Kavanaugh Named New Assistant Coach for GW Baseball
8/9/2021 2:00:00 PM | Baseball
16-year veteran joins Coach Ritchie's staff as pitching coach and recruiting coordinator
WASHINGTON - Former Stony Brook pitching coach Tyler Kavanaugh has joined the GW baseball staff in the same role, head coach Gregg Ritchie announced on Monday. Widely respected as one of the game's top recruiters, he will also serve as the team's recruiting coordinator.
"We are excited to welcome Tyler, along with his wife Caitlin and their two sons James and Jack, to the Buff & Blue family," Ritchie said. "He brings a long track record of experience and success in developing and creating a winning pitching staff and the formation of a winning team. Not only is Tyler exceptional at his craft of producing performers on the mound, but he is someone that teaches through building strong relationships and investing time with the student-athlete. He possesses mentorship and teaching skills that will not only give our men in the moment tools for success, but he will deliver the guidance and the tools for the student-athlete to have full life achievement."
A 16-year coaching veteran, Kavanaugh has helped guide three teams to NCAA Tournaments. Kavanaugh has spent the last four seasons as the assistant coach at Stony Brook where his pitching staff authored a 40-19 record in America East play. In 2021, the Stony Brook staff finished 19th nationally in ERA, 27th in hits per inning and 49th in WHIP.
In years prior, Kavanaugh helped lead the pitching staff to the second-best ERA in the conference in 2020 and the third-best in 2019 en route to a conference championship and NCAA Tournament appearance. Under his leadership, six different hurlers have earned All-Conference accolades.
Prior to his time with Stony Brook, Kavanaugh spent two years at Hofstra where he mentored four All-CAA performers. Before that, he spent two years at Marist College, coaching four All-MAAC honorees. Kavanaugh also spent two years at Sacred Heart University as the recruiting coordinator for a program that advanced to the 2011 and 2012 NCAA Tournaments.
Kavanaugh began his coaching career at SUNY Purchase in 2007 and after two years moved on to DeSales University for a pair of seasons, winning the conference championship in 2010.
A 2006 graduate of Kenyon College, Kavanaugh was a four-year starting catcher and three-time All-Conference honoree during his playing days. He helped lead Kenyon to a school record for wins and the program's first-ever conference tournament appearance during his senior year.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT TYLER KAVANAUGH
"Having watched him both play and coach from opposing dugouts over the past 20 years, I'm hard pressed to think of a harder working coach in the industry than Tyler Kavanaugh. He's a baseball lifer and grinder in the truest sense - someone who appreciates and welcomes new-school philosophies while also capable of bridging it with old-school thought. Most importantly, TK displays a daily work ethic that those around him - players and coaches alike - can't help but feed off of. He's truly one of the elite coaches in the profession, and to say the GW recruiting and position player spaces are in phenomenal hands would be a huge understatement. Amazing hire for GW!"
He will bring a relentless work ethic, superior preparation, and an attention to detail with a visible passion for people and the game of baseball, for GW Baseball. Tyler is a dedicated person in providing a path and the guidance for pitchers to reach their true potential and also overachieve—Tyler is an accomplished SME. Our pitching will benefit greatly from being coached up by Tyler.
His determination to be his best, commitment to excellence, and his respect for others are part of his high-level character attributes that help GW Baseball toward special achievements and a championship. Tyler is driven to impact others in a productive and positive way – and he is driven to win!
GW, our student-athletes, our staff, and I are extremely fortunate to have Tyler Kavanaugh become our new pitching coach/recruiting coordinator. We welcome, with great excitement, Tyler and The Kavanaugh Family into the GW Family!"
"We are excited to welcome Tyler, along with his wife Caitlin and their two sons James and Jack, to the Buff & Blue family," Ritchie said. "He brings a long track record of experience and success in developing and creating a winning pitching staff and the formation of a winning team. Not only is Tyler exceptional at his craft of producing performers on the mound, but he is someone that teaches through building strong relationships and investing time with the student-athlete. He possesses mentorship and teaching skills that will not only give our men in the moment tools for success, but he will deliver the guidance and the tools for the student-athlete to have full life achievement."
A 16-year coaching veteran, Kavanaugh has helped guide three teams to NCAA Tournaments. Kavanaugh has spent the last four seasons as the assistant coach at Stony Brook where his pitching staff authored a 40-19 record in America East play. In 2021, the Stony Brook staff finished 19th nationally in ERA, 27th in hits per inning and 49th in WHIP.
In years prior, Kavanaugh helped lead the pitching staff to the second-best ERA in the conference in 2020 and the third-best in 2019 en route to a conference championship and NCAA Tournament appearance. Under his leadership, six different hurlers have earned All-Conference accolades.
