Overview and history
Florida Atlantic University's baseball program began in 1981 and has seen success, growth and change in its 41 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 30 years of competition, FAU baseball has jumped from the NAIA, to NCAA Division II, to NCAA Division I competition, and has reached success on all levels.
Steve 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 synonymous 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. [2]
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, Cooney announced that the 2008 season would be his last season as head coach of the Owls. Subsequently, on May 24, exactly a month after this announcement, 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, 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 April 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. In 2019, John McCormack was inducted into the FAU Athletics Hall of Fame. [3]
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.
| Name | Class |
|---|
| Keith Foley | 2006 |
| Scott Hay | 2006 |
| Todd Moser | 2006 |
| Jack Penrod | 2006 |
| Nick Presto | 2006 |
| Mike Ryan | 2006 |
| Warren "Doc" Schneider | 2006 |
| Steve Traylor | 2006 |
| Kevin Connacher (1994–'97) | 2007 |
| Doug Gonring (1984–'85) | 2007 |
| Tommy Murphy (1998–'00) | 2007 |
| Pat Murphy (1981–'82) | 2007 |
| Jorge Vega (1981–'83) | 2007 |
|
All-Americans
17 players from FAU baseball have won recognition as "All-American": Keith Foley (1983), Mike Ryan (1984), Scott Hay (1986), Jack Penrod (1988), Todd Moser (1999), Dan Jackson (1999), Dickie Hart (1999), Randy Beam (2003), Jeff Fiorentino (2004), Mickey Storey (2005), Robbie Widlansky (2007), Mike McKenna (2008), Andy Mee (2010), Hugh Adams (2013), Brendon Sanger (2015), Rickey Santiago (2015), C.J. Chatham (2016). [4]
Freshmen All-Americans
8 players from FAU baseball have won recognition as "Freshmen All-American": Kevin Connacher (1994), Rusty Brown (2001), Chris Pillsbury (2001), Jeff Fiorentino (2002), Derek Hutton (2002), Tim Mascia (2003), Mickey Storey (2005), Stephen Kerr (2014).
2005 Mickey Storey
In 2005, as a freshman pitcher for FAU, Mickey Storey was named Collegiate Baseball's National Freshman Pitcher of the Year. Storey's stat line for his freshman season was one of the best posted by a pitcher in the nation.
| Year | G/GS | W-L | Pct. | ERA | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
|---|
| 2005 | 23/9 | 10–1 | .901 | 1.70 | 95.1 | 78 | 25 | 18 | 23 | 82 |
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.
The Florida Atlantic Owls football program represents Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in the sport of American football. The Owls compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the American Athletic Conference (American/AAC). The Owls' head coach is Tom Herman. Florida Atlantic has produced a Sun Belt Conference co-championship team in 2007, two Conference USA championships in 2017 and 2019, along with 4 postseason bowl appearances and one appearance in the 2003 I-AA Playoffs. The Owls play their home games at FAU Stadium which has a seating capacity of 29,419.
The Florida Atlantic Owls are the athletics teams of Florida Atlantic University. The Owls participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)'s Division I as members of the American Athletic Conference. On October 21, 2021, Florida Atlantic accepted the invitation to join The American and became a full member on July 1, 2023.
The 2007 Florida Atlantic Owls baseball team was the intercollegiate baseball team of Florida Atlantic University. It competed on the Division I level in the Sun Belt Conference. The 2007 team marked the first season of baseball to compete in the Sun Belt, as last year the Owls played in the Atlantic Sun Conference. After a disappointing 2006 season, FAU looked to bounce back in 2007, hoping to return to Regionals - possibly farther. However, the first season in the Sun Belt did not live up to expectations in Boca Raton, and the Owls finished the regular season at .500 in conference and were bounced from the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in their third game. For a second straight season, FAU would not reach the Regionals.
The 2002 Florida Atlantic Blue Wave baseball team was the intercollegiate baseball team of Florida Atlantic University for the 2002 NCAA baseball season. It competed on the Division I level in the Atlantic Sun Conference. The 2002 team became the first in school history to clinch a Regional championship and earn an appearance in the NCAA Super Regionals, by defeating Alabama in the Regional Championship game, 6-5.
The 2008 Florida Atlantic Owls baseball team will be the intercollegiate baseball team of Florida Atlantic University. It competes on the Division I level in the Sun Belt Conference. The 2008 team marked the second season of baseball to compete in the Sun Belt, after Florida Atlantic joined the conference after the 2006 season. On Thursday, April 24, 2008 Coach Kevin Cooney announced that the 2008 season would be his last season as head coach of the Owls. With his retirement announcement, Cooney will leave the Owls after 21 years as head coach. Up to this point, in 28 years of existence, Florida Atlantic baseball had had only two coaches, Steve Traylor and Kevin Cooney.
The Florida Atlantic Owls men's basketball team represents Florida Atlantic University and competes in the American Athletic Conference of NCAA Division I college basketball. Their home games are played on the Abessinio Court in the Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena on the school's Boca Raton, Florida campus. The Owls have appeared in the NCAA tournament three times, in 2002 while a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference, 2023, and 2024. The Owls joined Conference USA (C-USA) in 2013 as part of the early-2010s NCAA conference realignment. After not winning a single NCAA Tournament game coming into 2023, the Owls qualified for their first Final Four in program history by defeating the Kansas State Wildcats 79–76. After the 2022–23 season, FAU left C-USA for the American Athletic Conference.
