Since his arrival at Columbia in July 2005, Brett Boretti has revitalized the Columbia Baseball program in every aspect, and over the past 19 years has built the Lions into a perennial Ivy League contender. Under his leadership, Boretti has led the Lions to seven Ivy League Championships, including three straight from 2013-15, and Columbia has played in the NCAA Tournament six times going back to 2008. Boretti has guided the Lions to 10 Ivy League playoff appearances and two straight Ivy League Tournament appearances.
Additionally, his Columbia teams have earned a number of wins over major programs, including 13 victories over nationally-ranked opponents and six NCAA Tournament victories. Both of those marks are most among Ivy League teams. He has also been honored as Ivy League Coach of the Year four times (2015, 2018, 2022, 2024) and ABCA Northeast Region Coach of the Year in 2015.
On April 6, 2024, Boretti became Columbia baseball's all-time wins leader with a 19-6 victory at Dartmouth. It was the 360th win of Boretti's 19-year Columbia career, surpassing Hall of Famer Paul Fernandes for the all-time rank in program history. Boretti is currently sixth all-time in wins amongst Ivy League coaches since the conference was formed in 1956.
With a 26-18 (17-4) mark in 2024, Boretti led Columbia to its 16th Ivy League title and seventh in his tenure in Morningside Heights. Columbia's 17 conference wins tied the program record set in 2022. Also in 2024, the Lions set the single-season program record in home runs (87) for the third straight year, along with RBIs (391), runs scored (416), total bases (903), doubles (131), and slugging percentage (.567).
On the mound, the pitching staff set a new single-season strikeouts record with 360. Among conference teams, the Lions pitching staff allowed the least amount of hits, second-least number of runs scored, had the lowest opponent batting average, and second-lowest ERA over 21 Ivy League games.
The Lions were the lone Ivy League team to finish with an overall record above .500 in 2024. Columbia had two separate nine-game winning streaks and were one of eight Division I teams in the country to score 30 runs in a game in 2024. Columbia’s offense led the Ivy League overall in home runs, batting average (.306), runs, runs batted in, slugging percentage, and total bases for the third straight season in 2024. Columbia also led the Ivy League in on-base percentage (.403) for the second straight year. Columbia led the country in doubles per game (2.98) and ranked in the top five nationally in scoring (9.5 runs per game) and slugging percentage. The Lions held top 25 marks nationally in doubles and home runs per game (1.98).
With three road conference sweeps in 2024 over Dartmouth, Brown, and Cornell, Columbia won all of its road league games this season for the first time since Ivy League baseball's inception in 1993.
A program-record 12 Lions earned All-Ivy League recognition in 2024. The Lions landed a conference-best six on the All-Ivy League First Team: Starting pitchers Joe Sheets and Thomas Santana, second baseman Griffin Palfrey, shortstop Sam Miller, outfielder Skye Selinsky, and designated hitter Cole Hage. Four Lions were named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team.
In 2023, Boretti’s group ranked in the top 25 nationally in batting average (.306), doubles per game (2.38), scoring (8.4 runs per game), and slugging percentage (.517). For the second-straight season, the Lions led the Ivy League overall in home runs (72), batting average, runs (376), runs batted in (340), total bases (850), and slugging percentage. Columbia set the team single-season home runs record for the second-straight year as well. The Lions also set the team single-game record for hits (26) vs. Monmouth on March 29 and home runs (7) at Marist on April 19. On March 17 at Tulane, Columbia’s pitching staff tied the program record with 17 strikeouts in a game. Also in March, Columbia won two games at No. 18 Alabama and the victory in the series finale marked the first time in program history the Lions won a series against an SEC team.
Seven Lions earned All-Ivy League selections with Cole Hage and Andy Blake garnering First Team honors in 2023. Blake was named 2023 Ivy League Player of the Year following a historic season for Columbia in which the Lions’ shortstop reached base in all 45 games and set the program's single-season record with 75 hits. Upon conclusion of the Ivy League Tournament, Blake led Ivy League hitters in seven offensive categories, including batting average (.366), hits (75), and runs (53).
In 2022, Boretti led the Lions on a 19-game winning streak, which is the longest in program history and second longest in Ivy League history. The Lions won the Ivy League Championship after taking two out of three over Penn and went on to play in the Blacksburg Regional. It was Columbia's seventh appearance in the NCAA Regionals and the first since 2018. Six program records were shattered in 2022: home runs (64), total bases (873), total hits (531), runs scored (403), runs batted in (359), and total doubles (118). Three players from the 2022 team were selected First Team All-Ivy League and five earned Second Team All-Ivy League honors.
Boretti also serves on Columbia's We Roar Together Committee for diversity, racial justice, equality and inclusion.