Prior to his time with Stony Brook, Kavanaugh spent two years at Hofstra where he mentored four All-CAA performers. Before that, he spent two years at Marist College, coaching four All-MAAC honorees. Kavanaugh also spent two years at Sacred Heart University as the recruiting coordinator for a program that advanced to the 2011 and 2012 NCAA Tournaments.
Kavanaugh began his coaching career at SUNY Purchase in 2007 and after two years moved on to DeSales University for a pair of seasons, winning the conference championship in 2010.
A 2006 graduate of Kenyon College, Kavanaugh was a four-year starting catcher and three-time All-Conference honoree during his playing days. He helped lead Kenyon to a school record for wins and the program's first-ever conference tournament appearance during his senior year.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT TYLER KAVANAUGH
"Having watched him both play and coach from opposing dugouts over the past 20 years, I'm hard pressed to think of a harder working coach in the industry than Tyler Kavanaugh. He's a baseball lifer and grinder in the truest sense - someone who appreciates and welcomes new-school philosophies while also capable of bridging it with old-school thought. Most importantly, TK displays a daily work ethic that those around him - players and coaches alike - can't help but feed off of. He's truly one of the elite coaches in the profession, and to say the GW recruiting and position player spaces are in phenomenal hands would be a huge understatement. Amazing hire for GW!"
Tucker Frawley
Assistant Field Coordinator and Coordinator of Skill Development - Minnesota Twins Baseball Club
Assistant Field Coordinator and Coordinator of Skill Development - Minnesota Twins Baseball Club
"The positive impact that Tyler had on our student-athletes at Stony Brook is immeasurable. He is an outstanding teacher and mentor who invests deeply in the lives of the young men he coaches. In hiring Tyler, George Washington is getting a first-class individual who is a winner in every sense of the word."
Shawn Heilbron
Director of Athletics - Stony Brook University
Director of Athletics - Stony Brook University
"Over the past 3 years I've had the pleasure of playing under Coach Kavanaugh, where he turned me from an average pitcher into a pro caliber arm. George Washington is very lucky to have such a hard worker day in and day out as well as a coach that gets the best out of his pitching staff."
Jared Milch
Former Stony Brook LHP, Professional Player for NJ Jackals – Frontier League
Former Stony Brook LHP, Professional Player for NJ Jackals – Frontier League
"Coach Kavanaugh is a fantastic hire. He has demonstrated the ability to evaluate, recruit, develop players on both side of the ball. George Washington is getting a great person and an extremely hard worker."
Joe Pennucci
Head Baseball Coach - East Tennessee State University
Head Baseball Coach - East Tennessee State University
"TK is an incredibly intelligent coach that prioritizes relationship building and a developmental driven approach to maximize the success of his pitching staff. With a proven track record, he brings a ton to the GW baseball program."
Dr. Josh Heenan
President of Advanced Therapy and Performance
President of Advanced Therapy and Performance
"George Washington Baseball is gaining a tremendous asset with the hiring of Tyler Kavanaugh as its pitching coach. He is a man that cares deeply about his players and leads them with class, passion, and integrity on a daily basis. Tyler has proven to be a relentless worker both in the cultivating of relationships on the recruiting trail and in the development of the student-athlete on the field. He will be a great addition to an already strong coaching staff and will no doubt help Coach Ritchie and Coach Marshall in their pursuit of bringing an A-10 championship back to Foggy Bottom!"
Mike Marron
Pitching Coach - Old Dominion University
Pitching Coach - Old Dominion University
"Tyler is not only a highly respected pitching coach in the industry, but an acknowledged top-flight recruiter. He has proven to be someone that can evaluate talent and can continue to bring the Player of the Year, All-Conference, All-Region, MLB draft talent-type players that GW Baseball has been familiar with.
He will bring a relentless work ethic, superior preparation, and an attention to detail with a visible passion for people and the game of baseball, for GW Baseball. Tyler is a dedicated person in providing a path and the guidance for pitchers to reach their true potential and also overachieve—Tyler is an accomplished SME. Our pitching will benefit greatly from being coached up by Tyler.
His determination to be his best, commitment to excellence, and his respect for others are part of his high-level character attributes that help GW Baseball toward special achievements and a championship. Tyler is driven to impact others in a productive and positive way – and he is driven to win!
GW, our student-athletes, our staff, and I are extremely fortunate to have Tyler Kavanaugh become our new pitching coach/recruiting coordinator. We welcome, with great excitement, Tyler and The Kavanaugh Family into the GW Family!"
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