Beyond the Bio: Rick Oliveri

Welcome back to Beyond the Bio, where we'll get to know more about the people behind the scenes at GW Athletics.

In this edition, we learn about Rick Oliveri, who is entering his fifth year with the Buff and Blue as the Recruiting Coordinator and Pitching Coach for the baseball team.

When I'm not working, my favorite thing to do is?
I love to cook. I didn't really start getting into it until a couple of years ago and I resisted it for so long because I didn't have the confidence or knowledge to really do much other than make some scrambled eggs. Now I look forward to cooking and trying new recipes. I've gotten so much better at it that I welcome the challenge of cooking for guests! My specialties are steak using a sous vide, pasta dishes, stuffed peppers, and homemade bruschetta or pico de gallo when I have some fresh tomatoes handy.

If I was an animal, I would be?
I would be a golden retriever or a chocolate lab. I grew up with dogs and have an appreciation for how joyful they are. Three things are on their mind at all times: food, play and naps! When their owners come home from work, the elation a dog shows—jumping, wagging their tail, basically freaking out is similar to how baseball players react to a walk-off homerun. Where do I sign to have that much excitement and pure bliss on a daily basis?

If I could only eat one meal for every meal for the rest of my life, it would be?
Baked ziti with a side of meatballs and Italian sausage. Of all the lavish things I could choose, this dish is at the top of my food chain. Growing up having mom's sauce and loving all Italian food, this is a no brainer for me.

My favorite place I've ever been is?
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. I only spent a couple of days there this past January, but it's where I asked the love of my life, Stephanie, to marry me (she said yes!). It's a historical, picturesque town about an hour north of Buffalo, NY, right across the border into Canada known for its wineries. Her and I had a great couple of days there and it's a place we will be going back to over and over again.

If I could have coffee with anybody in the world, living or historical, he/she would be?
Thurman Munson. Munson was the catcher and Yankee Captain in the 70s and although I wasn't alive to watch him play, my dad told me about the kind of man he was. I looked into his life and career further and he was someone I tried to model myself after. Not known for having an all-world skill set, he was most known for being a great teammate and for his toughness. He was a blue-collar, family man who died in a plane crash during the prime of his career flying home to see his family on an off day. I don't know what we would talk about, but at the very least I would thank him for his impact on me and the many other kids he influenced.

The one job in GW Athletics I'd like to do for a day is?
The golf coach—I'd love to have access to the golf simulator! Coach Scheinost, if you ever need someone to take some swings to make sure it's working correctly, I'm your guy.

The person I'm most inspired by is?
Jaret Edwards, Emmett Harkins, Keagan McGinnis, Elliott Raimo, Cal Stalzer and Andrew Wheeler—the class of 2020 pitchers. These guys were freshmen when I first took the job at GW. We grew together, they taught me a ton, and they poured their hearts and souls into our team, more specifically our pitching staff. "Culture" is the buzzword that coaches use all the time, but the standards they set and the culture they built will serve the young men of our pitching staff for years to come. They also met the devastating news that their senior seasons would be over just 16 games in with class and grace. They knew they had no regrets because they laid it all on the line for four years. You men inspire me—thank you and I love you!

My favorite book, movie, TV show or podcast is?
Book: Lone Survivor
Movie: The Natural (filmed in Buffalo, my hometown and my dad played a role as one of the players on the the Knights, Tommy Bivens)
TV Show: Game of Thrones

My top #OnlyAtGW moment was?
Making up the scavenger hunt as one of the events of the Monumental Challenge last fall with Coach Marshall. We spent almost five hours walking the monuments and memorials to make up the signature event of the end-of-the-fall competition we did as a team called the Monumental Challenge. The challenge had several events, most of them endurance or strength events and some fun like the soccer shootout. The scavenger hunt was a combination of fun and endurance as each of the teams were timed while recovering items or tidbits from eight different monument sites near the Lincoln Memorial. Of all the #OnlyAtGW moments, this one was special because it was a way for our guys to learn more about DC and our nation's history, all while growing together as a family.

If I could be granted the gift of elite athleticism, I'd like to be able to?
I'd love to be on the PGA tour and win a Masters. Playing golf is one of my favorite things to do outside of coaching our guys.

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Jaret Edwards

Emmett Harkins

Keagan McGinnis

Elliott Raimo

Cal Stalzer

Andrew Wheeler

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