Beginning his 28th season as head coach of the baseball team at the University of Southern Maine, Ed Flaherty has firmly established USM as one of the nation’s elite Division III programs.  Flaherty has earned an outstanding reputation for his proven teaching ability, discipline and hard-nosed work ethic.  His instructional baseball camps are highly regarded and among the best attended in the New England region.

            Under Flaherty’s direction, the Huskies first reached the pinnacle of the NCAA Division III baseball world in 1991 when they traveled to Battle Creek, Michigan, and claimed the national championship.  That team was the first collegiate team from the state of Maine to win a national championship.

            In 1997, the Huskies compiled a school best 39-9 record en route to capturing the program’s second national title.  Among that season’s highlights were an 18-game winning streak, winning the first-ever Little East Conference championship, and hosting the NCAA regional tournament.

            The Huskies have made four other World Series appearances.  Their first trip came in 1989 when they finished fourth.  After winning the national title in 1991, they successfully battled their way through the regional tournament in 1992 for a shot at back-to-back titles, but fell short, finishing seventh.  USM also went to the World Series in 2000 and 2001.

            “The University of Southern Maine is respected for its strong athletic tradition in several different sports,” said Flaherty. “I’m pleased that our baseball program has been able to carry on, and build upon, that tradition during my 26 years here.  We have proven that Southern Maine has one of the premier baseball programs in our region and the nation.”

            In his 27 years as head coach, Flaherty has compiled an impressive 796-369-4 record (.683 W-L percentage), including 12 seasons with 30 or more wins.  Twenty times during his collegiate coaching career, Flaherty has guided the Huskies into a postseason tournament, including 15 consecutive appearances in the NCAA Division III Tournament (1987-2001).  His career winning percentage at the start of the 2013 season ranks him 23rd among active NCAA Division III coaches with five or more years of service, and his 796 wins ranks seventh.

            Many of his former players have gone on to play professional baseball, including pitcher Mike Welch, who became the first Southern Maine alum to reach the major leagues when the Philadelphia Phillies called him up in 1998.

            Last season, Flaherty led Southern Maine to a 27-19 overall record and the Little East Conference regular season and tournament championships. The previous year, the Huskies went 22-19 overall record and a berth in the LEC tournament.

            During the four-year period of 2006-09, the Huskies went 131-55, made three appearances in the NCAA regional tournament, advancing to the final round twice, and won the Little East Conference regular season crown in 2009.

            In 2005, Flaherty guided the Huskies to a 31-13-1 overall record and a second-place finish in the Little East Conference tournament.  The previous season, he led the Huskies to a 28-16 mark and a third-place finish in the LEC championship.

            The 2001 season marked the Huskies fifth straight 30-win season with an impressive 37-14 record. The Huskies won the Little East Conference regular season title and the NCAA New England Regional tournament crown along the way to making the program’s sixth trip to the Division III World Series.

            A former standout player at the University of Maine, Flaherty has earned many honors throughout his coaching career.  He was named 1991 and 1997 NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), and was voted New England Coach of the Year in 1989, 1990, and 1991.  In addition, he has been named Diamond District One Baseball Coach of the Year on three occasions (1989, 1991, and 1992).  He was named the Little East Conference Coach of the Year in 1997, 1999, 2001, 2006, 2009 and 2012.

            In January 2005, Flaherty was inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.  Flaherty was inducted along with Gary Adams of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Russ Frazier of Louisburg College (Louisburg, N.C.), Sonny Pittaro of Rider College (Lawrenceville, N.J.), Enos Seymour of the University of Oklahoma and George Valesente of Ithaca College. 

            The Portland, Maine, native served a one-year term as the president of the American Baseball Coaches Association, and is a past president of the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA).  He was just the third small college (Division Two-Three) coach to serve as ABCA president.  He also served as an assistant coach for the USA National Baseball Trials in Homestead, Florida, in 1994.

            While at the University of Maine (1972-76), Flaherty received his undergraduate degree in secondary education with a double major in history and math.  He received a master’s degree in administration from Southern Maine in 1981.

