Joe Raccuia
Head Baseball Coach

THE Raccuia FILE

Hometown: Buffalo, N.Y.
Bachelor's Degree/Year: Radford/1995
Year at Radford: Second

Contact Phone: 540-831-5881
Contact Email: jraccuia@radford.edu

RACCUIA ON The FIELD

Coaching

2007-Current
Head Coach, Radford
2005-2007
Assistant Coach, Alabama
2003-2005
Head Coach, Marist
1999-2003
Assistant Coach, George Mason
1996-1999
Assistant Head Coach, George Washington
1995-1996
Assistant Coach Radford University

Playing

1993-1995

Radford University,
1991-1993

Edison Community College

Profile:

For Radford head baseball coach Joe Raccuia, the Highlander uniform is a comfortable, familiar fit.

Raccuia, a 1995 RU graduate, returned to his roots on July 10, 2007, when he was named the fifth head coach in Radford baseball history. His path home has been a busy one, ranging from the head coaching job at Marist to an assistant at Alabama. In each case, he’s had a successful run, setting the foundation for his return to Radford.

In Raccuia’s first season with the Highlanders, the team produced 24 wins, the most since RU won 28 in 2000. They went 4-5 against NCAA tournament teams including a victory over nationally ranked Charlotte on the road. Radford was able to get off to their best start in school history after seven games (6-1) and played four games in the Big South Tournament, the second most in school history. The Highlanders had three All-Conference selections, the most since 1995 and two All-Tournament selections, the most since 1993. Raccuia’s commitment to academics showed when Alex Gregory was named Big South Scholar Athlete of the Year.

A Buffalo, N.Y, native, Raccuia spent two seasons as the Crimson Tide’s 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 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.

Seven Marist players earned All-MAAC honors under Raccuia’s tutelage, including 2005 MAAC Pitcher of the year Chris Tracz, and 2005 MAAC Relief Pitcher of the Year, Rob Ryan. Tracz, Ryan and Travis Musolf also earned All-Northeast Region honors, while Raccuia’s teams had a total of nine MAAC All-Academic Team selections.

Prior to Marist, Raccuia was an assistant coach at George Mason for four years, including a promotion to associate head coach in his final two years. Raccuia was responsible the Patriots for hitting and defense, and he helped recruit three freshman All-Americans. He coached four all-conference position players in his final season at GMU, including the Colonial Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Year. The 2003 team set the school record for the highest fielding percentage (.970) and was ranked 21st nationally in defense.

Before moving to George Mason, Racciua spent four years as the assistant head coach at The George Washington University. He had a wide-range of duties at GW, serving as hitting coach and recruiting coordinator while also working with the position players. In three years with the Colonials, Raccuia coached or recruited 14 players who earned All-Conference recognition and 12 players who went on to professional careers. The 1998 team set the school record for wins and recorded the fourth-best turnaround in Division I. The George Washington class of 2002 had five players Raccuia recruited taken in the Major League Baseball draft. Over his final two seasons, GW set school records in hits, homeruns, doubles, runs scored and runs batted in.

In both of his coaching stints, Raccuia has shown a commitment to the complete student-athlete. While at both George Mason and GW he served as the team's liaison with the academic coordinator. Twelve GMU players earned recognition for academic success and the 2002 squad posted the best GPA in the program history.

Raccuia’s coaching career began at the place where he’s landed. He served as an assistant at RU in 1996. He assisted in every aspect of the program under his former coach Lew Kent.

When Raccuia was hired in 2007, he took over for Kent, the winningest coach in Highlander history, who had stepped down following the 2007 season. Raccuia played two seasons for Kent 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.