Troy University Athletics
Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 2020
Jude Rinaldi. Just the name alone resonates with all those that hold Troy Baseball near and dear to their hearts. The MVP of the 1987 NCAA Division II World Series, Rinaldi was such a dominant force during Troy’s second straight National Championship run that several of his records still stand today.
“Jude morphed into the bell cow role during the 1987 season and really carried what was an already strong lineup,” teammate Mark Smartt said. “He hit in the middle of the order, came up with all of the big hits and had 16 home runs in a time when 10 homers was considered a lot. The best trait that he had was that he never struck out. Despite all his power, he struck out nine times; he was a contact hitter who had power.”
Arguably the best hitter in school history, Rinaldi helped lead Troy to back-to-back NCAA Division II National Championships in 1986 and 1987 all while cementing himself in the Troy record book with numbers that will likely never be broken.
Rinaldi earned All-America First Team honors following the 1987 season in which he set the school record with a .431 batting average and .819 slugging percentage; additionally, his .511 on-base percentage that season ranks fifth best in Troy history.
“His batting average was a legitimate .431, there was no fudging of the numbers,” Smartt said. “He just became more comfortable and more confident in who he was as a player in between the 1986 and 1987 seasons. He learned while he was here to hit the ball to the opposite side of the field, and they just couldn’t get him out pitching away. He was a physical guy and was ultra-competitive, which was a mark of our teams those two years.”
Rinaldi transferred to Troy in 1986 and joined an overhauled Troy lineup that year in which most of the position players were new to the fold. Hitting in the six-hole most of the season, Rinaldi certainly made an early impression on both the coaches and his new teammates prior to his breakout 1987 campaign.
The Trojans played 47 games during the 1987 season, and Rinaldi drove home 45 runs to go along with the 16 home runs and just nine strikeouts. The 16 homers ranked as the second-most in school history at the time, while his career batting average and slugging percentage rank among the top 10 all-time at Troy.
Known for the big hit his senior year, Rinaldi saved his biggest blast for the biggest game of the year. Already with a home run and four RBIs to his credit in the 1987 College World Series, Rinaldi came to the plate in the seventh inning with the Trojans down two in the National Championship Game.
On the other side of the diamond was the University of Tampa, which was just 25 minutes from his hometown of Dunedin, Fla. The Spartans neglected to recruit the hometown star out of junior college and the Trojan first baseman made them forever regret that decision with a 3-run home run to put the Trojans on top. Tampa would pitch around Rinaldi in a tie game in the ninth only to see Troy’s next batter drive in the game-winning run. He hit at a .588 clip with five runs scored, two homers and seven RBIs during Troy’s run to the title.
“He was one of the most, if not the most, selfless player I ever shared a uniform with,” Smartt said. “He is the type of guy who wants you to succeed more than himself. Even though he was the bell cow of that team, he never developed an ego. He played the final stretch of the season with a knee injury and could barely move, but you wouldn’t know it by watching him play or talking to him. He is certainly worthy of this honor and this grouping of athletes in Troy history.”