Five of Boretti's players have been Ivy League Player of the Year (Henry Perkins – 2008, Dario Pizzano – 2012, Gus Craig – 2014, Randell Kanemaru – 2017, Andy Blake – 2023), two have been named Pitcher of the Year (Pat Lowery - 2010 and David Speer - 2014) and five have been named Rookie of the Year (Nick Cox - 2008, Dario Pizzano – 2010, Will Savage – 2014, Kanemaru – 2015, Julian Bury – 2017).
Columbia has had a total of 128 players to receive conference recognition under Boretti's leadership, including 44 first team selections. Boretti has also overseen 12 players garner ABCA All-Region recognition since 2008.
Designated hitter Joey Falcone became the first Columbia baseball All-American in 31 years after being selected to the second team by the NCBWA and was a third team selection by the ABCA in 2015.
Since 2012, 12 of Boretti's players have been drafted by Major League clubs and threehave signed as free agents. Pizzano and Lowery were selected in the 2012 Major League Baseball Draft. The Seattle Mariners selected Pizzano in the 15th round of the MLB Draft and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim chose Lowery in the 21st round. In the 2013 MLB amateur draft, Alex Black was taken in the 29th round by the Kansas City Royals. Following the draft, Tim Giel signed a free agent contract with the New York Yankees. In 2014, Speer was selected in the 27th round by the Cleveland Indians. Joey Donino signed as a free agent with the Arizona Diamondbacks organization in the fall of 2014 before a trio of players were selected in the 2015 draft. Craig was a 30th round pick of the Seattle Mariners, while the New York Mets took George Thanopoulos and the Angels picked up Jordan Serena, both in the 35th round respectively. Falcone earned a free agent deal with the Yankees as well during the summer of 2015. Savage was selected in the 16th round by the Detroit Tigers and Thanopoulos, who returned for his senior season, was taken in the 27th round by the Colorado Rockies in 2016. In 2019, left-hander Josh Simpson was selected in the 32nd round by the Miami Marlins. In 2021, Liam McGillwas selected by the Atlanta Braves with the 277th pick in the ninth round. In 2023, Weston Eberly was drafted by the Chicago White Soxwith pick No. 479 in the 16th round and Andy Blake signed a free agent deal with the Los Angeles Angels.
During Boretti's tenure, Columbia's facilities also have been revitalized, as Robertson Field at Satow Stadium has been transformed into one of the best college baseball facilities in the Ivy League and in the Northeast. In the fall of 2007, the playing surface was rebuilt with FieldTurf™, and in 2010 stadium-style seating was installed, adding to the stadium's capacity. Included in the renovations were upgraded dugouts and an extended press box. In 2016, upgraded batting cages were put in place beyond the leftfield wall. A locker room upgrade was completed in the spring of 2019 and turf mounds were installed on the field and bullpens during an upgrade later that summer.
Additionally, a Seasonal Air-Supported Structure opened for the first time in February 2017, allowing the Lions to practice inside a 650,000 cubic-foot dome over the Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium during the winter months.
Boretti's squads have shown tremendous grit, especially in recent years, boasting a 16-6 record in “elimination games,” dating back to the 2013 NCAA Fullerton Regional. They are also 8-1 in those types of contests at Robertson Field at Satow Stadium.
In 2019, Boretti picked up his 400th career victory and led Columbia to the program's 1,400th win all-time. The Lions went back to the postseason after picking up 13 Ivy League victories. Chandler Bengston set the Lions' career home run record during the campaign and belted 10 in Ancient Eight play to set a new conference mark. Nine players earned All-Ivy League honors - the most of any team in the conference and posted three shutouts, which was tops in the league.
Columbia secured its fourth Ancient Eight crown in six years after sweeping Yale in New Haven the best-of-three Ivy League Championship series in 2018. The Lions became the first road team to win an ILCS since 2010 and the first to do so via a series sweep since 2006. Columbia won the final game, 2-1, in a thrilling 15-inning contest – the longest game in ILCS and program history.
In 2017, the Lions were back in Ivy League title contention once again after winning 10 of their final 11 Ancient Eight contests, rallying from two-games back on the final regular season weekend, to force a Gehrig Division Playoff game.
The 2015 season was one for the ages, capped off by tallying an Ivy League-record three wins at the NCAA Coral Gables Regional with victories over East Carolina, FIU and the University of Miami. Prior to their history-making run in the NCAA Tournament, the Lions earned their third consecutive Ivy League Championship and broke the school record for wins in a season for the third year in a row at 34-17.
Offensively, Columbia was one of the top teams in the league, leading the Ancient Eight in five different categories. The Lions’ 508 hits were the most in program history, and on the hill, Columbia recorded 17 saves, another new record.
For all the team’s accomplishments, Boretti was selected as the inaugural Ivy League Coach of Year and ECAC Co-Coach of the Year.
