NJAC NEWS ARCHIVE

 2002-03

April 23, 2003


TCNJ'S DELL CAPTURES CAREER BASEBALL
 COACHING VICTORY  NUMBER 575


LION SKIPPER IMPROVES CAREER BASEBALL COACHING RECORD TO 575-284-10 WITH NON-CONFERENCE WIN OVER WILMINGTON


With a 10-6 non-conference road victory over Wilmington on April 22, TCNJ head baseball coach Rick Dell picked up career baseball coaching victory number 575.

Dell, who is in his 22nd season as baseball coach at TCNJ, has accumulated a baseball career record of 575-284-10.  The former men’s soccer coach at TCNJ, Dell compiled a record of 182-60-23 during his 14-year tenure with the program, making his combined college coaching record 757-344-32. In addition, he has led both program's to a combined 17 NCAA Tournament berths.

In baseball, Dell has compiled a won-loss record of 330-148-4 from 1991-2002, while the team has netted NCAA Regional Tournament appearances 12 times since 1985. The Lions have appeared in the NCAA Regionals from 1985-87, 1990-94, from 1998-2000, and again in 2002. In 1991, The College of New Jersey, then Trenton State enjoyed its greatest baseball campaign ever, going 34-15-1 and finishing runner-up to the University of Southern Maine in the NCAA Championship game of the Division III National Championship. That same year, Dell was rewarded with a selection as the Coach of the Year by the New Jersey Baseball Coaches Association while also earning NCAA Regional Coach of the Year honors as well.

In 2000, TCNJ captured the NJAC Tournament Championship, its first since 1981. At year’s end, Dell was named the ABCA/Diamond Sports Company Division III Mid-Atlantic Regional Coach of the Year after guiding his team to its third straight NCAA Regional Runner-up finish. 

The 2002 Lions made a return trip to the NCAA Divison III National Championship after winning the Mid-Atlantic Regional as the No. 6 seed. TCNJ finished in fourth place at the 2002 NCAA Division III Championship Series and Dell was named the 2002 ABCA NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic Regional Coach of the Year. In addition, he was recognized by his peers with the 2002 Roy Van Ness Award.


A native of Trenton who excelled in both soccer and baseball at McCorristin High School (formerly St. Anthony’s), and nearby Mercer County Community College, Dell assumed the head baseball coaching position at TSC midway through the 1982 season.