{"id":680982,"date":"2025-12-01T15:29:41","date_gmt":"2025-12-01T20:29:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/?p=680982"},"modified":"2025-12-01T15:30:44","modified_gmt":"2025-12-01T20:30:44","slug":"review-fall-2025-baseball-coach-joe-reina-500th-win-680982","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/review-fall-2025-baseball-coach-joe-reina-500th-win-680982\/","title":{"rendered":"Grand slam: Joe Reina wins 500th game as Ä¢¹½´«Ã½\u2019s varsity baseball coach"},"content":{"rendered":"

The winningest coach in program history reflects on his success on and off the field.<\/h2>\n

Varsity baseball coach Joe Reina<\/a> celebrated the 500th victory of his illustrious career this spring, at a game when the Yellowjackets beat Union College 6\u20133<\/a>. All have come with the Yellowjackets, making Reina the winningest coach in program history.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve really never thought about the amount of wins\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019ve always focused on how do we win this<\/i> game? It\u2019s about the student-athletes and what they mean to me. I love all of them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Rochester native was named the 18th head coach in Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ history in 2002.
\nHis teams have gone 505\u2013390 (.564 winning percentage) and made three trips to the NCAA Division III Tournament. Two of his players have been selected in the Major League Baseball draft\u2014pitchers John Ghyzel<\/a> \u201924 and Nolan Sparks<\/a> \u201924. Ghyzel was drafted after the 2017 season and pitched professionally through 2021. He earned his bachelor\u2019s degree<\/a> from Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ in 2024.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll of that success has been great,\u201d Reina says. \u201cBut what I\u2019ll remember most are the bus conversations, phone calls, and texts with players and watching these young men grow into leaders in the workforce and become great husbands and dads.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"
TEAM PLAYER:<\/strong> Joe Reina, right, was a star shortstop in high school, earning a full Division I scholarship to Long Island University. (Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ photo \/ Athletics and Recreation)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Reina\u2019s milestone win came in the same game that infielder Jackson Reed<\/a> \u201924, \u201925S (MS) broke a team record by collecting his 202nd career hit. The California native played five seasons under Reina and finished with 221 hits. \u201cHaving Jackson accomplish that feat made the day truly special,\u201d Reina says. \u201cIt\u2019s been great watching him turn into the player he is.\u201d<\/p>\n

When the milestone game ended, Reina congratulated Reed and flipped him the game ball. Reed caught it, then reached into his back pocket and pulled out another ball. He handed it to his mentor and said, \u201cRight back at you, Coach! Congrats on win number 500!\u201d<\/p>\n

Reina says he has no plans to retire any time soon. \u201cI love meeting families during the recruiting process, I love practice time and watching the kids get better, and I stink at golf. I love this school, and I love my boss (athletic director George VanderZwaag<\/a>). So, as they say, \u2018If you love what you do, you\u2019ll never work a day in your life!\u2019 As long as that holds true, I\u2019ll keep trying to win the next game.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

This story appears in the fall 2025 issue of\u00a0<\/em>Rochester Review<\/a>, the magazine of the\u00a0Ä¢¹½´«Ã½<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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