Mike Glavine will succeed long-time head coach Neil McPhee following the 2014 baseball season, the Northeastern Athletics Department announced in a press conference at Matthews Arena on Monday.
Glavine, a Northeastern alumnus who is currently an assistant coach with the team, joined the Huskies’ coaching staff before the 2007 season following 10 years of playing professionally. He will replace McPhee after his 29th season at the helm of the program — the longest head-coaching tenure in school history — in the spring of 2015.
“The thing with Mike is that he loves Northeastern and he wants to be here,” Northeastern Director of Athletics and Recreation Peter Roby said. “It couldn’t just be someone who knew the game of baseball; it had to be someone who cared about Northeastern.”
Glavine graduated from Northeastern in 1995 after playing four years and accumulating 28 home runs and 100 RBIs, ranking third and ninth, respectively, in school history. The former New York Met was inducted into the Northeastern Hall of Fame in 2006 after retiring from professional baseball in 2004. He will become just the fourth baseball head coach at Northeastern in the last 59 years and the 11th since the program was founded in 1921.
“I never thought that this day was going to be possible,” Glavine said. “What [Coach McPhee] has given me over the last seven-eight years to prepare for this, I’ll forever be thankful for
“This is where I want to be. I was a student here at one point and now a coach, and I’ve never wanted to be anywhere else. I’ve turned down other opportunities to stay here. I love the college game, I love college baseball and I love this university.”
McPhee said he feels that in the hands of the Glavine, the program is in position to experience continued success. McPhee announced Aug. 6 the 2014 season would be his final one as the head coach at Friedman Diamond.
“The Glavine name is synonymous with great baseball,” McPhee said. “I couldn’t be happier for Mike. I’m absolutely thrilled that the head coaching position is going to be passed on to an alumnus. He will help carry on what seems to be a long, long tradition. I think Mike will feel that same pride in his alma mater.”
The two coaches will look to lead the baseball team to another triumphant season this spring, coming on the heels of a 31-win 2013 campaign that also featured a coveted Beanpot championship.
