, he won two Little Three titles and pitched the Cardinals to victory over Yale in both his junior and senior seasons.
Jesse Carpenter '96
Jesse has the highest single-season batting average in Wesleyan history at .446, and for that standout season, was named First-Team All-New England in 1995. A third baseman, his career batting average of .379 is third all-time in school history, and he finished with 30 doubles, four triples, and seven home runs. His three hits and home run in the New England NCAA championship game catapulted the Cardinals to the 1994 World Series. Jesse's teams won four-straight Little Three titles and he was named the 1996 MacNaughten Award winner.
Christian Frattasio '00
Christian was a four-year starter for the Cardinals and was a leader and outstanding player for Wesleyan. The left-handed hitting infielder, he had a sparkling .354 career batting average, and graduated fourth all-time in career hits with 146. He had 38 career doubles, as well as six triples and six home runs. He was named First-Team All-NESCAC as a senior, while leading his squad to a Little Three title. He currently serves as the President of the Friends of Wesleyan Baseball.
The 2016 Wesleyan Baseball Wall of Fame Induction Ceremony:
Mark Woodworth '94, Phil Rockwell '65, Jesse Carpenter '96, Tom Young '59, Steve Donovan '83, Tood Mogren '83, Christian Frattasio '00, Kevin Rose '78, Mike Whalen '83
2017 Inductees
May 5, 2017 |
Cliff Hordlow '58
Cliff was a leader on the mound for the Cardinals, pitching all the big games in an incredible 13-2 season his senior year. He was brilliant on the mound, going 7-0 with a 1.39 ERA, allowing only 40 hits in 71 innings while striking out 72 batters. He beat both Amherst and Williams twice, as well as UConn and Yale. The Cardinals won the Little Three title his senior year and he joins his teammates from the Class of 1959, Tom Young, Dave Darling and Fred Stone in the Wall of Fame.
Jim Martello '69
A dominant and durable force on the mound for the Cardinals, Jim is one of Wesleyan's all-time greats as a pitcher. The stats are clear: He had a career 2.14 ERA with 193 strikeouts in 223 innings. His senior year, he started 10 of his team's 16 games, striking out 67 batters in an incredible 96 innings, with a 2.63 ERA. He saved his best for Amherst and Williams though, going an amazing 8-1 over three years with a 0.72 ERA with 71 strikeouts in 88 innings. The highlight was undoubtedly an absolutely stunning performance against Amherst where he threw a complete 16 shutout innings, allowing only seven hits and two walks in a 1-0 Wesleyan victory. He won the MacNaughten Award as a senior.
Chris Vane '75
Chris had an outstanding career as a four-year starting centerfielder for the Cardinals. He was the rare player who batted third in the lineup as a freshman, a credit to his outstanding hitting ability. An on-base machine, he had a career .442 on-base-percentage and incredibly only struck out 26 times in 258 at-bats. His junior year, he hit .346 with 24 walks and only four strikeouts. Chris joins his classmates David Durian and Rick Burpee in the Wall of Fame, as they were instrumental in leading the program to 15-7 and 14-7 records in their junior and senior years, as well as winning the ECAC title over Amherst on their home field in 1974.
Tom Miceli '81
Tom was an outstanding hitter and four-year starter for the Cardinals, including leading the team in hitting his senior year with a .352 average. A second-baseman, Tom was in the heart of the order as his Cardinal teams won both the Little Three and ECAC titles his junior year. As a senior, he won the MacNaughten Award. Both his sons played baseball at Wesleyan, with Tommy Jr. '12 hitting a home run in his first career at-bat, and Nick '17 being named All-NESCAC as an excellent pitcher and catcher for the Cardinals.
Jed Hoyer '96
Jed had an outstanding career, highlighed by being a standout at four different unique positions. As a hitter, he had a career .364 batting average, including batting .424 his junior year, while also being an excellent defender at shortstop, left-field, and even at catcher. As a pitcher, he was on the mound as a closer when Wesleyan won the New England NCAA Regional, while also being a starting pitcher who had a career 2.46 ERA, a record of 7-1, and 11 career saves, including seven in his senior year. Incredibly, he started and was the winning pitcher in both games of a doubleheader against Williams in his junior year. His Cardinal teams won four-straight Little Three titles, and advanced to the NCAA World Series. He won the MacNaughten Award as a junior and also played in the Cape Cod League.
