FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
Jeff Calcaterra has been named as Harvard’s top assistant baseball coach and recruiting coordinator by Bill Decker, the Joseph J. O’Donnell ’67 Head Coach for Harvard Baseball.
He most recently served as head coach at the University of Hartford from 2005 to 2011, winning 82 games. Prior to Hartford, Calcaterra spent 11 seasons as the full-time assistant coach at Indiana University.
At Hartford, he recruited nine players that would find their ways into the program’s record books including Andy Drexel who played a record 208 games and had 59 doubles and 12 triples with the Hawks.
Most notable among his recruiting capabilities, Calcaterra produced six America East All-Rookie team selections in his seven years.
At Indiana, Calcaterra spent three years working with the program’s catchers and hitters and then eight years as pitching coach and recruiting coordinator. During his entire stay, Calcaterra was in charge of the baseball programs administrative operations, academic progress, alumni events, camps and clinics and field maintenance. The Hoosiers averaged 34 wins during his 11 year tenure while winning the Big Ten and advancing to regional play in 1996.
Calcaterra was a four-year letterwinner at Indiana as a catcher from 1989-92 and earned a degree in sport management. A senior captain for the Hoosiers, he garnered All-Big Ten honors in 1992 and was named the team’s most valuable defensive player. Calcaterra’s best season at Indiana came as a junior when he batted .322 with 10 doubles and 25 RBI. That season he also reeled off a streak in which he threw out 27 consecutive runners from behind the plate.
Calcaterra was signed by the New York Yankees and played for the Gulf Coast Yankees in 1992 and 1993. He was converted into a pitcher in 1993, but sustained a career-ending arm injury.
In his 11 year tenure in the Big Ten, Calcaterra coached 20 players who were drafted. Brian Partenhiemer set school records for single season (12) and career (30) victories under Calcaterra and his pitching staff led the Big Ten in strike outs (456) in 1999. All told, Indiana had 28 players earn All-Big Ten honors including 2002 Big Ten player of the year and third round draft pick Kennard Jones, 2003 All-America Vasili Spanos and two-time Academic All-American Ryan Parker.
Jeff and his wife Karen have two children, John and Anthony.
