Florida Atlantic Owls baseball

Infobox College baseball team
name = Florida Atlantic Owls
founded = 1981

logo_size = 200px
university = Florida Atlantic University
conference = Sun Belt Conference
conference_short = Sun Belt
division =
city = Boca Raton
stateabb = FL
state = Florida
coach = John McCormack
tenure = 1st
stadium = FAU Baseball Stadium
capacity = 2,000
nickname = Owls
color1 = Blue
color2 = Red
color3 =
fontcolor = FFFFFF
hex1 = 003366
hex2 = FF0000
hex3 =
national_champion =
cws =
ncaa_tourneys = 1985, 1993, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
conference_tournament = 2004
conference_champion = 1999, 2003The Florida Atlantic Owls are the college baseball team of Florida Atlantic University.

Fielding its first team in 1981, the Florida Atlantic University baseball team has experienced frequent success, shared respect from other baseball teams nation-wide and the building of a mid-major power in NCAA baseball.

Overview and history

Florida Atlantic University's baseball program began in 1981 and has seen success, growth and change in its 26 seasons of competition. Among the changes, the most noticeable to fans would be the change of the team name in 2005. University President Frank T. Brogan led the charge for the university to create a unified, single mark for FAU's athletic programs. The student-body decided "Owls" should be the athletic logo and in 2005, the baseball team lost its previous identity of "Blue Wave." Over the 26 years of competition, FAU baseball has jumped from NAIA, to NCAA Division II, to NCAA Division I comeptition, and has reached success on all levels.

teve Traylor Era: The Beginning

Under its first coach and first year of competition, FAU won its inaugural game, 12-8, against St. Thomas University on February 23, 1981. Steve Traylor coached FAU from 1981-1987 and oversaw the building of a program from scratch. After only three years of existence, FAU jumped from the NAIA level to the NCAA Division II level. If there was any doubts about this young program belonging on that level, its very first season would prove any doubters wrong. The Blue Wave opened the 1984 season with a win against in-state super-power University of Florida Gators, 5-4. FAU continued to win its first five games of the season, including another major upset, this time on the road at another in-state super-power, defeating University of Miami Hurricanes, 11-10. The Blue Wave finished the 1984 season with a record of 40-15, ranked 8th in the nation in the final NCAA Division II poll.

Kevin Cooney Era: Division I and National Success

During the offseason between 1987 and 1988, Steve Traylor left Florida Atlantic to become the head coach at Duke University. FAU hired Kevin Cooney, head coach of Montclair State University in New Jersey. Since the hiring, FAU has won 61% of their games and transformed itself from a local power in South Florida to a national baseball program on the Division I level. Coach Cooney arrived at FAU in 1988 and began his 20th season as head coach of the Owls on opening night of the 2007 season. Given the success and unprecedented heights that Cooney has taken FAU baseball, "Florida Atlantic" and "Kevin Cooney" have become synoymous with one another. Entering the 2007 season, Cooney has won 680 games (at FAU) and 820 (all-time, between FAU and Montclair State University, his alma mater and where he coached from 1984-1987).

In his 19+ seasons in Boca Raton, Cooney has established a powerhouse program at a university that continues to grow. Cooney has led the charge for FAU baseball to enjoy such successes as, 67 athletes turning professional (with 4 reaching the majors). For these accolades and so much more, Cooney was inducted into the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.cite web | url =http://www.palmbeachpost.com/highschools/content/sports/epaper/2007/02/20/a2c_hallfame_0220.html | title = "Gowdy, Cooney Inducted into Hall of Fame" | publisher = Palm Beach post | accessdate = 2007-02-24]

On March 15, 2006, against Columbia University, Cooney reached a personal milestone, coaching a team to his 800th career victory.

On Thursday, April 24, 2008, Coach Kevin Cooney announced that the 2008 season would be his last season as head coach of the Owls. Subsequently, on May 24, exactly two months after this announcement, Coach Cooney coached his last game as FAU head coach when the Owls lost to Western Kentucky in the play-in championship game of the Sun Belt Conference Championship Tournament.

All-time consecutive wins record

During the improbable 1999 season, when FAU finished with a school-best record of 54-9, Coach Kevin Cooney led his team to an NCAA all-time record for consecutive wins. Starting February 19, in a 7-4 win over Bethune-Cookman College, the Blue Wave continued on to 34 consecutive wins. The streak lasted all the way to March 17, when Jacksonville University topped FAU, 2-1. The streak ended two days short of lasting two complete calendar months.

