McCormack hired to lead FAU baseball

Published July 3rd, 2008

By Mario Sarmento
SPORT EDITOR

After almost two months of waiting, John McCormack finally got the job.
McCormack, a longtime assistant to FAU baseball coach Kevin Cooney, was named as Cooney’s successor Tuesday at the Tom Oxley Founders’ Lounge on campus.

Cooney retired in April to spend more time with his family on his farm in Tennessee.
McCormack is a local product, having moved to Boca Raton at the age of 13.

He attended Pope John Paul II and played baseball at Lynn University, where he was an all-conference selection two years in a row at the positions of third base and catcher. He was the Fighting Knights’ team MVP in his senior season in 1990.

“There’s a number of people I grew up with, went to school with, this kid, his parents,” he said. “With that, I’m going to get those people involved in baseball … Boca Raton’s a community that, it is relatively small, and we want to tap into that.”

During the waiting process McCormack said he fielded e-mails and calls from former FAU players and old friends from around the community. He said his mood was more apprehensive than anything, but he felt he would be hired because “I was the best man for the job.”

FAU President Frank Brogan and athletic director Craig Angelos addressed the lengthy interview process, saying they wanted to make absolutely certain they had the right man to replace Cooney, who stepped down after 21 seasons.

Angelos said the three key components for hiring a successor were to raise the APR in the baseball program, get to the College World Series and improve the baseball facilities, something Cooney complained about for years.

The fact that unheralded Fresno State won this year’s college national championship emboldened Brogan in his comments to say that FAU will expect nothing less than a CWS berth in the near future.

In his application packet, McCormack had listed that as a realistic goal within five years, but during the press conference Angelos implored him to whittle down the timetable to a more acceptable number.

The players are happy because of the continuity the hiring establishes, and many sent e-mails to Angelos backing McCormack in his bid for the job.

“When it comes to on the field, Coach McCormack’s definitely a straight shooter,” FAU junior outfielder Tom Hatcher said.
“We’ll see how that plays out next year.”

Former player Gabe Somarriba, who was with the Owls from 1999-2002, said McCormack will bring a competitive fire to the team next season.

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