FAU Baseball Stadium is a baseball venue located in Boca Raton, Florida, United States. It has been home to the Florida Atlantic Owls baseball team since 1991. The venue has a capacity of 2,000 spectators and features Triple-A-quality lighting.
The Florida Atlantic Owls men's soccer team is a varsity intercollegiate athletic team of Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida, United States. As of the upcoming 2022 season, the team is a member of the NCAA Division I American Athletic Conference. FAU's first men's soccer team was fielded in 1980. The team plays its home games at FAU Soccer Stadium in Boca Raton. The Owls are coached by Joey Worthen.
The 2013 Florida Atlantic Owls baseball team represents Florida Atlantic University in the sport of baseball for the 2013 college baseball season. The Owls compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Sun Belt Conference. They play their home games at FAU Baseball Stadium, on the university's Boca Raton, Florida campus. The team is coached by John McCormack, who is in his fifth season at Florida Atlantic.
John McCormack is an American college baseball coach who has been the head coach of Florida Atlantic (FAU) since the start of the 2009 season. McCormack was named the Sun Belt Coach of the Year in 2010, and the Owls have appeared in two NCAA tournaments under him. Previously, he served as an assistant at FAU from 1991 to 2008. McCormack is an alumnus of both Indian River Community College and Lynn University.
Kevin Cooney is an American former college baseball coach who was the head coach at Montclair State from 1984–1987 and Florida Atlantic from 1988–2008. Under Cooney, the teams combined to appear in 11 NCAA tournaments, including six in Division I. Montclair State won the Division III National Championship in 1987. Individually, Cooney was named the TAAC Coach of the Year in 1999.
Steve Traylor is an American former college baseball and basketball coach. In basketball, he was the head coach of Greensboro College. In baseball, he was the head coach at Florida Atlantic, Duke, and Wofford. Traylor had 776 career wins and led both Florida Atlantic and Wofford to their first NCAA tournaments.
The 2017–18 Florida Atlantic Owls men's basketball team represented Florida Atlantic University during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Owls, led by fourth-year head coach Michael Curry, played their home games at the FAU Arena in Boca Raton, Florida as members of Conference USA. They finished the season 12–19, 6–12 in C-USA play to finish in a tie for 11th place. They lost in the first round of the C-USA tournament to UAB.
The 2018–19 Florida Atlantic Owls women's basketball team represents Florida Atlantic University during the 2018–19 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Owls, led by second year head coach Jim Jabir, play their home games at FAU Arena and are members of Conference USA. They finished the season 5–25, 2–14 in C-USA play to finish in a 3 way tie for twelfth place. They lost in the first round of the C-USA women's tournament to Old Dominion.
The 2021 Florida Atlantic Owls baseball team represented Florida Atlantic University in the sport of baseball for the 2021 college baseball season. The Owls competed in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Conference USA. They played their home games at FAU Baseball Stadium, on the university's Boca Raton campus. The team was coached by John McCormack, who was in his thirteenth season at Florida Atlantic.
The 2022 Florida Atlantic Owls baseball team represented Florida Atlantic University in the sport of baseball for the 2022 college baseball season. The Owls competed in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and Conference USA. They played their home games at FAU Baseball Stadium, on the university's Boca Raton campus. The team was coached by John McCormack, who was in his fourteenth season at Florida Atlantic.
The 2022 Florida Atlantic Owls football team represented Florida Atlantic University as a member of Conference USA (C-USA) during the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by Willie Taggart in this third and final season as head coach, the Owls compiled an overall record of 5–7 with a mark of 4–4 in conference play, placing in a three-way tie for fourth in C-USA. Florida Atlantic played home games at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida.
The 2022–23 Florida Atlantic Owls men's basketball team represented Florida Atlantic University in the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Owls were led by fifth-year head coach Dusty May and played their home games at Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena in Boca Raton, Florida as members of Conference USA. The Owls finished the season 35–4, 18–2 in C-USA play to win the regular season championship. They defeated Western Kentucky, Middle Tennessee, and UAB to win the C-USA tournament championship. As a result, they received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament as the No. 9 seed in the East region. They defeated Memphis in the first round which marked the school's first NCAA tournament win. They then defeated Fairleigh Dickinson to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. The Owls defeated Tennessee and Kansas State to advance to the school's first Final Four. This made FAU the first men's team since George Mason in 2006 to reach the Final Four in the same season that it earned its first NCAA tournament win. In the Final Four, they lost to San Diego State.
The 2023 Florida Atlantic Owls baseball team represented Florida Atlantic University in the sport of baseball for the 2023 college baseball season. The Owls competed in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and in Conference USA. They played their home games at FAU Baseball Stadium, on the university's Boca Raton campus. The team was coached by John McCormack, who was in his fifteenth season at Florida Atlantic.
2024 Florida Atlantic Owls baseball team 