Jeffrey Maier '06
A four-year starter, Jeff was an outstanding hitter from the day he stepped on campus, graduating as Wesleyan's all-time leader in hits with 189 and a career average of .375. He batted over .400 twice, including a standout sophomore year where he hit .403 with five home runs, and his senior year where he hit .409 with an exceptional .472 on-base-percentage. An elite baserunner, he also covered a lot of ground in centerfield before serving the team by playing an excellent third base and being instrumental in helping the Cardinals to the NESCAC tournament in 2005. Jeff won the MacNaughten Award for baseball excellence in his senior year.
2018 Inductees
May 4, 2018 |
William Bixby '56
Bill was the definitive ace on the mound for three years for the Cardinals, leading them to two Little Three titles. He particularly stood out against Amherst and Williams, beating them a combined seven times. As a sophomore, he had a 0.87 ERA with a 6-3 record in 93 innings with seven complete games. He won numerous clutch games, including a 2-1 win over UConn, a two-hitter vs. Amherst as a sophomore, and a 2-1 win over Williams his senior year, where he also had the game-winning hit in the ninth inning.
Steve Humphrey '63
Steve was a great two-sport athlete at Wesleyan, starring in football, basketball and baseball for the Cardinals. As a pitcher, he appeared in 19 games, and had a career 3.02 ERA. He had a fantastic senior season on the mound, as he was 10th in the nation in all divisions with a 1.69 ERA over 41 innings. He helped lead a dominant Cardinal team in 1963 that had an 11-3 record and won the Little Three title. Steve won the MacNaughten Award for excellence in baseball as a senior.
Brad Vanacore '77
Brad had an oustanding four-year career as a baseball and football player for Wesleyan. In football, he was the starting quarterback for three seasons, and helped the Cardinals beat Amherst and Trinity in both his junior and senior years. In baseball, he had a .348 career batting average, including hitting .418 his junior year. He also had a 3.33 career ERA in 43 innings pitched. A versatile athlete who was primarily a catcher, he started games at shortstop, catcher, pitcher and outfield. He earned the save in the 1974 ECAC semifinal as a freshman and was in the outfield when they beat Amherst in the championship game. A native of East Haven, Conn., his mother Carolyn is in the Connecticut Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. In 1977, Brad won the MacNaughten Award for excellence in baseball.
Jim Maynard '88
ABCA All-American 1988
Jim is on the short-list of one the best all-time hitters in Wesleyan history. A four-year starting centerfielder, he had a career .355 batting average, and when he graduated, he was Wesleyan's career leader in hits. He concluded his career with 154 hits, 54 extra-base hits, and 27 doubles. Jim hit .394 as a junior, before hitting .403 with seven home runs and 43 RBI as a senior. For his outstanding season, he was named a third-team ABCA All-American and first-team All-New England. He helped the Cardinals to two Little Three titles, and was winner of the MacNaughten Award for excellence in baseball. Jim also was a standout wide receiver for the Wesleyan football team.
John Hurley '91
John was a workhorse and dominant pitcher for Wesleyan, throwing more than 280 innings over his career, appearing in 52 games, and throwing 20 complete games. He struck 157 batters and recorded 23 wins, second-best all-time in Wesleyan history. He threw the Cardinals on his back as a senior as he pitched Wesleyan to two upset wins over a dominant Amherst team to retake the Little Three mantle. John pitched in the Cape Cod League and was the winner of the MacNaughten Award as a senior.
Dave Vanech '03
Dave is one of the great two-way players to play baseball for Wesleyan. A four-year starting left-handed pitcher, he also started 88 games at first base and hit fourth in the lineup. He threw 165 innings, and threw seven complete games. He had numerous big wins, including against Amherst and Williams, and helped lead the Cardinals to the Little Three title in 2002. As a senior, he was dominant in every way, going 3-1 with a 3.44 ERA, while also hitting .384. For his career, he had a .344 batting average. Dave also served as an assistant coach for Wesleyan after graduating.
2019 Inductees
May 4, 2019 |
Roy Fazendeiro '65
Roy was a standout infielder for the Cardinals, starting three seasons at both shortstop and third base. He only made five errors in 45 career games. Roy had big games at the plate in victories over Amherst and Williams, helping the Cardinals to three Little Three championships. He was an instrumental member of teams that went 11-3 his sophomore year and 14-2 his junior year.