            Flaherty received many honors for his outstanding play while a member of the Black Bears’ baseball program, including selection to the NCAA Division I All-American Baseball Team in 1975.  He was a key member of the Black Bears’ College World Series team in 1976, played in the Cape Cod Baseball League and was a member of the Pan American Team in 1976.  Flaherty was inducted into the University of Maine Sports Hall of Fame in 1992, and into the State of Maine Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993.

            Following his graduation from UMaine, Flaherty accepted teaching and coaching positions at Deering High School in Portland.  Flaherty guided the Rams from 1981-1985 and picked up state championship honors in 1983.  In addition to coaching the baseball team at Deering, Flaherty also guided the Caldwell Post American Legion team from 1982-1985.  Caldwell won the state championship and advanced to regional play in 1982 and 1984.

            Flaherty, his wife, Debbie, and their three children, Regina, Ryan and Regan, reside in Portland.  Ryan was a sandwich-round pick (41st overall) of the Chicago Cubs in 2008 after spending three seasons at Vanderbilt University, and played last season with the Baltimore Orioles after being a Rule V draft pick.

The Flaherty Years

Year        W        L      T       Pct.        Postseason
1986      23      14      0      .622       ECAC Championship
1987      29      12      0      .707       NCAA Northeast Regional
1988      22      14      0      .611       NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional
1989      31      10      0      .756       NCAA Northeast Regional  *;  NCAA College World Series
1990      26      10      0      .722       NCAA Northeast Regional
1991      38        6      0      .864       NCAA Northeast Regional *;  NCAA College World Series *
1992      30      11      0      .732       NCAA New England Regional  *; NCAA College World Series
1993      27      12      0      .692       NCAA New England Regional
1994      27      11      0      .710       NCAA New England Regional
1995      25      18      0      .581       ECAC Championship *;  NCAA New England Regional
1996      27      11      1     .705        NCAA New England Regional
1997      39        9      0     .813        NCAA New England Regional *; NCAA College World Series*
1998      30      18      0     .625        NCAA New England Regional
1999      36      13      0     .735        NCAA New England Regional
2000      35      14      0     .714        NCAA New England Regional *; NCAA College World Series
2001      37      14      0     .725        NCAA New England Regional *; NCAA College World Series
2002      28      15      1     .648
2003      28      16      0     .636
2004      31      13      1     .700
2005      25      14      0     .641
2006      32      17      0     .653        NCAA New England Regional
2007      27      15      0     .643
2008      36      14      0     .720        NCAA New England Regional
2009      36        9      0     .800        NCAA New England Regional
2010      22      21      1     .511
2011      22      19      0     .537
2012      27      19      0     .587        NCAA New England Regional

Total     796      369       4       .683

*  =  Champions

            Returning for his 15th season on the Huskies coaching staff, Ed Boyce spent six years (1992-97) as the head coach at Sanford (Maine) H.S. prior to coming to USM.  He will coach third base, work with the catchers and is the Huskies’ defensive coordinator.

            Over his six seasons as the head coach at Sanford, Boyce guided his teams to a combined 86-20 record and a Western Maine Class A championship in 1997.  His 1995 and 1996 teams also reached the Western Maine Class A title game.

            Prior to coaching at Sanford, Boyce spent six years (1986-91) as the head coach at Massabesic (Waterboro, Maine) H.S. where he compiled a 58-58 mark.  Four times in a ten-year period (1988-97), Boyce was named Coach of the Year.

            A 1985 graduate of Husson College with a degree in business administration and business teacher education, Boyce lettered three years for the Braves as a catcher.  He also played some in the outfield and saw occasional relief pitcher duty while playing for Red Wilson.  He was a two-time all-state catcher at Bangor (Maine) H.S. playing for Bob Kelley, and also lettered twice in football playing for Gabby Price.

            Presently a business teacher at Massabesic H.S., Boyce and his wife, Doreen, have two daughters and reside in Sanford, Maine.

