Pete Wilk Explained

Pete Wilk
Birth Date:April 22, 1965
Birth Place:Barrington, Rhode Island, U.S.
Death Date:April 2, 2024 (aged 58)
Death Place:Virginia, U.S.
Player Years1:1984–1987
Player Team1:Rollins
Coach Years1:1990–1991
Coach Team1:Boston University (asst.)
Coach Years2:1992–1995
Coach Team2:Harvard (asst.)
Coach Years3:1996
Coach Team3:Acton-Boxborough (MA)
Coach Years4:1997–1999
Coach Team4:Georgetown (asst.)
Coach Years5:1997
Coach Team5:Harwich Mariners (asst.)
Coach Years6:1998–1999
Coach Team6:Mat-Su Miners
Coach Years7:2000–2020
Coach Team7:Georgetown
Coach Years8:2021–2023
Coach Team8:Vermont Lake Monsters
Overall Record:426–668
Tournament Record:Big East: 0–4
NCAA: 0–0
Championships:Futures League Champion (2021)
Awards:2x Futures League Manager of the Year (2021, 2022)

Peter Wilk (April 22, 1965 – April 2, 2024) was an American baseball coach and player. He played college baseball at Rollins College for Boyd Coffie from 1984 to 1987. He then served as the head coach of the Georgetown Hoyas (2000–2020). He was the manager for the Vermont Lake Monsters of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League. Wilk died from brain cancer on April 2, 2024, at the age of 58.[1]

Playing career

Wilk played college baseball for the Rollins Tars.[2] Following his career at Rollins, Wilk played semi-professional baseball.[3]

Coaching career

Wilk coached at Boston University as an assistant in 1990 and 1991. In 1992, Wilk joined the Harvard Crimson baseball program as an assistant. Wilk was named the Acton-Boxborough Regional High School head baseball coach.[4] In the fall of 1996, Wilk was named an assistant at Georgetown University. He was named the head coach when Kirk Mason resigned in 1999.

In 1997, Wilk served as an assistant coach for the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod Baseball League under manager Chad Holbrook. The Mariners won the league's Eastern Division Championship before falling in the title series to the Wareham Gatemen.

In 1998 and 1999, Wilk skippered the Mat-Su Miners of the Alaska Baseball League. The team complied a 41-48 record in his two seasons at the helm.

On September 9, 2009, Wilk and the Hoyas were penalized by the NCAA for misusing the work study program which allowed players to receive money for jobs they were not doing.[5]

On May 20, 2015, the Hoyas qualified for the Big East baseball tournament for the first time since 1986.[6] The Hoyas went 0–2 in their return to the postseason.[7] On July 29, 2020, Wilk resigned as the head coach of the Hoyas.[8]

On April 12, 2021, Wilk signed with the Vermont Lake Monsters of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League and served as their manager.[9] In his inaugural season with the club, Wilk guided the Lake Monsters to a 42-24 record, the top seed in the FCBL Playoffs, and a league championship. Wilk was named Futures League Co-Manager of the Year of his efforts. In 2022, Wilk's team again finished with the best regular season record in the league (44-19), but fell in the league title series to Nashua. He was named FCBL Manager of the Year again in 2022. Wilk's 2023 season, the final baseball season he'd coach, resulted in a 38-23 record and a third straight trip to the Futures League Championship, but the Lake Monsters lost to Norwich.

Death

On April 2, 2024, at age 58, Wilk passed away after a battle with brain cancer.[10] The Lake Monsters continued to recognize Wilk as the team's skipper during the 2024 season, under the title "Head Coach (In Memory Of).[11] His number 45 jersey hangs outside the team's clubhouse and the number has been "unofficially retired by the team for the foreseeable future."[12] Matt Fincher, Wilk's top assistant coach, was named Vermont's Head Coach for the 2024 season.[13]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Lake Monsters Mourn Passing of Head Coach Pete Wilk . 4 April 2024 . Vermont Lake Monsters . 3 April 2024.
  2. Web site: 2018 Georgetown Baseball Game Notes . Georgetown University . www.grfx.cstv.com . June 27, 2018 . June 28, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180628044214/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/gu/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/2017-18/release/release.pdf . dead .
  3. Web site: New Coach for GU — Will There Be New Results' . Mike Hume . October 5, 1999 . The Hoya . www.thehoya.com . June 27, 2018.
  4. Web site: Pete Wilk . Georgetown University . www.guhoyas.com . June 27, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120213065103/http://www.guhoyas.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/wilk_pete00.html . February 13, 2012 . dead .
  5. Web site: NCAA Penalizes Georgetown U. for Rules Violations in Baseball Program . Libby Sander . September 2, 2009 . The Chronicle of Higher Education . www.chronicle.com . June 27, 2018.
  6. News: For first time in 29 years, Georgetown baseball has a postseason . Gene Wang . May 20, 2015 . Washington Post . June 27, 2018.
  7. Web site: Baseball Hoyas End Postseason Drought . Tyler Park . May 28, 2015 . The Hoya . www.thehoya.com . June 27, 2018.
  8. Web site: Pete Wilk Resigns as Head Baseball Coach . July 29, 2020 . Georgetown University Athletics . www.guhoyas.com . July 31, 2020.
  9. Web site: Pete Wilk Named 2021 Vermont Head Coach . Paul Stanfield.
  10. Web site: Lake Monsters Manager Pete Wilk dies from brain cancer . Taylor Viles.
  11. Web site: Front Office & Coaching Staff . Vermont Lake Monsters.
  12. Web site: Lake Monsters reunite at Centennial Field with memorials for Pete Wilk . Jack Main.
  13. Web site: Front Office & Coaching Staff . Vermont Lake Monsters.