Pat Kiley '79
Pat was a durable ace of the Wesleyan pitching staff for four years, facing off against the very best pitchers and opponents in New England. He pitched particularly well in Little Three games, including big wins over Williams and Amherst his junior season. Pat threw 192 innings over four years, and recorded 11 career victories. For his outstanding career on the mound, he was named the co-winner of the 1979 MacNaughten Award for excellence in baseball, with fellow captain Robb Sansone.
Joe Grasso '86
Joe was an elite catcher and top pitcher for the Cardinals and was the third Cardinal to reach the 100-hit threshold. He helped lead his teams to two Little Three titles and two ECAC tournaments appearances. Joe had a career 3.61 ERA, as well as a career .319 batting average with nine home runs, leading the team with a .492 on-base-percentage as a senior. He was the winner of the 1986 MacNaughten Award.
Will Brandenburger '95
Will had an amazing career as an outfielder for Wesleyan, and his legacy still stands as Wesleyan's career batting average leader with a .388 average. He hit .400 twice, and had 25 doubles, five triples and four home runs. He was on four Little Three championship teams and was instrumental as the Cardinals went to the Div. III World Series in 1994, batting .402. Will was named to both the All-N.E. Region team, as well as the All-World Series team. He stole 64 career bases and graduated as sixth in all-time hits at Wesleyan with 124.
Drew Dominguez '09
Drew was four-year starter at shortstop and was at the center of a resurgence of Wesleyan Baseball, culiminating in the Cardinals winning a Little Three title and making the NESCAC Final Four his senior year. He was named All-NESCAC twice, and graduated second in career hits with 174. Drew hit .387 as a senior with 10 doubles and five home runs, as well as winning five games on the mound in seven starts in 54 innings. After graduation, he played three years in the Boston Red Sox system, making it to Double-A. He was both a baseball and football captain and won the 2009 MacNaughten Award. He is currently a scout for the Los Angeles Angels.
The 2019 Inductees into the Wesleyan Baseball Wall of Fame
Roy Fazendeiro '65, Paul Gallo '89, Mark Woodworth '94, Will Brandenburger '95, Joe Grasso '86, John Vrooman '65, Pat Kiley '79, Drew Dominguez '09
2020 Inductees
April 30, 2022 |
Bill Trapp '65
Bill had an excellent career at Wesleyan and was an outstanding hitter on very succesful teams. He had a career .358 batting average, including an even .400 average his senior season. Primarily an outfielder, he was part of two Little Three champion squads, including his junior year when Wesleyan was a dominant 14-2 on the season.
Alan Poon '76
Alan was a deeply respected hitter who had fantastic seasons at the plate to lead the way for the Cardinals. He hit above .300 three times, and finished his career with a .328 average. He hit .342 his senior season, but it was his .392 average his sophomore year that helped Wesleyan win the ECAC championship and the Little Three title. A versatile player at third base, shortstop and left field, he was honored with the MacNaughten Award for excellence in baseball his senior year.
Bob Barringer '84
Bob was an offensive force over his four years for the Cardinals. A career .328 hitter, he hit 14 home runs, 14 doubles, seven triples and stole 26 bases. His best season at the plate came in his junior year when Wesleyan went 24-6 and won the Little Three behind his .400 average, 13 extra-base hits, and his .483 OBP. A captain for the baseball team, he patrolled right field on Andrus Field, where he also stood out as a wide receiver and captain for the football team. He graduated with eight school records between the two sports, including receiving yards in a game (261) which he still holds, and career hits (112). He was honored with the MacNaughten Award his senior year.
Derek Butts '94
Derek was the four-year starting catcher on teams that won four-straight Little Three champioships, an ECAC championship, a New England chmpionship, and an appearance in the national championship game at the College World Series. An outstanding defensive catcher, he threw out more than 40% of runners while also making an impact offensively with 28 career doubles, five home runs, and numerous huge hits, including a walk-off single in a 1-0 win over Amherst. A co-captain, he played in the Cape Cod League, and after graduating, played professional baseball for the independent-league Minneapolis Millers.
Will James '02
Will had a fantastic career on the mound for the Cardinals as a leading pitcher all four seasons, including on two Little Three championship teams. He appeared in 50 games on the mound over his career, starting 29 of them. He had a stellar junior season where he threw 78 innings, won five games, recorded a 3.00 ERA, and was named second-team All-NESCAC. For his career, he had 10 wins and four saves. A co-captain his senior year, he won the MacNaughten Award for excellence in baseball.
