North Florida Ospreys baseball

North Florida Ospreys baseball
2024 North Florida Ospreys baseball team
Founded1988; 36 years ago (1988)
UniversityUniversity of North Florida
Head coachJoe Mercadante (1st season)
ConferenceASUN
LocationJacksonville, Florida
Home stadiumHarmon Stadium
(Capacity: 1,000)
NicknameOspreys
ColorsNavy blue and gray[1]
   
College World Series runner-up
Division II: 2005
College World Series appearances
NAIA: 1989, 1991
Division II: 2000, 2001, 2005
NCAA Tournament appearances
Division II: 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
Regular season conference champions
Division I: 2015
Division II: 1995, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005
Harmon Stadium

The North Florida Ospreys baseball team represents the University of North Florida in the sport of baseball. The Ospreys compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA), in the ASUN Conference (A-Sun). They play their home games in Harmon Stadium on the university's Jacksonville, Florida campus. The Ospreys were founded in 1988 as members of the NAIA. They moved to the NCAA Division II level in 1994, and began their Division I transition in 2006. They became fully eligible at the Division I level in 2010. Most recently, the Ospreys won their first Atlantic Sun regular season championship in 2015.[2]

History

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North Florida's baseball program was founded in 1988. The team was established under the leadership of Dusty Rhodes, who served as head coach from 1988 to 2010. Since its inception, the Ospreys baseball team has won 13 conference titles: six in the NAIA, six in NCAA Division II, and one in NCAA Division I and has made a total of 16 playoff appearances: six in the NAIA and ten in NCAA Division II. They went to the NAIA World Series in 1989 and 1991 and the NCAA Division II World Series in 2000, 2001, and 2005, advancing to the final in 2005.[3][4]

Notably, the team's former logo is similar to the New York Yankees logo. It was designed in 1986 at the urging of Dusty Rhodes and continued, and brought extra attention to the baseball program.[5] It was discontinued after Rhodes' retirement in 2010 and replaced with a new logo for the 2011 season.

[6][7] The Ospreys won their first Atlantic Sun regular season championship in 2015.[2] Star outfielder Donnie Dewees, a redshirt sophomore, was named Atlantic Sun Player of the Year and Laval was the conference's Coach of the Year. Dewees led the nation in runs (81), runs per game (1.51), hits (101) and total bases (178) at the conclusion of the regular season and posted a 31-game hit streak.[8] Dewees was also named one of 21 semifinalists for the Golden Spikes Award.[9] The Chicago Cubs selected Dewees in the second round, with the 47th overall selection, of the draft.[10] He was UNF's highest-drafted player since they transitioned to Division I in 2005.[11]

Facilities

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The Ospreys play their home games on campus at Harmon Stadium. It was built in 1988 and has a capacity of 1,000 fans. The playing field and batting facility are named for former Ospreys baseball coach Dusty Rhodes.[12]

Head coaches

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Baseball head coaches Seasons
Dusty Rhodes 1988–2010
Smoke Laval 2011–2017
Tim Parenton 2018–2023

