Boston College: Birdball Adds Vance as Pitching Coach

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CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Boston College baseball has added Kevin Vance to its staff as pitching coach and recruiting coordinator. Vance arrives at BC after a five-year stint as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Rhode Island.

Vance, a former All-American pitcher, and six-year professional entered the coaching ranks on Raphael Cerrato’s staff as a volunteer assistant for the 2017 season. After his first season with the Rams, he was promoted to a full-time role as the pitching coach and led URI’s recruiting efforts.

“Kevin has shown that he can get the most out of anyone’s talent, both from what he was able to do as a player and his track record of developing pitchers,” said BC head coach Mike Gambino. “He’s an extremely hard worker, tireless recruiter, and great young baseball mind. He has the knowledge and skills to use tech and analytics to help pitchers get better and attack hitters, but can also couple that with traditional baseball knowledge to make sure our pitchers are adept at the science of pitching as well as the art of pitching. On top of that, he has shown he is a man of high character and integrity and will be a great influence on the guys on and off the field.”

In five seasons, Vance’s URI pitching staff was in the top-four in team ERA each season, including a league-best 3.65 in 2017, which ranked 31^st in the nation. Most recently, Vance oversaw the development of 2021 All-Atlantic 10 selection Mike Webb as the Rams went 28-26-1 with a 14-6 mark in conference play this past season.

Vance was a two-way player in a three-year career at the University of Connecticut. He is a two-time All-Big East pick and earned All-America honors as a junior in 2011 as the Huskies closer. In his final college season, he anchored the Connecticut bullpen en route to a regular-season conference championship, Clemson Regional win, and a spot in the program’s first Super Regional.

“Boston College is an incredible place. Coach Gambino’s passion for the program, the players, and the University is unmatched,” said Vance. “I can’t thank him enough for this opportunity. We have a lot of work to do and I can’t wait to get started.”

Drafted in the 19^th round by the Chicago White Sox, Vance embarked on a six-year professional career in 2011. He reached Triple-A in 2015 after moving into the Arizona Diamondbacks organization. Vance pitched in 177 Minor League games with a 20-14 record, 3.81 ERA, 15 saves, and 365 strikeouts in 328.1 innings.

Vance completed his undergraduate degree in coaching and sports administration from UConn in 2012 and went on to earn a master’s in sports leadership from Northeastern in 2016.