The 2020 Inductees into the Wesleyan Baseball Wall of Fame
Alan Poon '76, Bob Barringer '84, Will James '02, Derek Butts '94
2023 Inductees
April 29, 2023 |
Frank Waters '70
Frank was in the middle of things for very successful Wesleyan teams, including hitting in the heart of the order while winning Little Three titles as a sophomore and senior. A first-baseman and outfielder, he also pitched his senior year and had a 3.13 E.R.A. with four wins and only four walks in 46 innings. A three-sport athlete in football, basketball and baseball, he was on the 1969 undefeated football team and was named to the ECAC All-East Division II team as a defensive back. A baseball captain, he earned the MacNaughten Award for excellence in baseball.
Jim McGarry '80
Jim was a stalwart at catcher for Wesleyan and was captain of the Little Three champion Cardinal squad his senior year. He led the team in hitting his freshman year with a .405 average, and led the squad twice in on-base-percentage with .523 his freshman season and .551 his junior year. He had a career .331 batting average, and he was honored with the MacNaughten Award for excellence in baseball his senior season.
Doug Mannen '82
Doug was a captain and leader as an infielder for the Cardinals. An exceptional hitter, he had a .340 career average, and graduated as Wesleyan's all-time leader in hits. He led the team in on-base-percentage as a senior (.480) and only struck out 18 times in 329 at-bats. He helped the Cardinals win the Little Three title his sophomore year, and in his senior season, he won the MacNaughten Award for excellence in baseball.
Jon Churchill '96
Jon had a storied career as a four-year starter at Wesleyan, and was a big reason the Cardinals won the Little Three all four of his seasons on Andrus Field. The starting first baseman on the College World Series team that finished second in the nation, he also had an outstanding freshman year where he registered Wesleyan's highest single-season batting average at .435. Jon had a .344 career average with 39 extra base hits, and an outstanding 52-to-31 walk-to-strikeout ratio. He graduated fourth in career hits.
Mike Volpe '00
Mike was a four-year starting shortstop and elite hitter for the Cardinals. He led the team in hitting as a freshman (.418) and senior (.413) and graduated 10th in career hits. He had a .365 career batting average and a .437 on-base-percentage. He won the MacNaughten Award for excellence in baseball, and was named to the 2000 All-NESCAC second team. In his senior year, he was a captain and helped lead the Cardinals to the Little Three title.
Joe Giaimo '11
Joe was an outstanding player and leader for the Cardinals in his career and was twice named first-team All-NESCAC. He graduated 8th in all-time hits with 172, and finished with a .355 career average with 63 extra-base hits, including 11 home runs. He won the MacNaughten Award for excellence in baseball and was a captain who helped lead the Cardinals to the NESCAC Final Four in two seasons. Joe also served as captain of the Wesleyan football team.
2024 Inductees
April 28, 2024 |
Jacques LeGette '68
An outstanding pitcher for the Cardinals, Jacques was absolutely dominant over his three years on the mound. In 23 games, he had a 1.21 career E.R.A. with an 11-6 record. He walked only 30 batters in 148.1 innings, while striking out 117. Highlights include walking only four in 45.2 innings as a junior, and having a 0.81 E.R.A. and going 4-0 as a sophomore. He won the Little Three all three of his seasons, with the Cardinals going 28-14-1 over that time. He was honored with the MacNaughten Award for Excellence in Baseball his senior year.
John Brown '85
John was a force at the plate for Wesleyan, hitting in the middle of the lineup and graduating second in school history with 103 hits. His sophomore season he hit .349 with five home runs and eight doubles, while his senior season, he led the team both in average (.376) and on-base percentage (.472). An outfielder and catcher, John had a career .337 batting average, and played on two ECAC teams, including the Little Three championship squad in 1983.
Sam Player '91
Sam was a standout leadoff hitter who ran everything down in centerfield. For 32 years, he held Wesleyan's single-season record for stolen bases with 23, and is currently second in career stolen bases with 59. He had a career .330 batting average with 13 doubles, five triples and four home runs. His sophomore season, he hit .376 with 21 walks and only six strikeouts. His senior year, he was captain as the Cardinals won the Little Three in dramatic fashion, and he was honored with the MacNaughten Award for Excellence in Baseball.
