Inside Athletics

Ian Ratchford enters his second season coaching the Albertus Magnus College baseball team for the 2025 season.

In 2024, Ratchford's team finished with a 12-23 overall record while going 5-11 in conference play. Following the season, Shawn Smith (Shelton, Conn.) garnered All-GNAC third-team honors and Troy Piascik (East Haven, Conn.) was named to the GNAC All-Rookie team. Recognized for his work in the classroom, Bobby Arent (Ridgefield, Conn.) was named to the CSC Academic All-District Team.

During his recently completed four-year stint as head coach at UConn Avery Point, Ratchford posted a .613 winning percentage, three postseason appearances and two Subdistrict titles. The 2023 squad finished with a 27-11 record and claimed its second consecutive Subdistrict crown. The 2022 team was one victory shy of a spot in the NJCAA Division II College World Series and notched 24 victories. Ratchford also helped elevate the Pointers' efforts in the classroom, as his team registered a grade point average of 3.0 or higher in each semester. The team was recognized with the NJCAA Team Academic Award in 2020, while numerous student-athletes were tabbed for the NJCAA All-Academic Teams. Development in the classroom and on the field was a hallmark of the program, as student-athletes continued their academic and athletic careers across all three NCAA Divisions, as well as the NAIA level, after their time at Avery Point.

Ratchford also spent two seasons as the manager of the Danbury Westerners of the NECBL, highlighted by the franchise's first-ever league championship in 2021. He was also named the recipient of the NECBL's 2021 Joel E. Cooney Manager of the Year. He spent two years as an assistant with the Westerners before being elevated to the top spot.

He has also amassed additional collegiate experience on the staff at the University of Bridgeport (2018-19) and Western Connecticut State University (2016-18).

Ratchford holds a bachelor's degree from Post University, where he completed his athletic eligibility as a member of the Eagles' baseball squad after two years at UConn Avery Point.

Coach Ratchford's All-Time Coaching Record at Albertus Magnus College