The University of Connecticut at Avery Point: History
The UCONN Avery Point Baseball Program came into being in 1971 with Fred Janney coaching the team. George Greer took over the program in 1972 being named Athletic Director and Baseball Coach at UCAP. Avery Point joined the Connecticut Small College Conference and proceeded to win 15 consecutive titles from 1973-87, 9 under Greer and 6 under present Coach Roger Bidwell.
In January of 1982, Greer left Avery Point and assumed the baseball coaching duties at Davidson College in North Carolina and in 1988 took over the job as Head Baseball Coach at Wake Forest University. Present Coach Roger Bidwell was named Athletic Director and Baseball Coach at Avery Point in January of 1982 winning 6 CSCC titles from 1982-87.
In 1985, UCAP joined the NJCAA and Region 21 (New England). Competing in the Connecticut Small College Conference in the fall and the NJCAA in the spring for 85,86,87 seasons, turned out to be too demanding, therefore Avery Point made the commitment to compete exclusively in the NJCAA beginning with the 1988 season. That move brought Avery Point Baseball into a new era and a very competitive schedule. Now UCAP competes for regional, district and national titles. The move paid immediate dividends as the 1989 team compiled a 25-10 record and was seeded 2nd in the New England Regional Tournament.
Bidwell led UCAP to 9 NJCAA New England Championship in 1999, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011. Avery Point also won NJCAA Division II Northeast District Championships in 1999 and 2004,2010 and 2011, and 4 trips to the NJCAA Division II World Series in 1999,2004,2010 and 2011; capped off with the 41-10 National Runner-Up performance of the 2010 team.
Through the years UCAP has had 21 players go on to professional baseball. In 2006 alumni John McDonald and Pete Walker will be with the Toronto Blue Jays. In 2006 Rajai Davis was called-up to the Big Leagues for the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 2008 John McDonald played for the Toronto Blue Jays and Rajai Davis for the Okland A's. In 2011 Rajai Davis joined John McDonald with the Toronto Blue Jays. In 2012 John McDonald will play for the Arizona Diamondback and Rafai Davis for the Toronto Blue Jays. Pete Walker will will be the Blue Jays Bullpen coach.
