Rider University Athletics

Head Coach Barry Davis coached his 20th season and final season at Rider University in 2024, announcing his resgnation prior to the 2025 campaign. During his tenure, Davis has transformed the program into a consistent contender in the Metro-Atlantic Conference (MAAC), winning four conference tournament championships, two regular-season championships, and qualifying for 13 conference tournaments.

In 2024, the Broncs finished 28-23, and 18-6 in MAAC play, earning the third seed in the MAAC Tournament, and defeating Marist in the opening round before falling to Niagara in the winner's bracket game and Marist in an elimination game. Rider got another signature win over sixth-ranked Duke, marking a second-straight season taking down the ranked Blue Devils. PJ Craig earned First-Team All-MAAC honors on the mound with Joe Tiroly claiming Second-Team All-MAAC honors at second base. Joining Tiroly on the MAAC All-Rookie Team was outfielder Kyle Neri.
 
The 2023 season was one of unprecedented success. Rider Broncs tied a school record with 36 wins, highlighted by regular season wins on the road over 2022 national runner-up Oklahoma and nationally ranked Duke. The Broncs won their second Liberty Bell Championship and captured its second conference tournament championship in three years. Davis' men would then upset 10th-ranked Coastal Carolina at the NCAA Conway Regional. Team success breeds individual accolades. Danny Kirwin would become Davis' first All-American and Rider's first since 1995. Kirwin would also take home the MAAC Closer of the Year Award. Rider's fourth in Davis' tenure at Rider. Pitcher Frank Doelling and catcher Brian Skettini were named to the conference's 2nd team, while All-Rookie team honors went to pitcher Clayton Poliey. Five players were named to the All-tournament team. They included John Volpe, Luke Lesch, Brian Young, Scott Shaw, and Doelling. Scott Shaw collected the tournament's MVP after his four-hit, six RBI, three home run performance.
 
Davis owns a 1026 – 693 career record, picking up his 1000th win this past season - a 9-6 over Richmond on March 11. Davis has been a head coach for 34 years, leading three programs at three levels. In his first 11 years, he led Gloucester County College (Rowan College of South Jersey) to unmatched success, followed by four years at NAIA (now Division II) Georgia Southwestern State University. He was named Rider's eighth head coach in July 2004 and has been only Rider's third head coach since 1960.
  
Since Davis arrived in 2004, Rider has experienced championship-level success mirrored by numerous individual honors. In 2008, led by All-Conference First Team selections Jamie Hayes and Sean Olson and Freshman All-American Mason Heyne, Rider won its first MAAC Baseball Championship, defeating third-seeded Siena 12-5. It was Rider's first conference championship since 1996. The team finished 29-28, participating in the NCAA Regional in Fullerton, California.
 
The 2010 version of the Broncs saw the emergence of Mike Thomas, who garnered MAAC Pitcher of the Year honors. At the same time, Nick Wojnowski capped off a tremendous season by being named to the All-MAAC second team. Rider finished the regular season in third place, then won its second MAAC Tournament in three years without losing a game by defeating Canisius, 4-2, to advance to the Austin (Texas) regional. It was Rider's second NCAA Tournament appearance in three seasons. The team set a single-season win record with 36, winning 17 of 20 and their last ten before entering the NCAA Regional.
 
The 2011 campaign brought several individual accolades. Tyler Smith was named the MAAC Relief Pitcher of the Year, Nick Crescenzo Rookie of the Year, while Mike Thomas, Brandon Cotten, and Steve Galella were named All-MAAC. The Broncs finished second in the conference and secured a second straight 30-win season with 33. The Oakland Athletics selected Nate Eppley in the 32nd round, and the Los Angeles Dodgers selected Mike Thomas in the 35th round of the MLB Draft.
 
The 2012 season's mantra was rebuilding; however, the Broncs finished fourth in the conference, securing its fifth straight tournament appearance. Mike Murphy was named the MAAC Pitcher of the Year, Brandon Cotten to the first team for the second consecutive year, and Ian Lindsay picked up his first All-MAAC selection.
 
The 2013 season was stellar for the Broncs, winning their first outright MAAC Regular Season Championship since entering the league in 1998, finishing with a 35-22 record. Davis was named MAAC Coach of the Year for the second time (first in 2006), Kurt Sowa was named MAAC Pitcher of the Year, Jerry Mulderig, Adam Wayman, Nick Crescenzo, and Tyler Smith All-MAAC.
 
After missing the MAAC Tournament for the first time in seven years, the 2015 Broncs rebounded with arguably their best team in the Davis Era. Wins against Virginia Tech, St. John's, and Kent State set the stage for a terrific season, including a second MAAC regular season Title, a Liberty Bell Classic Championship, and many individual honors. Davis was named MAAC Coach of the Year for the third time. Eric Thomas was named the conference's closer of the year, and Eric Strano, James Locklear, Zach Mawson, and Greg Fazio were named to the conference's All-MAAC team.
 
