Radford University Names Joe Raccuia Head Baseball Coach
RADFORD, Va. – Radford University President Penelope W. Kyle announced Tuesday afternoon that Radford alumnus Joe Raccuia has been named as the Highlanders’ fifth head baseball coach.
“We are thrilled that we have found a Radford alumnus with the background and experience to lead our baseball team,” Kyle said. “His familiarity with our program and the Big South Conference combined with his accomplishments at all levels of college baseball will lay the foundation for unprecedented success for the Highlander baseball program.”
A 1995 Radford graduate, Raccuia replaces Lew Kent, who stepped down following the 2007 season. Raccuia played for and coached under Kent.
“I can’t describe how fortunate I feel to come back to my alma mater to be able to lead and represent the baseball program. I want to help our student-athletes become better players and students, which will lead to success for our program,” Raccuia said. “There has been a real commitment to winning by Radford University and President Kyle that has surpassed even my expectations.”
A Buffalo, N.Y, native, Raccuia spent the last two seasons as the University of Alabama recruiting coordinator and hitting instructor. He saw six of his position players taken in the Major League Baseball Draft after just one year on the job. Raccuia also brought an improved offense to Tuscaloosa last season. The Crimson Tide hit .291 (657-for-2,257) in his first season, with 50 home runs and 394 RBI, compared to a .281 (1121-for-3985) composite average during the 2004 and 2005 seasons.
Raccuia’s stint at Alabama came after spending two seasons as the head coach at Division I Marist College. He compiled a 58-51 (.532) record with the Red Foxes, including a 39-15 (.722) record in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The 2005 team recorded a 33-21 overall mark and captured the MAAC regular-season and post-season championships. He was named the 2005 MAAC Co-Coach of the Year and led the Red Foxes to a berth in the 2005 NCAA Baton Rouge Regional, where they lost to LSU and Northwestern State.
Prior to Marist, Raccuia was an assistant coach at George Mason for four years and the assistant head coach at The George Washington University. Raccuia’s coaching career began at the place where he’s landed. He served as an assistant at RU in 1996.
Raccuia played two seasons at Radford serving as the team captain during the 1995 campaign, helping that squad to a school record for wins. Prior to playing at Radford, Raccuia played two seasons at Edison Community College in Ft. Myers, Fla. He served as the team captain his second year, leading that 1993 team to its school-record, single-season win total.
Raccuia, who graduated in 1995 with a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Social Science, is married to the former Jodi Carroll, also a 1995 RU graduate. They have two sons, A.J., and Joey, Jr.