Rispoli Joins Army Baseball Staff

WEST POINT, N.Y. – Army West Point head baseball coach Jim Foster has announced the addition of Tom Rispoli to his coaching staff.

"I would like to welcome Coach Rispoli and his wife Jill to West Point," Foster said. "He is a great addition to not only our program but our community. He will make an immediate impact on our player development thanks to his wealth of knowledge of the game. He is a great recruiter and will be a fantastic mentor to our young men. We're excited to have him."

Rispoli comes to West Point after a four-year stint at the University of New Haven, where he coached the hitters and infielders, while also serving as the recruiting coordinator. After being an assistant coach for three seasons, Rispoli was promoted to the position of associate head coach in July 2018.

He played a major role in helping the Chargers achieve a national ranking, as high as No. 5, during the 2018 season. Rispoli also assisted New Haven last year to one of its most successful campaigns in program history, earning a program single-season record 39 wins (39-12) and ranking in the top-10 nationally in fielding percentage. The Chargers were the runner-up in the Northeast-10 Conference Tournament before earning the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Division II East Region Championship.

During that season, he mentored two Northeast-10 All-Conference recipients and two All-Region selections in Joe Caico and Tom Walraven. In addition, Walraven was selected to the 2018 NCAA Division II ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Team.

"I would like to thank Coach Foster for the opportunity to join his coaching staff," Rispoli said. "I am honored to be a part of an institution and community with such a rich tradition. West Point is a truly inspiring place and I am excited to assist in guiding the cadet-athletes to become leaders of character in the classroom, on the field, and in the community."

In 2017 under guidance from Rispoli, the Chargers went 31-13 on their way to a Northeast-10 Championship and a bid to the NCAA Regional Tournament. He mentored four position players that received all conference honors, including Jack Zagaja (NE10 Second Team, NCAA Division II All-East Region), Rob Petrillo (NE10 Second Team), Matt Chamberlain (NE10 All-Rookie Team) and Walraven (NE10 First Team).

Zagaja led the Chargers that year with a .337 batting average, a .497 slugging percentage, 57 hits, 17 of them for extra bases, and 37 runs batted in. Petrillo finished the season hitting .315 with 56 hits and 29 RBI, while Walraven (.302) was the third Charger to close out the season with a .300 or better batting average after notching 51 hits, four home runs, and 18 RBI. Chamberlain was tops on the team with a .441 on base percentage and chipped in 43 hits, nine doubles, two home runs, a team-high 30 walks and 18 RBI during his rookie campaign.

Prior to joining New Haven's staff, Rispoli coached four seasons at Mitchell College (2012-15), where he served as the associate head coach and pitching coach of the varsity team, as well as the head coach of the junior varsity squad.

At the helm of the pitching staff, Rispoli helped develop some of the top hurlers in the New England Collegiate Conference. Three consecutive NECC Pitcher of the Year honorees (2013, 2014, 2015) came from the Mitchell starting rotation, the foundation of a program that produced back-to-back conference titles in 2014 and 2015 and consecutive NCAA appearances. In 2015 the Mitchell staff ranked 12th in the nation in team ERA (2.94), 13th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.77) and 16th in walks allowed per nine innings (2.45).

Rispoli also bring six years of experience coaching high school players for several AAU teams in Connecticut with him, including serving as the head coach for the Madison American Legion team in the summer of 2011.

A former professional pitcher, Rispoli spent stints in the Canadian/American Professional Baseball League with the Brockton Rox and New Haven County Cutters.

Prior to his professional experience, he played college ball at Georgia State and Campbell. After playing one season with the Panthers in 2001, Rispoli finished out his career as a two-way player for the Camels (2002-04). He served as the starting shortstop for three years, while also being one of the team's top pitchers. He was named a captain prior to his senior season and was acknowledged as the 2004 Preseason All-Atlantic Sun shortstop. In the summers of 2002 and 2003, Rispoli competed in the highly competitive Coastal Plains League for the Gastonia Grizzlies.

A native of Madison, Conn., Rispoli currently resides in New Haven, Conn., with his wife Jillian.

Army West Point Athletics

Rispoli Joins Army Baseball Staff

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