Year-by-year results

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College World Series appearance NCAA Tournament appearance Conference regular season champions Conference tournament champions Conference regular season and tournament champions
The Ospreys at home versus UNC Wilmington in 2016.
Season Head coach Overall Conference Standing Postseason
District 25 (NAIA)
1988 Dusty Rhodes 47–17 18–6 1st Area V Tournament, 1–2
1989 Dusty Rhodes 53–18 25–3 1st NAIA World Series, 3rd place
1990 Dusty Rhodes 43–20 19–3 1st District 25 Tournament, 2–2
1991 Dusty Rhodes 57–13 23–1 1st NAIA World Series, 3rd place
1992 Dusty Rhodes 51–12 27–3 1st Area V Tournament, 2–1
District 7 (NAIA)
1993 Dusty Rhodes 45–12 28–4 1st District 7 Tournament, 1–2
NAIA Total: 296–92 (.763) 140–20 (.875)
Sunshine State Conference (NCAA Division II)
1994 Dusty Rhodes 33–19 15–6 2nd NCAA South Regional, 1–2
1995 Dusty Rhodes 36–16 15–6 1st NCAA South Regional, 0–2
1996 Dusty Rhodes 26–29 10–11 4th
1997 Dusty Rhodes 39–17 13–8 3rd NCAA South Regional, 0–2
Sunshine State Total: 134–81 (.623) 53–31 (.631)
Peach Belt Conference (NCAA Division II)
1998 Dusty Rhodes 32–21 15–11 2nd
1999 Dusty Rhodes 43–17 22–8 1st NCAA South Atlantic Regional, 3–2
2000 Dusty Rhodes 49–14 26–4 1st D-II World Series, 3rd place
2001 Dusty Rhodes 47–17 25–5 1st D-II World Series, 3rd place
2002 Dusty Rhodes 40–16 23–7 2nd NCAA South Atlantic Regional, 0–2
2003 Dusty Rhodes 39–18 18–9 T-1st NCAA South Atlantic Regional, 2–2
2004 Dusty Rhodes 41–18 23–7 1st NCAA South Atlantic Regional, 2–2
2005 Dusty Rhodes 48–16 23–7 1st D-II World Series, runner-up
Peach Belt Total: 339–137 (.712) 175–58 (.751)
ASUN Conference (NCAA Division I)
2006 Dusty Rhodes 34–21 20–10 2nd
2007 Dusty Rhodes 24–32 13–14 6th
2008 Dusty Rhodes 29–26 18–15 4th
2009 Dusty Rhodes 23–31 15–15 T-6th
2010 Dusty Rhodes 30–28 14–12 4th A-Sun Tournament, 1–2
2011 Smoke Laval 27–27 13–17 8th
2012 Smoke Laval 31–24 12–15 8th
2013 Smoke Laval 40–19 18–9 3rd A-Sun Tournament, 2–2
2014 Smoke Laval 22–31 11–16 8th A-Sun Tournament, 0–2
2015 Smoke Laval 45–16 16–5 1st A-Sun Tournament, 3–2 (Runner-up)
2016 Smoke Laval 39–19 15–6 2nd A-Sun Tournament, 2–2
Atlantic Sun Total: 344–274 (.557) 166–136 (.550)
Total: 1,113–584 (.656)


Conference championships

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Season Coach Overall record Conf. record
2015 Smoke Laval 45–16 16–5

Awards

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Conference awards

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  • Atlantic Sun Conference Coach of the Year
Smoke Laval (2015)
  • Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Year
Donnie Dewees (2015)

References

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  1. ^ "UNF - Marketing and Publications - Official Athletic Logos and Identifying Marks". 24 April 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  2. ^ a b "@OspreyBSB Sweeps Upstate, Win 2015 A-Sun Regular Season Championship". UNFOspreys.com. University of North Florida. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  3. ^ "2011 North Florida Baseball" (PDF). unfospreys.com. University of North Florida. 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  4. ^ "University of North Florida Athletics – 2008 Baseball Coaching Staff". Unfospreys.com. Archived from the original on 11 February 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  5. ^ "Baseball logo brings fans together". Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2009.
  6. ^ "Coach Dusty Rhodes optimistic entering final season at North Florida". jacksonville.com. 19 February 2010. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  7. ^ "University of North Florida Athletics – Ospreys hush red-hot No. 11 Hurricanes". Unfospreys.com. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  8. ^ "@ASunBSB All-Conference Awards: Laval, Dewees Earn Top Honors". UNFOspreys.com. University of North Florida. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  9. ^ "Dewees Named a Golden Spikes Award Semifinalist". UNFOspreys.com. University of North Florida. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  10. ^ "Cubs select CF Donnie Dewees in the 2nd round". chicagonow.com. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  11. ^ Timothy Bee (9 June 2015). "UNF's Donnie Dewees goes 47th overall to Chicago Cubs". FCN First For You. Retrieved 9 June 2015.[permanent dead link]
  12. ^ "Dusty Rhodes Field at Harmon Stadium". UNFOspreys.com. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
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