Why attend HCC vs 4 year school?
The Holyoke Community College baseball program offers many reasons to consider attending. If you currently don't know if the JUCO route is something that can benefit you, consider some of the factors below.
With the introduction of the MassEducate program, all Massachusetts residents can attend HCC for free. This is basically the equivalent of a scholarship for anybody in-state. We also offer a discounted New England rate for residents of CT, ME, NH, RI, and VT. The average annual cost of tuition at a 4 year college in MA is just under 30k. Save money on credits that count the same towards your degree. We also have some of the lowest out of state tuition in the country as well.
Playing Time
Have the opportunity to get full playing time right away as an underclassman. As opposed to a 35 man NCAA roster, we only keep 20-25 players max on our full roster. Young players have less to compete with the get on the field, as they don't have to beat out juniors and seniors as they would at a 4 year school. Give yourself the best chance to get game reps right away. Why go through the rigorous training required at a 4 year program, just to be stuck on the bench?
Opportunity at Next Level
Join the many student athletes that were given offers from NCAA programs after their time at HCC. Our coaching staff prides itself on winning, but we also equally pride ourselves on getting players to the next level. Develop at the JUCO level while getting playing time, and keep your options open as to where you want to play next. Coach Magni is constantly in contact with over 100 different NCAA coaches each year.
Same Benefits
One of the better perks of an NCAA program is a spring break trip to Florida in the preseason. HCC is one of only 4 JUCO schools in New England that offer a trip down south to play in the RussMatt Invitational. We go to Orlando for spring break each year so that we are as prepared for conference play as possible when we get back up north. We are able to take this trip at a fraction of the cost of a 4 year school.
Competition
Some people see the JUCO label and write it off. The truth is, there is talent above and below the NCAA level in our conference. There are players that will go on to play at the NCAA level, but there have been multiple players drafted into the MLB directly after playing in our conference. The point given, is to show that even though we are a JUCO team, we still play very quality competition.
Quality Coaching
We have an experienced coaching staff, led by Head Coach Ryan Magni, who is going into his 7th season with the program. The staff includes coaching veterans who have coached at the youth, high school, college, and pro level. Being an NCAA alumni himself, Coach Magni prides himself on running the program as close to a 4 year program as he can.