Hamm takes over as head coach
Brian Hamm, who just led Eastern Connecticut State to an NCAA Division 3 national championship, has been named the head coach of the Yale baseball team.
Hamm replaces John Stuper, who retired after 30 years at the helm following this past season.
“I am thrilled that Brian Hamm will be leading our storied baseball program at Yale. Coming off winning a national title, it is clear that he is a proven winner,” Yale athletic director Vicky Chun said in a statement. “What impressed us the most is Brian's energy, work ethic and passion in giving his student-athletes the very best-in-class experience.”
Hamm spent the past four seasons at ECSU, leading the Warriors to the NCAA Tournament in 2021 and 2022. Under his leadership, ECSU went 108-30 (.783) overall and 38-10 (.792) in Little East Conference play. The Warriors were LEC Regular Season Champions in each of the past two seasons, going 15-1 each year and establishing the LEC record for regular season conference wins. They won the LEC Tournament this past year, going 4-0 and outscoring their opponents 35-8. Hamm earned the LEC Coach of the Year Award and the D3baseball.com New England Region Coach of the Year Award for the second year in a row.
ECSU went 49-3 overall this past season.
The national championship was Eastern's first in 20 years. Hamm's Warriors broke the school record for wins (tied for the secondmost ever by a D3 National Champion) and tied the school record with a 23game winning streak to end the year. They were ranked No. 1 in the nation from May 10 through the end of the season. For the second straight year, Hamm's team had three players recognized with All-America honors.
Hamm, a Terryville product, takes over a Yale program that has won eight Ivy League Championships, including two in the past four seasons, and produced 41 MLB draftees.
“I would like to thank Director Chun and the entire search committee for their time and energy they put into this search,” Hamm said in a statement. “It is an honor that Director Chun entrusts me to follow legendary coach John Stuper to lead Yale's outstanding student-athletes. At Yale, athletics play a significant role in the overall educational mission while contributing to the vibrant university community. This, combined with the spirit and passion of its studentathletes, is the backbone of a winning culture that I am thrilled to join.”
Before coming to Eastern, Hamm coached at Amherst for 13 years. He spent the first four assisting ABCA Hall of Fame coach Bill Thurston. In nine years as head coach, Hamm oversaw the winningest period in Amherst baseball's 162 year history, posting a 221-113 (.662) record. He led the program to four NCAA Division III Tournaments and two NESCAC Tournament Championships. His .725 winning percentage in NESCAC regular-season play is the highest in conference history. He was named NESCAC Coach of the Year in 2011 and 2018.