Head baseball coach Tom Walter left GW in late June with the most wins in program history. Now, Steve Mrowka will look to continue the Colonials’ success of the last decade.
The University announced the hiring of Mrowka, who has spent the last 11 seasons as the head baseball coach at Georgia College and State University, on Aug. 5. At GC&SU, he compiled an impressive 407-231-2 record while making five Division II NCAA Tournament appearances.
“He’s had great success and has a great resume,” Director of Athletics Jack Kvancz said. “The record he compiled and his coaching the Cape Cod League were very impressive and he had a great interview.”
The Cape Cod League is a prestigious summer training ground that has produced many major league players.
Mrowka will take over the Atlantic 10 West champion Colonials, the nation’s only 40-win team that did not make the NCAA Tournament last season. GW is returning several starters but must make due without star outfielder Anthony Raglani, who was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in this spring’s Major League Baseball Draft.
Also, sophomore Anthony Smith, one of the team’s best players last season, is transferring to St. John’s University.
“I think that other than Anthony Smith we are going to have everyone back,” Mrowka said. “The freshmen all signed a national letter of intent with the school, not the coach. So they will all be attending school in the fall.”
In addition to getting ready for the upcoming season, Mrowka said he is still getting used to life in the District.
“From a personal standpoint I have had to relocate my family and find a new home,” Mrowka said. “On the baseball side of things I have to set up an office, contact all the players, and learn how the GW athletic department does things. I have also had to finalize the roster, schedules and recruiting lists.”
Mrowka said he has contacted several players, several of which said their new coach is still trying to get to know his team at this point.
“(Mrowka) talked to me about what his plans are for the team next season,” senior Josh Wilkie said. “We talked about how I was pitching this summer and what I should look forward to for the upcoming year.”
The first-year coach is still in the process of finding assistant coaches and has begun formulating his strategy for next season.
“I have to prove to the players that my system will work. I have to sell it to them,” Mrowka said. “I have to get the team to buy into my system so we can have successful season.”
