Baseball: Rucci resigns as Gloucester Catholic coach

By Phil Anastasia

Inquirer Staff Writer

Mike Rucci said it was the "hardest thing I've ever had to do."

Rucci was referring to standing in front of Gloucester Catholic baseball players on Monday morning and telling them he was resigning as the Rams' baseball coach.

Rucci said he would be hired as an assistant coach at Rowan University.

"It's an opportunity I couldn't pass up," Rucci said of becoming a college assistant.

Rucci will join Mike Dickson's staff at Rowan.

Dickson, like Rucci, is a Gloucester Catholic graduate who played for the Rams.

Rucci said the burgeoning expansion of Rowan University and the potential growth of the baseball program were factors in his decision.

"He's going to do big things down there and I want to be there with him," Rucci said of Dickson.

Rucci said the assistant coach's position at Rowan was a part-time position and that he would retain his job as a teacher in the Brooklawn school system.

Rucci was a standout player at Gloucester Catholic (class of 2001) and Rowan. He also played for Brooklawn's American Legion team and coached the Brookers over the past several seasons with Rutgers Camden coach Dennis Barth, his former coach at Gloucester Catholic.

Rucci's teams were 80-16 in three seasons at Gloucester Catholic. His first team in 2013 won the Non Public A state title.

Gloucester Catholic was 26-5 last season and lost to Bishop Eustace 2-1 in the South A tournament.

Rucci said he was approached by Dickson about joining the Rowan staff after the 2014 season but declined.

"He called me again and it's something I've been thinking about for the last month," Rucci said. "With all the changes down there, with everything that's going on, I felt like it was an opportunity for myself and my family.

"It's always been a dream of mine to coach in college. I just didn't think it would happen this fast."

Rucci said he met with Gloucester Catholic players on Monday morning.

"I've been through so much with these guys," Rucci said. "It's hard to leave them."

-- Contact Phil Anastasia at panastasia@phillynews.com

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