In his ninth year at the helm, a program-record 15-game win streak helped the Lions amass 29 wins. Columbia once again captured the Gehrig Division, shutting out Penn in a one-game playoff, 4-0, and then swept Dartmouth for the second straight season in the Ivy League Championship Series to punch Columbia's ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season, traveling to Coral Gables, Florida, to compete on the national stage.
Playing some of the cleanest baseball in the nation, Columbia recorded a .975 fielding percentage, the best ever in program history.
The Lions were the gold standard in the Ivy League in 2013, winning 16 conference games and then swept Dartmouth in the Ivy League Championship Series. Winning the Ivy League Championship ensured Columbia a spot in the NCAA Baseball Championship. The Lions went on to win their first game ever in NCAA play, toppling New Mexico, 6-5, in 13 innings.
Columbia also set new program records in strikeouts (357), saves (12) and fielding percentage (.971).
The 2012 campaign proved to be another strong season for Columbia, winning 20 games for the second time in three seasons and finished with a .600 winning percentage in the Ivy League for the second time during that span.
In 2011, the Lions began the season at 7-3, including wins over Illinois, Central Michigan, South Alabama (twice) and a two-game sweep of Florida Gulf Coast. It was the best start for a Columbia team in 23 years.
The 2010 season resulted in a number of highlights as the Lions posted a 26-21 record, the program's first winning season in 23 years. Columbia captured the Gehrig Division title after a 14-6 Ivy League regular season and also set a program record for most wins at home with 16 of those 26 victories coming at Robertson Field. The Lions also rattled off an eight-game win streak to start their home slate, the longest since 1987 and the longest win streak against Division I opponents since 1976. Additionally, Columbia's pitching staff led the Ivy League in strikeouts and team earned run average for the first time since that 1987 season and the Lions batted .311 as a team.
In 2009, Boretti guided the Lions to the program’s first victories over teams from Texas (#23 Lamar) and California (Cal State Northridge).
During that season, Ron Williams ‘09CC broke the Columbia all-time hit record. Williams finished his prolific four-year career under Boretti’s guidance with 205 hits, breaking a record that had stood for 14 years. Williams graduated ranked third all-time in doubles, third in runs batted in, fifth in total bases and tied for fourth in triples.
In 2008, Boretti led Columbia to its first Ivy League Championship since 1977 as the Lions established a then-program record for most Ivy League wins in a season with 15. After defeating Dartmouth in a best-of-three series, Columbia received an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, marking its first appearance since 1976.
Prior to coming to Morningside Heights as just the third Lion head coach in 25 years, Boretti was the head coach at Franklin & Marshall College, posting a 116-82 record over five seasons.
The Diplomats made history in 2005 when Boretti coached the team to a 25-16 record, including a school record-setting 15-3 mark in Centennial Conference play. Franklin & Marshall won the conference title for only the second time in school history and ranked seventh in the final American Baseball Coaches Association Mid-Atlantic Region poll.
Franklin & Marshall posted 24 or more wins in three of Boretti’s five seasons as head coach.
Boretti served two years, 1998-2000, as an assistant coach at Brown. During his tenure with the Bears, he coordinated recruiting efforts, coached hitting and the outfield, and was responsible for all daily operations of the program. He also landed at his alma mater, Davidson, from 1996-98, following a one-year stint at Endicott College in his hometown of Beverly, Massachusetts.
Inducted into the Davidson Athletics Hall of Fame in January 2010, Boretti was one of the Wildcats’ best all-time players. He went on to become the most prolific hitting catcher in Davidson history, earning two All-Southern Conference first-team honors, and still remains as the only Davidson player to be named to the All-SoCon Tournament team.
Boretti’s junior year was his best, when he led the squad with a .386 average and slugged .705 with 17 doubles and 13 home runs (with just 13 strikeouts) while driving in 48.
A model of durability, he started all but two games at catcher in his last three years, plus set school records for being hit by a pitch in a season (16) and a career (25). Among career records, Boretti ranks first in sacrifice flies, second in doubles, fourth in total bases, fifth in RBI, tied for fifth in home runs, eighth in games played and tenth in batting average. He earned All-Southern Conference first team honors in 1993 and 1994.
A team captain and Most Valuable Player in 1994, he also was named to the Southern Conference’s academic honor roll. Boretti also played football at Davidson and was Offensive Player of the Year in 1990 as a freshman.
While attending Davidson, he participated in the prestigious Cape Cod League in the summer of 1992 and 1993 and made the all-star squad in 1993.
After college, he was an all-star catcher for the North Central Professional Baseball League champion Brainerd Bears of Minnesota. In 1995, he spent spring training with the Cleveland Indians.
Boretti and his wife, Melissa, have three children.
