University of Delaware Athletics
Photo by: Mark Campbell
Baseball Eyes Success in 2023
2/16/2023 11:00:00 AM | Baseball
OXFORD, Miss. – After a season where it fell short of the CAA Tournament, Delaware baseball is reloaded with a roster featuring several new faces, including head coach Greg Mamula and his staff, who are set to open the season against defending national champion Ole Miss on Friday.
Mamula, who spent 2002-06 on Jim Sherman's staff in Newark, returns to Delaware after serving as an associate head coach at Florida Atlantic last season and spending the past seven years on the Owls' staff.
"As a program, we had a productive fall and preseason," Mamula said. "As a result, we have grown as a baseball team and are looking forward to what lies ahead this spring. Our players are ready to compete and determined to have a great season."
Delaware returns 2022 All-CAA First Team member Joey Loynd to the roster, who led the Blue Hens with 45 RBIs. Loynd was named to the preseason All-CAA team alongside three teammates who earned honorable mentions.
Bryce Greenly and JJ Freeman received honorable mentions from the CAA on the preseason team. Greenly led all Blue Hens in 2022 with a .316 batting average and Freeman swatted nine home runs, the most on the team.
Delaware bolstered its roster with some strong transfers, including infielder Dan Covino, who joins from Central Connecticut St. following a 1.020 OPS last season. Covino earned an honorable mention from the CAA while also being named to the Perfect Game/Rawlings All-CAA preseason team.
Eli Atiya, who is slated to make the opening day start, comes over from Rowan after a season where he finished among the nation's best with a 1.17 ERA in 2022 and earned several impressive accolades.
The Hens will open the season in Oxford, Miss. against the defending national champions, #4 Ole Miss, for the first matchup between the two squads since 1969. Delaware will take on the Rebels in front of a packed Swayze Field crowd from Feb. 17-20 as the team celebrates its national championship.
With the preseason in the rearview mirror, Coach Mamula and the team are relishing the opportunity to play against the national champions.
"What an awesome opportunity for our program to play against the defending national champions in that type of environment," Mamula said. "Prior to this weekend, the largest crowd that Delaware has played in front of was at the 1999 Regional at Arkansas [6,631]. With the goal of winning the CAA and playing in the NCAA tournament this spring, this weekend better prepares our players for playing in a regional environment."
Following the series in Oxford, Delaware has a non-conference series at Stetson (Feb. 24-26) and hosts a home series against Rider (Mar. 3-5).
The team also returns to the Liberty Bell Classic, hoping to return to the championship at Citizens Bank Park with the opening game coming against Saint Joseph's in Newark on Mar. 28.
In addition to the series, the Hens will have non-conference home-and-homes with UMBC, Maryland, Saint Joseph's, Penn and George Washington.
Delaware will host last year's CAA champion Hofstra (Mar. 10-12) for its first conference series, as well as preseason favorite Charleston (Mar. 31-Apr. 2). The Blue & Gold will face three CAA newcomers in North Carolina A&T, Stony Brook and Monmouth.
The Blue Hens were picked eighth in the preseason poll.
Mamula, who spent 2002-06 on Jim Sherman's staff in Newark, returns to Delaware after serving as an associate head coach at Florida Atlantic last season and spending the past seven years on the Owls' staff.
"As a program, we had a productive fall and preseason," Mamula said. "As a result, we have grown as a baseball team and are looking forward to what lies ahead this spring. Our players are ready to compete and determined to have a great season."
Delaware returns 2022 All-CAA First Team member Joey Loynd to the roster, who led the Blue Hens with 45 RBIs. Loynd was named to the preseason All-CAA team alongside three teammates who earned honorable mentions.
Bryce Greenly and JJ Freeman received honorable mentions from the CAA on the preseason team. Greenly led all Blue Hens in 2022 with a .316 batting average and Freeman swatted nine home runs, the most on the team.
Delaware bolstered its roster with some strong transfers, including infielder Dan Covino, who joins from Central Connecticut St. following a 1.020 OPS last season. Covino earned an honorable mention from the CAA while also being named to the Perfect Game/Rawlings All-CAA preseason team.
Eli Atiya, who is slated to make the opening day start, comes over from Rowan after a season where he finished among the nation's best with a 1.17 ERA in 2022 and earned several impressive accolades.
The Hens will open the season in Oxford, Miss. against the defending national champions, #4 Ole Miss, for the first matchup between the two squads since 1969. Delaware will take on the Rebels in front of a packed Swayze Field crowd from Feb. 17-20 as the team celebrates its national championship.
With the preseason in the rearview mirror, Coach Mamula and the team are relishing the opportunity to play against the national champions.
"What an awesome opportunity for our program to play against the defending national champions in that type of environment," Mamula said. "Prior to this weekend, the largest crowd that Delaware has played in front of was at the 1999 Regional at Arkansas [6,631]. With the goal of winning the CAA and playing in the NCAA tournament this spring, this weekend better prepares our players for playing in a regional environment."
Following the series in Oxford, Delaware has a non-conference series at Stetson (Feb. 24-26) and hosts a home series against Rider (Mar. 3-5).
The team also returns to the Liberty Bell Classic, hoping to return to the championship at Citizens Bank Park with the opening game coming against Saint Joseph's in Newark on Mar. 28.
In addition to the series, the Hens will have non-conference home-and-homes with UMBC, Maryland, Saint Joseph's, Penn and George Washington.
Delaware will host last year's CAA champion Hofstra (Mar. 10-12) for its first conference series, as well as preseason favorite Charleston (Mar. 31-Apr. 2). The Blue & Gold will face three CAA newcomers in North Carolina A&T, Stony Brook and Monmouth.
The Blue Hens were picked eighth in the preseason poll.
Players Mentioned
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