Tim Byrnes is in his sixth year as the head baseball coach at Hamilton College. Byrnes guided Hamilton to three straight years of 10-plus wins for the first time in program history from 2008 to 2010. The Continentals set a team record for victories in a season with 14 in 2009. Hamilton established a program record for stolen bases in a season (66), and tied the record for triples (9) in 2010.
Byrnes has led the baseball team to 50 wins. In 2009, Hamilton set nine team records, including most runs, hits, runs batted in and doubles in a season. Six different players set eight single-season records in 2009. Byrnes' players hold program records for most doubles, wins, strikeouts and highest batting average in a career. Max Foster '10 was a New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) all-conference team selection in 2009. Four of Byrnes' players have made the NESCAC spring all-academic team. The Continentals are 3-1 in the annual Jackie Robinson Game against Utica College under Byrnes.
Byrnes was the head coach at Morrisville State College in 2005 and 2006. He guided Morrisville to 19 wins in 2006 after posting 10 victories in his first year as head coach. One Morrisville player was selected a National Junior College Association of America (NJCAA) Division III All-American in 2006. The All-America award was the first in program history. Byrnes’ players earned two NJCAA academic All-America and two academic all-region honors.
Byrnes was an assistant coach for Morrisville’s baseball team in 2004. He earned two varsity letters as an outfielder on the St. Lawrence University baseball team. Byrnes graduated from St. Lawrence with a bachelor’s degree in sports and leisure studies and an education minor in 2002. He is from Cazenovia, N.Y.
Dick Hunt is in the first year of his return to the Hamilton College baseball team as the program’s pitching coach. Hunt helped guide Hamilton to 146 wins from 1979 to 1998 during his first stint with the Continentals.
Hunt was instrumental in establishing the annual Jackie Robinson Game between Hamilton and local rival Utica College. The Continentals and the Pioneers square off in the 25th anniversary of the start of the event on Wednesday, April 11. Hunt has been involved with the Society for American Baseball Research for many years, and currently serves as its education chairman.
Hunt retired as the longtime principal of Clinton High School in June 2011, and is currently an adjunct professor at both Utica College and Mohawk Valley Community College. Hunt graduated from Siena College in Loudonville, N.Y., in 1974, and was a two-year captain of the Saints’ baseball team. He went on to play semi-pro baseball for the Milford Macs and the Schaefer Brewers.
Eddie Ray is in his sixth year as an assistant baseball coach at Hamilton College. Ray was a head varsity baseball coach in high school for 12 years. His Weedsport and Hamilton Central School teams won a number of sectional titles.
Ray graduated from New England College in Henniker, New Hampshire, in 1974. He graduated from Hamilton Central School in 1970. Ray taught history at Weedsport from 1974 to 1979. He taught the same subject at Madison Central School in 1988. Ray resides in Hamilton, where he owns a furniture and flooring business.
Grady Vigneau is in his first year as an assistant coach for the Hamilton College baseball team. Vigneau was a four-year letter winner for the Continentals from 2007 to 2010.
Vigneau played 83 career games at first base for Hamilton. He enjoyed his finest season in 2010 when he posted a .315 batting average and led the team with 27 RBI. Vigneau finished his career with just 10 errors in 453 chances in the field. He received the Coaches Exemplary Senior award in 2010.
Vigneau held several coaching positions in 2011. He was an assistant coach for the Bates College baseball team, and later played and coached for the Hannover Regents Baseball Club in Germany.
Vigneau graduated from Hamilton in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in sports leadership from Northeastern University. Vigneau hails from Stowe, Vt.
Tim Byrnes - Head Coach
tbyrnes@hamilton.edu
315-859-4928
315-859-4117 (fax)