            Rod Choroszy is in his third season with the program.  He will work with the outfielders and hitters.

            Choroszy spent 16 seasons coaching at South Portland High School where his teams were perennial playoff participants.  On three occasions, his team reached the Western Maine Class A finals, and his 1991 team played for the state Class A championship.  He was recognized during his tenure at South Portland with league coach of the year honors.

            In 2006, Choroszy became an assistant coach at Southern Maine Community College.  During his three seasons with SMCC, he helped the Seawolves win two YSCC titles and make one appearance in the national tournament.  He also spent two seasons as the pitching coach at Saint Joseph's College before coming over the Southern Maine in 2011.

            Choroszy was a three-sport athlete at Thornton Academy before heading off to the University of Maine where he pitched for legendary coach Jack Butterfield.  For a time, he held the UMaine season records for most appearances and saves.  Choroszy graduated from UMaine in 1972 with a degree in physical education and health.

            A resident of Old Orchard Beach, Choroszy has two grown children.

            Returning for his 21st season on the Huskies’ coaching staff after a five-year professional career in the Boston Red Sox organization, Vinnie Degifico was one of the most feared hitters in New England college baseball history.  He led the nation in hitting in 1986 with a .526 batting average.  He will be working with the infielders and hitters this season.

            Degifico was a two-time NCAA Division III All-American (1986 and 1987) during his three-year career as a member of the Huskies.  He still holds career records in many offensive power categories, and is third in career batting average at .412.  Degifico advanced to the Red Sox AA team in New Britain, Connecticut, before finishing his playing career at the conclusion of the 1991 season.

            Because of his experiences at the professional level, Degifico was able to bring new ideas and techniques to the USM hitters, according to head coach Ed Flaherty.

            The South Portland, Maine, native returned to Southern Maine after his professional playing days to receive his degree in history in 1994.  He was inducted into the University Southern Maine Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996.  He and his wife, Cindy, reside in South Portland and have two children.

            Entering his seventh season as a member of the Huskies coaching staff, Kevin Smith will work with the pitching staff again this season.

            Prior to joining the Huskies staff, Smith served as an assistant coach at Portland High School and with the Andrew Post American Legion team for six seasons (2001-2006), and as an assistant coach at Cheverus High School for three seasons (1998-2000).

            Smith’s collegiate playing career included stints at Seminole Community College (1981), the University of Miami (1982-83) and Florida State University (1985).  He was a member of Miami’s national championship team in 1982, and part of FSU’s Metro Conference championship squad in 1985.

            After his collegiate playing days, he was drafted by the Houston Astros organization, and spent two seasons in the minor leagues.  Smith also was drafted after his season at Seminole CC by the Boston Red Sox, but elected to go to Miami.

             Smith resides in Portland, Maine.

            The newest member of the Huskies coaching staff, Frank Watson is in his second season with the staff.  He will be working with the hitters, outfielders and on base running.

            Southern Maine’s first baseball All-American in 1982, Watson spent two years (1978-79) playing for legendary head coach John Winkin at the University of Maine before transferring to USM.  Watson hit .299 with 17 runs scored, a team-leading nine steals and 33 walks in his rookie year at UMaine.  He also received the Bobby Winkles Hustle Award at the prestigious California Riverside tournament.

            In his first season (1981) at USM, Watson led the team in hitting (.420 average), stolen bases and on-base percentage, and shared the team lead in doubles.  In his senior year, Watson again led the Huskies in batting, stolen bases and had a school single-season record 50 walks.  He was named to the NAIA All-District Five team in both seasons.

            Prior to joining the Huskies’ staff, Watson was an assistant coach at Deering High School (Portland, Maine) helping the Rams win two state championships, and the Nova Seafood Legion team that captured three state titles.

            A 1985 graduate of USM with a bachelor’s degree in business management, Watson and his wife, Kim, have three children and reside in Portland.  Younger son Matt is a senior member of the Boston College baseball team.  Watson is the owner of Lenders Network mortgage company.  He was inducted into the USM Athletic Hall of Fame in 1992.