On May 15, 2017, Davis became a member of the 900-win club, defeating in-state rival Monmouth 6-5, helping them secure a birth in the MAAC tournament as the 6th seed. It was the eighth time in the last 11 years that Rider had qualified for the tournament. First-Team All-Conference pitcher Nick Margevicius led the 2017 team to return to the conference tournament after failing to qualify in 2016. The San Diego Padres selected Margevicius in the 7th round of the Major League Baseball (MLB) amateur draft, becoming Rider's 64th player chosen in the MLB Draft, which began in 1965. Margevicius was Davis's sixth Rider player selected in the MLB Draft and the first-ever player to debut in the major leagues. Margevicius is now a member of the Atlanta Braves organization.
 
On May 28, 2021, a year after the 2020 season was cancelled, Davis' Broncs defeated a 37-win, 2-loss Fairfield University in the MAAC title game, claiming Rider's third-ever MAAC tournament championship—this qualified Rider for their third NCAA regional appearance and Rider's 14th overall. The 2021 version of the Broncs finished third in a conference-only regular season with a 23-18 overall record. In the conference tournament, Rider went 5-0 with wins over Niagara, Monmouth, Canisius, and top-seeded Fairfield. The 2021 Broncs were not without individual accolades. Fifth-year graduate Pete Soporowski and junior infielder David Bermudez were named to the All-MAAC second team. At the same time, freshman catcher Brian Skettini joined the conference's All-Rookie team.
 
In 2022, the Davis-led Broncs finished 28-26 and competed in the MAAC tournament championship game for the second consecutive year, falling to Canisius. The tournament featured upset wins over Monmouth and number-one-seeded Fairfield. During the regular season, Rider produced quality non-conference wins against VCU (NCAA regional finalist), Georgetown, Penn, and Delaware, and a series win against St. Johns. Brendan O'Donnell was selected to the All-MAAC second team while setting a new Rider single-season home run record with 20. Rider placed three players on the MAAC All-Tournament team: pitchers Joe Papeo, Cal Stalzer, and O'Donnell.
 
Davis came to Rider from Georgia Southwestern State (GSW) University, where his Hurricanes won 137 games. The 2002 Georgia Alabama Carolina Conference Regular Season Championship squad also produced a 2002 final NAIA ranking of 5th and a university record of 49 wins. Davis was named Georgia Dugout Club Coach of the Year in 2002, and pitcher Paul Bush was named the 2002 NAIA National Pitcher of the Year and drafted in the 22nd round of the 2002 MLB draft.
 
Before being hired at GSW, Davis had a vast amount of success at Gloucester County College, winning four NJCAA Division III National Championships, amassing 434 wins, and was named National NJCAA Division III Coach of the Year four times. During his tenure at Gloucester, he was named the head coach of the National Junior College U.S.A. National Team in 1999 after spending the 1997 summer as an assistant. Davis subsequently led the U.S. National team to a 4-1 series win against Team Canada in Millington, TN, in 1999.
 
Davis has successfully developed his assistants and former players into college coaches. Four former assistant coaches and a two former player have found their way into collegiate baseball as head coaches. The list includes Jim Carone (McDaniel), Josh Copskey (Immaculata), and Pat Horvath (Jefferson University), all assistants under Davis at Rider who are now acting college head coaches. Rob Valli, a former assistant at Gloucester County (now Rowan College of South Jersey) in 1997, is currently its head coach. In 2023, his RCSJ team won their eighth DIII Junior College national championship. Mike Petrowski, a 2009 Rider graduate, was hired as the University of North Florida’s new pitching coach after extraordinary success as Rider’s pitching coach. Josh McDonald, a player for Davis at Georgia Southwestern State University, is beginning his sixth season at Southwestern after spending seven seasons at Georgia Southern University. Davis' staff now includes one former Bronc. Lee Lipinski, a 2017 graduate and two-time team MVP, returns for his seventh season as his top assistant and recruiting coordinator. 
 
Davis is a member of four Hall of Fames, beginning with his induction into the Gloucester County College Sports Hall of Fame in 2010 and subsequently followed by an induction into the Gloucester County Sports Hall of Fame in 2012. His alma mater, Bridgewater College, inducted him into their Hall of Fame in 2014, and the National Junior College Athletic Association Baseball Coaches enshrined Davis in their Hall of Fame in 2016.
 
Davis received his bachelor's degree in Health and Physical Education from Bridgewater College in 1987, his master's degree in Education from Frostburg State University in 1989, and his Ph.D. in Sports Leadership from Concordia University-Chicago in 2019.
 
Davis resides in Langhorne, PA, with his wife, Brett, and their dog Buddy.

BARRY DAVIS RIDER CAREER COACHING RECORD