Joe Raccuia
10/11/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Joe Raccuia
Recruiting Coordinator
Radford, 1995 - 2nd Year at Alabama
Joe Raccuia (Ruh-KOO-yah) continues his role as the Crimson Tide’s recruiting coordinator and hitting instructor and the second-year assistant coach is already paying dividends.
As the coordinator of the UA baseball recruiting front, Raccuia has assembled a top-notch recruiting class and saw four of his position players taken in the Major League Baseball Draft.
Senior centerfielder Emeel Salem was taken in the 10th round by the Baltimore Orioles, but opted to return to the Capstone for his senior season. Also taken in the draft were senior catcher Kody Valverde (10th round, San Diego), senior third baseman Matt Downs (36th round, San Francisco) and senior second baseman Evan Bush (48th round, San Francisco).
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.
Virtually every starter showed an increase in average under Raccuia’s tuteledge in 2006. Valverde, a second-team All-SEC selection, had more than 100-point increase from his junior (.240) to senior (.347) year. Salem, a first-team All-American and All-SEC pick, saw his batting average increase 79 points from 2005 (.277) to 2006 (.356). Shortstop Greg Paiml (+74 points) and outfielder Brandon Belcher (+40) also showed significant offensive improvement.
Raccuia came to Alabama after spending two seasons (2004-05) as head coach at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. While at Marist, he compiled a 58-51 (.532) overall record, including a 39-15 (.722) record in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play. The 2005 squad posted a 33-21 record and captured the MAAC regular-season and post-season championships. For his efforts, he was named the 2005 MAAC Coach of the Year. The Red Foxes also landed a berth in the 2005 NCAA Baton Rouge Regional, where they lost to LSU and Northwestern State, coached by former UA assistant coach Mitch Gaspard.
In his two seasons, seven players earned All-MAAC honors under Raccuia’s watch, including 2005 MAAC Pitcher of the year Chris Tracz, while Rob Ryan was named 2005 MAAC Relief Pitcher of the Year. Tracz, Ryan and Travis Musolf also earned All-Northeast Region honors, while Raccuia’s teams featured nine MAAC All-Academic Team selections.
Prior to taking over at Marist, Raccuia was an assistant coach at George Mason for four years (2000-03), including being named associate head coach in his final two seasons (2002-03). While at George Mason, Raccuia was responsible for hitting and defense. In his final season with the Patriots, he coached four all-conference position players, including the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Defensive Player of the Year. The 2003 squad set the school record for the highest fielding percentage (.970) and was ranked 21st nationally in defense. The squad also set the school record for stolen bases. At GMU, Racciua helped recruit three freshman All-Americans.
Prior to his days at George Mason, Racciua spent four years (1997-99) as the assistant head coach at The George Washington University. At GW he served as hitting coach, recruiting coordinator and worked with the position players. In his three years at GW, Raccuia coached or recruited 12 players who went on to professional careers and 14 players who earned All-Conference recognition in the Atlantic 10. The 1998 team set a school record for wins and recorded the fourth best turn-a-round in Division I play. The GW class of 2002 had five Raccuia recruited players taken in the Major League Baseball draft. Over his final two seasons with the Colonials, 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. At George Mason and George Washington he served as the team's liaison with the academic coordinator. In four seasons at George Mason, 12 baseball players earned recognition for their academic success and the 2002 squad posted the best GPA in the program's history. That success shadowed the academic success he had at GW, where in his 1998 recruiting class, six of seven players graduated on time.
Raccuia began his coaching career where he played his collegiate baseball, Radford University, in 1996. He served as the assistant coach for that 1996 season, learning the coaching aspect of college baseball as he assisted in every aspect of the Big South member and Division I program.
Raccuia played two seasons at Radford, graduating in 1995 with a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Social Science. He served 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.
A native of Buffalo, N.Y. Raccuia and his wife, Jodi, have one son, A.J., who was born February 25, 2005.
