Vermont Mountaineers
NECBL franchise based in Montpelier, Vermont.
The Vermont Mountaineers are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Montpelier, Vermont, and a member of the New England Collegiate Baseball League. They play their home games at Montpelier Recreation Field. In 2022, the Mountaineers set an NECBL record with 32 wins in a single season.
Quick Facts
- Nickname
- Mountaineers, Neers
- League
- NECBL
- Division
- Northern Division
- Location
- Montpelier, Vermont
- Stadium
- Montpelier Recreation Field
- Founded
- 2003
- Series
- Post-Season Division
- Owner
- Board of Directors
Facts from the source article.
History
It all started in 2001 when locals formed Green Mountain Community Baseball, hoping to bring an NECBL team to Montpelier. The Vermont Mountaineers name came from over 300 fan suggestions. Brian Gallagher led the franchise from day one as general manager, while John Russo has managed the club since 2004 after joining the organization earlier. The Mountaineers debuted on June 7, 2003, losing 8-5 to the Manchester Silkworms, but the crowd of 2,471 set a new NECBL single-game attendance record. That first season ended with the second-worst record in the league, yet the team led the NECBL in average attendance, drawing nearly 35,000 fans to Montpelier Recreation Field. The club made the playoffs in 2004 and qualified for the postseason six times in their first seven years. They have appeared in the NECBL Championship Series six times—2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2015, and 2022—winning it all in 2006, 2007, and 2015. Three of those finals matchups were against the Newport Gulls.
Awards
Mountaineers players and staff have received numerous NECBL honors. In 2004, McKenzie Willoughby was co-winner of Top Relief Pitcher. Matt Rizzotti won the Sportsmanship Award in 2005, and John Russo was named Manager of the Year that same season. Curt Smith earned Defensive Player of the Year in 2006, while Mark Murray took Top Relief Pitcher, Robbie Minor won Sportsmanship, and Chris Friedrich was Rookie of the Year. A. J. Pollock received the 10th Player Award in 2007. Alejandro Balsinde was Most Improved Player in 2008, and Blake Tiberi was Rookie of the Year in 2014. Multiple players earned All-NECBL First and Second Team selections across several seasons, including Matt Rizzotti (2005 First Team), Curt Smith (2006 First Team), and Mike Sheridan (2007 First Team).
Attendance
From their inaugural season, the Mountaineers have consistently ranked near the top of the league in attendance. In 2003 they led the NECBL in average attendance per game. The 2004 NECBL All-Star Game, hosted at Montpelier Recreation Field, drew 4,127 fans, a then-league record for All-Star Game attendance. That record was later broken at the 2009 All-Star Game hosted by the Holyoke Blue Sox, which attracted 4,906 fans. The 2004 mark remains a Montpelier Recreation Field record.
Pro alumni
Over 103 former Mountaineers have signed professional contracts after playing for Vermont. Thirteen have reached the major leagues, with two players on active MLB rosters as of August 1, 2018. Simon Rosenbaum, a 2015 alum, was active with Team Israel as of that date. Several former Mountaineers broadcasters have gone on to broadcast in professional baseball, including Tim Hagerty (AAA), Kyle Berger (A), Scott Montesano (Independent), Jonathan Barr (Independent), Paul Roper (Independent, later broadcasting in the OHL), and Carmine Vetrano (AHL/FHL/Can-Am).
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