Jordano Announces Staff Changes for 2016-17
8/19/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
PITTSBURGH – Head coach Joe Jordano has announced changes to his staff for the upcoming season, retaining volunteer assistants Billy Alvino and Jimmy Negrych, announced Friday afternoon.
Two volunteers from the 2016 season will remain with the squad, as Alvino will become Jordano’s assistant coach, working primarily with the catchers and outfielders. Staying on as the volunteer assistant coach, former Pitt baseball All-Big East honoree Negrych will aid Jordano with the infielders. Negrych assisted with the Panthers during the 2016 campaign as a student volunteer assistant coach while working on finishing his bachelor’s degree.
“After a careful process, it became clear to me that the individual for this position was Coach Alvino,” said Jordano. “I am very pleased to be able to elevate him to a full-time position. In his short time with the program, he has done a great job and I feel with these increased responsibilities he will assist in taking us to another level.
“In addition, I am so happy we were able to keep Coach Negrych. As one of the most decorated players in Pitt baseball history, his passion for this program is impressive as well as his knowledge of the game through his 10-plus years in professional baseball. I could not be more pleased with our staff. It is my goal to keep this staff together for some time.”
Alvino returns to Jordano’s staff as the assistant coach, after working with the 2016 squad in a volunteer capacity. He will continue to work primarily with the catchers, also assisting with the outfielders and hitting.
“It is an honor and privilege to be part of such an established program like the University of Pittsburgh and coach under an experienced skipper like Joe Jordano,” said Alvino. “I am also looking forward to continuing my work side-by-side with Jerry Oakes and Jimmy Negrych, two people whom I respect tremendously. I am excited to help this program grow and compete for an ACC Championship.”
Last season, Alvino’s catchers produced some of the best numbers in the ACC as senior Alex Kowalczyk led the league in stolen bases against, allowing just 24 free bases all year. Kowalczyk would be drafted in the 12th round by the Texas Rangers after producing equally as impressive offensive numbers, hitting .315 with 57 hits, 17 doubles, nine home runs and 45 RBIs.
A 2009 alumnus of High Point University, he batted .400, collected 47 RBIs, and reached base at a .466 clip to earn a semifinalist nod for the Johnny Bench Award, given to the top catcher in Division I.
Before joining the ranks at the University of Pittsburgh, Alvino spent three seasons with the Valiants as an assistant coach under Jeff Caulfield -- the winningest head baseball coach in Manhattanville history. His duties centered on recruiting, practice and game preparation, fundraising, academic monitoring, and other day-to-day responsibilities.
During that time, Manhattanville went 47-34 (.492) and appeared in the Freedom Conference playoffs each year -- including a finals berth in 2014. In 2013-15 combined, 17 of Alvino's student-athletes merited all-conference honors while 20 earned academic recognition on the Middle Atlantic Conferences' Spring Academic Honor Roll.
Prior to entering the coaching ranks, Alvino played professionally for five seasons from 2009-2013. The 6'0" righty moved within the Detroit Tigers' farm system from 2009-11 and ascended as high as Class-AA Erie. He transitioned into independent league play beginning in 2011.
At High Point, Alvino captained the squad as a senior. Apart from the aforementioned Bench Award recognition, that season he also earned the distinction of being the most difficult player to strike out in Division I (four strikeouts in 210 at-bats). He hit .316 over his career and finished with the program's third-most all-time totals in hits and RBIs.
In 2015 Alvino earned a master’s degree in sport business management from Manhattanville. He resides in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Serving as the student volunteer assistant coach during Pitt’s 2016 campaign, Negrych helped coach the infielders, assisting in the development of one of the ACC’s top players in Charles Leblanc. A sophomore from Laval, Quebec, Leblanc won the ACC’s batting title, hitting .405 with 79 hits, nine doubles, two home runs and 46 RBIs. Leblanc was drafted in the fourth round by the Texas Rangers and is currently a member of the Class A Spokane Indians.
“I am excited and humbled to be back at the University of Pittsburgh,” added Negrych. “I’m looking forward to sharing all the knowledge and coaching I’ve received as a player back to the student athletes we have now.”
Negrych played three seasons at the University of Pittsburgh, boasting one of the best Panther careers. The Big East Rookie of the Year in 2004, he played 160 games concluding his time at Pitt with a .374 average with 213 hits, including 48 doubles, 34 home runs and 164 RBIs. He was named second-team All-Big East in 2004 and garnered Baseball America first-team Freshman All-America recognition that season. He was a two-time Baseball America first-team All-American and first-team All-Big East selection, earning the distinctions in 2005 and 2006.
In 2006, Negrych was drafted in the sixth round by the hometown Pittsburgh Pirates and would go on to have a seven-year career in professional baseball. In addition to the Pirates, Negrych played in the Miami Marlins, Washington Nationals and Toronto Blue Jays organizations. In 2008 he was named the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Minor League Player of the Year, was named an A (High) All-Star and the Tops Carolina League Player of the Year.
Ascending the minor league ranks, Negrych was named to the AAA All-Star teams in both 2012 and 2013 before retiring from the MLB. He wrapped up his career with 796 games, hitting .296 with 811 hits, 158 doubles, 32 home runs and 353 RBIs.
Negrych then turned his attention to the Chinatrust Brothers Elephants in Taichung City, Taiwan where he played in 107 games. He dominated the league, hitting .348 with 141 hits, 21 doubles, six home runs and 69 RBIs.
In May of 2016, Negrych earned his bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Pittsburgh. He resides in Bridgeville, Pa., with his wife, Nikki.
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