Stony Brook baseball head coach Matt Senk was named the 2012 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Coach of the Year during Friday’s news conference in Omaha, Neb. Senk led the team to a record 52 victories and its first-ever appearance in the College World Series.
The Seawolves are the second No. 4 seed to advance to the College World Series since Fresno State in 2008. Stony Brook is also the first New York school to advance this far in the CWS since the 1980 St. John’s team.
The announcement was made on Friday morning during a news conference before Stony Brook’s first game against UCLA. “It’s such a tremendous honor to receive this award, and there are so many people to thank: beginning with the National College Baseball Writers Association for choosing me from the hundreds of deserving coaches throughout the country,” Senk said. “I would also like to thank Stony Brook University for allowing me to oversee the baseball program for the last 22 years.”
Senk was brought into the program in 1991, when it was Division III and still named the Patriots. Over his 22 seasons, Senk has seen his fair share of changes, most recently with a new field paid for by MLB All-Star Joe Nathan. He has also seen some changes in the athletic department during his tenure. He came to Stony Brook with Dean Richard Laskowksi in charge of athletics, but it is now run by Jim Fiore.
“Stony Brook’s an outstanding university, and it is an honor to work for President Stanley and athletic director Jim Fiore, our outstanding athletic administration support staff and coaching staffs at Stony Brook,” Senk said. “Last but not least I would like to thank all of the coaches that have worked for me, especially my current staff of Joe Pennucci, Mike Marron and Dave Lorber.
Senk has coached hundreds of players over the years, and has even had some drafted. Nathan is the most famous of them, but he has most recently seen Travis Jankowski and Pat Cantwell being taken in the draft. “Of course I would like to thank all my players over the 22 years who made me look good and make me look like I knew what I was doing,” Senk said.
The Seawolves are looking for their first-ever College World Series victory. “They have done just an amazing job and I couldn’t be more proud of them…Stony Brook has been a huge part of my life and there’s no better place in the world and I like it there,” Senk said.
