Ian Ratchford Awarded Additional Responsibilities at UCONN-Avery Point
Published on January 2, 2023 under New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Danbury Westerners News Release
Ian Ratchford has resigned from his position as manager of the Westerners. He has accepted the position of Athletics Administrator at UConn-Avery Point where he will also continue as head coach of the Pointers baseball program.
In a written statement Ratchford said "I'm very grateful to (Westerner President) Jon Pitser and (General Manager) Chris Nathanson for allowing me the opportunity to be the manager and very proud of what we accomplished over the last few summers, winning the first championship in the organization's history and putting a quality product on the field for the community to enjoy."
Ratchford continued "I'll miss all the volunteers who make the summer possible, interacting with our fans and supporters, and working with some of the best baseball players in the country, but I'm excited to see the momentum continue. Go Westerners!"
Ratchford was both a Westerners player and coach before being hired as manager for the 2020 season that was subsequently canceled. In 2021 he led the team to its most successful season ever with a 23-19 regular season record followed by a 7 win and 1 loss playoff run that secured the NECBL championship. Ratchford was named NECBL Manager of the Year as a result.
The Westerners finished 22-22 in 2022, marking the first time since 2011-12 that the team finished .500 or better in back-to-back seasons.
Ratchford's .542 winning percentage as Westerner manager is second in team history, trailing only Ron Carrizzo's .651 in his single season at the helm in 1996.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from January 2, 2023
- Ian Ratchford Awarded Additional Responsibilities at UCONN-Avery Point - Danbury Westerners
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