Dave Bushnell '02
Dave was a four-year starter at shortstop and third base, and when he graduated, he was seventh in Wesleyan history in all-time hits. His 55 hits in his senior year set an all-time school record, and that season, he hit .385 with 11 doubles. He graduated with a career .349 batting average and 25 extra-base hits. He was awarded the MacNaughten Award for Excellence in Baseball and played on two Little Three champion teams.
Jeff Blout '14
Jeff was a dominant pitcher in his career at Wesleyan. He went 8-0 in NESCAC games over his final two seasons, and against Amherst and Williams, he threw two shutouts and had a 0.96 E.R.A. His junior year, he went 5-2 with a 1.66 E.R.A. in 48 innings, while his senior season, he went 6-1 with a 3.41 E.R.A. in 60 innings. His senior year, his Cardinals' team won the school's first-ever NESCAC championship, and advanced to the regional final while recording a school-record 31 wins. He was part of two Little Three champion teams, and he was named the MacNaughten Award winner for Excellence in Baseball.
The 2024 Inductees into the Wesleyan Baseball Wall of Fame:
Dave Gruol '68 (representing Jacques LeGette '68), Sam Player, '91, Jeff Blout '14, Dave Bushnell '02, John Brown '85, Mark Woodworth '94
| Excellence in Baseball Class |
John Vrooman '65
John was a standout centerfielder on excellent Wesleyan teams from 1963 to 1965. He was the Cardinal's lead-off hitter on three Little Three champions teams including a standout 14-2 team in 1964. He hit .375 and .348 in his sophomore and junior seasons. After Wesleyan, he was the founder of the Coastal Carolina baseball program, serving as its head coach for 13 seasons, from 1974-77 and from 1987-1995. His teams won six-straight Big South Conference regular season titles, and he brought Coastal to its first NCAA tournament in 1991. He was named conference Coach-of-the-Year three times.
Paul Gallo '89
Paul pitched in 41 games for the Cardinals over four years, starting 26, and throwing 192 innings. He had 15 career wins on the mound, including going 7-3 as a senior with a 2.83 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 86 innings. His teams won two Little Three titles and participated in three ECAC tournaments. Paul was a member of a strong senior class in 1989 that collectively won the MacNaughten Award. He has dedicated his life after Wesleyan to coaching and mentoring baseball players on many levels, including serving as the head coach at Malibu High School, and coaching five major leaguers in his current role at national power Harvard-Westlake School.
Rob Coughlin '07
Rob was a four-year starting outfielder for the Cardinals, and had the unique honor of being voted Head Captain by his classmates as a senior. Rob had 117 career hits for the Cardinals, including 44 as a sophomore as he helped lead the Cardinals to the NESCAC Final Four. He received the Norm Daniels Award for loyalty and devotion to Wesleyan Baseball in 2007. Rob is in his 12th year working in various roles for the Cincinnati Reds and is currently the Director of Pro Scouting.
Barbara-Jan Wilson
Barbara-Jan was a leader of all things Wesleyan during her 36-year career on campus, and was especially a champion of her beloved baseball and the Wesleyan Cardinals. She was instrumental in so many facets of the program in her roles as Director of Career Planning, Dean of Admission, and Vice-President of University Relations. An incredible number of Wesleyan Baseball players were the beneficiaries of her leadership, be it in admitting them to Wesleyan, helping them find careers, or supporting the funding behind the program with her boundless energy. Before Wesleyan, she graduated magna cum laude from UConn with Phi Beta Kappa honors.
Sean McKeown '77
Sean was an outstanding athlete at Wesleyan, patrolling right field on Andrus in the spring, and defending that same turf as a defensive back for the football team in the fall. A four-year starter on the baseball team, he was outstanding defensively and started 71 games. He was on the 1974 team that beat Yale and Central Conn. St. as well as knocked out Amherst to win the ECAC championship. For his success in football, he was named to the 1970's All-Decade football team.
Historical Class
May 4, 2018 |
Stephen Henry Olin (1866)
Co-founder of the first team in 1865
Charles L. Bonnell (1868)
Co-founder in 1865 and first captain
Edwin O. Smith (1893)
Played pro ball, and UConn baseball & FB coach
Walter MacNaughten (1900)
Team's baseball award named after him
Ike Terrell (1902)
3B who invented the squeeze play
C. Everett Bacon (1913)
Also in College Football Hall of Fame
Les Lanning (1916)
Major Leaguer with the Philadelphia A's
John Wells (1931)
Rhodes Scholar
