Burke names Ricky Santiago new assistant baseball coach:
Lander head baseball coach Jason Burke announced Thursday that he has selected Ricky Santiago, from Nova Southeastern, to fill the position of assistant baseball coach.
Santiago replaces J.T. Maguire, who was hired by the Cleveland Indians in September. Santiago worked at Nova Southeastern from 2017-18, helping lead the Sharks to two NCAA Tournament appearances. Nova Southeastern led the nation in home runs in 2017, setting a program record with 97 long balls.
“I’m very excited to add Coach Santiago as our hitting coach and recruiting coordinator,” said Burke. “The numbers that they were able to put up at Nova Southeastern over the last few years are incredible, and Ricky learned from some great coaches during his time there. Being able to work beside Greg Brown and his staff with hitting and recruiting has helped him to mold his philosophies which I look forward to seeing unfold here at Lander University. He is a passionate coach that loves learning and helping players develop both on and off the field. His knowledge and ability to relate to the players stuck out to me during the interview process. Ricky adds a great deal to our coaching staff and I know that our players will enjoy learning from him.”
Prior to his arrival at Nova Southeastern, Santiago played at Florida Atlantic from 2012-15. As a senior, Santiago was named a Louisville Slugger All-American, leading the Owls in doubles, home runs and RBI. Santiago led the Owls to the NCAA Tournament in 2013 and 2015. The 2015 team posted a 42-19 overall record, the best for the program since 2004.
