BEVERLY, Mass. — Recent Endicott College graduate Rian Schwede (Whitman, Mass.) will continue his academic and baseball career at Villanova University.
Schwede will study public administration as a member of the Villanova baseball program.
"I'm extremely proud of Rian and appreciate all of the time and effort he put into developing himself as a pitcher and as a person. Rian has always been a great teammate and I was very impressed with how he emerged as an outstanding leader during this past season," said Endicott baseball head coach Bryan Haley. "Rian displayed a great deal of mental strength and resilience during his time with us, overcoming significant obstacles both on and off of the field. We'll all genuinely miss Rian and his great sense of humor, and I wish him all the best on his next steps in life."
Schwede was pivotal to the Gulls' first-ever NCAA Division III College World Series run and program record 45-win season this spring.
The hard-throwing righty earned Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) All-CCC First Team accolades behind a 6-1 overall in 13 starts (15 appearances) over 76 innings pitched.
Schwede compiled a 3.08 earned run average (ERA), a 1.21 WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched), and a 6.99 K/9 rate in those outings.
In total, Schwede logged 173 1/3 innings (38 appearances, 30 starts) and a 12-4 record in an Endicott uniform.
His journey to completing his B.S. in criminal justice also featured several obstacles, none more harrowing than defying the odds and beating cancer. To learn more about Schwede's story click here: From Baseball to Life's Curveballs
"When I look back on my past four years at Endicott, I have nothing but positive lifetime memories. I am beyond grateful to have been coached by a highly skilled and dedicated coaching staff. Coach Haley, Coach O, and Coach Buzz have created a winning culture that will continue on for years and I am proud to say that I was a part of this and thank them for everything they do. As I mentioned earlier, the memories I've created countless memories with the guys on and off the field," said Schwede.
He continued to sum up his Endicott experience.
"I've noticed that having a strong team bond with a correct mindset is almost unstoppable. When we all sat down for the first meetings in the fall, we all had one goal in mind, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. We all knew it was possible, but every single person needed to buy in and take the process step by step. This all started with a great pair of captains and older leadership. It's not all about hitting home runs and throwing gas. It starts in the classroom, the weight room, and individual practices that everyone on the team took seriously, and it paid off. I am highly excited to follow the Endicott baseball team and see what is in store in the near future. Thank you to the coaches, trainers, and everybody else who has been involved to get this program to where it is today."
Villanova is currently ranked No. 51 out of 443 national universities by U.S. News & World Report.
Athletically, Villanova has won 21 NCAA National Championships while the Wildcats' baseball program has made seven NCAA Tournament berths and won two BIG EAST titles.
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(Photo Credit - David Le '10)