March to 800

Cooney's milestone wins:
*1st: March 14, 1984 (Montclair State 5, Southern Illinois 0)
*100th: May 6, 1986 (Montclair State 9, Glassboro State 1)
*200th: April 28, 1989 (FAU 3, UCF 2)
*300th: March 15, 1993 (FAU 4, Rowan 3)
*400th: March 18, 1996 (FAU 6, Northeastern 2)
*500th: March 13, 1999 (FAU 8, Troy 2)
*600th: March 31, 2001 (FAU 4, Stanford 3)
*700th: May 9, 2003 (FAU 12, Georgia Southern 2)
*800th: March 15, 2006 (FAU 8, Columbia 7)

John McCormack Era: Sooner Than Five Years

On July 1, 2008, Florida Atlantic named 18-year Assistant Coach, John McCormack, as Cooney's successor. McCormack served as Cooney's top assistant, associate head coach and recruiting coordinator for the 18 seasons before being elevated as head coach. With the foundation laid by Cooney, McCormack leads the Owls under intense pressure and high expectations. During his interview for the head coaching position, he detailed his so-called "Five Year Plan" for the Owls to reach the College World Series. His plan was met with the following response from Athletic Director Craig Angelos: "It has to be sooner than that." [ [http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/college/fau/sfl-flspfaucoach02pnjul02,0,2352791.story All Stars - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com ] ]

Individual records and honors

No Hitters

*Tom Clark, 1982
*Jim Hanrahan, 1984
*Luis Merino, 1985
*Jim Drancsak, 1986
*John Sammon, 1994
*Mickey Storey, 2006

FAU Baseball Hall of Fame

In 2006, Florida Atlantic University inducted the first class to its new FAU Baseball Hall of Fame.

Storey's 1.70 ERA is a school-record for a single-season, and ranked fifth in the nation for the 2005 season among pitchers on the Division I level. His performance during the 2005 season awarded him an invitation to try out for the USA Baseball National Team.

Storey also took home numerous other awards that season, including All-American honors, Freshman All-American honors, All-Conference honors, and All-Conference Freshman honors.

Head Coaches

Postseason Records

FAU is 11-16 all-time in NCAA Regional action. The Owls have appeared in one Super Regional, losing both games to Georgia Tech.

1999

NCAA Regional (Coral Gables, FL)
*"Miami Hurricanes" (host)
*Florida Atlantic Blue Wave
*FIU Golden Panthers
*Bethune-Cookman Wildcats

FAU goes 2-2 and is eliminated by Miami.

2000

NCAA Regional (Coral Gables, FL)
*"Miami Hurricanes" (host)
*Florida Atlantic Blue Wave
*FIU Golden Panthers
*Wagner College Seahawks

FAU goes 1-2 and is eliminated by FIU.

2002

NCAA Regional (Tuscaloosa, AL)
*"Alabama Crimson Tide" (host)
*Auburn Tigers
*Florida Atlantic Blue Wave
*Southeast Missouri State Indians

FAU goes 3-1 and clinches Regional Championship by defeating Alabama in the Championship Game, 6-5.

NCAA Super Regional (Atlanta, GA)
*"Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets" (host)
*Florida Atlantic Blue Wave

FAU is eliminated by Georgia Tech, 2 games to 0.

2003

NCAA Regional (Coral Gables, FL)
*"Miami Hurricanes" (host)
*Florida Gators
*Florida Atlantic Blue Wave
*Bethune-Cookman Wildcats

FAU goes 1-2 and is eliminated by Florida.

2004

NCAA Regional (Coral Gables, FL)
*"Miami Hurricanes" (host)
*Florida Atlantic Blue Wave
*NC State Wolfpack
*St. Bonaventure University

FAU goes 2-2 and is eliminated by Miami.

2005

NCAA Regional (Coral Gables, FL)
*"Miami Hurricanes" (host)
*Florida Atlantic Blue Wave
*VCU Rams
*Mississippi State Bulldogs

FAU goes 1-2 and is eliminated by Mississippi State.

Professional Owls

Owls in the majors

Florida Atlantic Owls to reach Major League Baseball:
*Tim Harikkala, pitcher (1995 - 2005)
*Carmen Cali, pitcher for the Minnesota Twins (2005 - present)
*Jeff Fiorentino, outfielder for the Baltimore Orioles (2005 present)
*Tommy Murphy, outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels (2006 - present)

Owls in the minors

Florida Atlantic Owls currently playing in Minor League Baseball (as of the 2007 season) who have been selected in the First-Year Player Draft:
*Tim McNab, pitcher, Double A Binghamton Mets (New York Mets), 22nd round (2002)
*Randy Beam, pitcher, Double A Portland Sea Dogs (Boston Red Sox), 18th round (2004)
*Matt O'Brien, pitcher, High Class A Lakeland Flying Tigers (Detroit Tigers), 15th round (2005)
*Mike McBryde, outfielder, Class A Augusta GreenJackets (San Francisco Giants), 5th round (2006)
*Mike Crotta, pitcher, Class A Lynchburg Hillcats (Pittsburgh Pirates), 17th round (2006)
*Alex Fonseca, shortstop, Rooke A Arizona League Angels (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim), 36th round (2006)

Notes and references

External links

* [http://www.fausports.com Official Athletics Website of FAU Sports]
* [http://www.sunbeltsports.org Official Website of the Sun Belt Conference]
* [http://www.fau.edu/branding FAU Branding Initiative]
* [http://www.palmbeachpost.com The Palm Beach Post]
* [http://www.cstv.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/fau/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/mg06 Florida Atlantic Baseball 2006 Media Guide]