My 2019 LHP 6'1 175lbs includes these two schools on his list of 10-12 or so. Any perspective on either or both schools in terms of program, coaches there now, academics, etc.? Also, looking over their rosters they both seem to be heavily weighted towards players from the NE area and we are in NW Atlanta so is there a reason (maybe other than weather) more southern kids are not part of their programs?
Thanks in advance for your input.
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W&M is a very (very) high academic school so getting in is a challenge. My daughter had it number 1 on her schools (her academics are stellar) but upon visiting, was very unimpressed with how old the school is. Of course, others will see it as charming and historical.
JMU is a fine school academically (definitely not up there with W&M) , and for in-state tuition, very well valued. It is also in a beautiful part of the state. My son has a friend who is a RHP and he loves it and the baseball program. If my son does not get into Virginia Tech, JMU is his second choice. He plans to try and play club baseball at whichever he goes to.
Good luck.
Son plays at William and Mary. We are from the south, depending on where you are positioned 
There is a RHP on the roster from the Marietta/Atlanta area.... from your neck of the woods.
The coach that recruited my son, and the current coach, are both from "up north" and have connections from that area. Current W&M coach coached both the Northwoods League and the Cape Cod League during the summers and has connections there as well. Son loves the coaching staff. JMU has a history of accepting many students from up north. The fellow that gave us the academic campus tour at JMU was from New Jersey.
The JMU coach is now in his second year at JMU and is well respected. I use to see him at all the usual recruiting events.
Both schools are first favorites, reach schools, and back up schools, for different reasons for those applying. I will go out on a limb and say that JMU is a back up school for many that apply to Virginia Tech and University of Virginia while William and Mary, one of the "Public Ivies", is a back up for many that apply to UVA and some of the Ivies. Son's girlfriend and her roommate transferred from UVA to W&M last year. You can look up the average SAT scores. W&M is the second oldest school in the country behind Harvard, and JMU was formally an all-girls teacher's college. It certainly isn't like that anymore! Campuses have different "feels" to them, at least to me. JMU has more than double the enrollment of W&M.
Williamsburg, Virginia's Colonial Capital, is a historic/theme park tourist destination. Harrisonburg is located in the lovely bucolic mountains with the school divided by a highway.
Both baseball fields are off campus a bit, as many fields are now when they build new facilities. W&M dedicated their new indoor practice facility this past spring.
I tried not to be too biased. 
You can PM me any specifics you may have.
My 2018 (RHP) is looking at both W&M and JMU as well. Seems that JMU (son joking says is stands for Just Missed UVA) has more (baseball) money and better facilities, while William and Mary has the name. The JMU coaching staff is doing a great job of turning the attitudes around - talked to some of the senior baseball players there, it sounds like the last staff became a bit lax with practice and enforcing the study halls, etc… Coach Ike is making the kids take a lot more personal responsibility and holding them to it. I foresee the JMU team really taking off with the current staff and their ability to recruit.
Wife took kid to the W&M visit, so I do not have all that much to add there (especially after Keewart). Top notch school, great coaching staff, and great campus. After the visit I am pretty sure that W&M is now my kid’s top choice.
Cannot not see either choice (if you are lucky to be given one) as being a bad one.
keewart posted:Son plays at William and Mary. We are from the south, depending on where you are positioned
The coach that recruited my son, and the current coach, are both from "up north" and have connections from that area. Current W&M coach coached both the Northwoods League and the Cape Cod League during the summers and has connections there as well. Son loves the coaching staff. JMU has a history of accepting many students from up north. The fellow that gave us the academic campus tour at JMU was from New Jersey.
The JMU coach is now in his second year at JMU and is well respected. I use to see him at all the usual recruiting events.
Both schools are first favorites, reach schools, and back up schools, for different reasons for those applying. I will go out on a limb and say that JMU is a back up school for many that apply to Virginia Tech and University of Virginia while William and Mary, one of the "Public Ivies", is a back up for many that apply to UVA and some of the Ivies. Son's girlfriend and her roommate transferred from UVA to W&M last year. You can look up the average SAT scores. W&M is the second oldest school in the country behind Harvard, and JMU was formally an all-girls teacher's college. It certainly isn't like that anymore! Campuses have different "feels" to them, at least to me. JMU has more than double the enrollment of W&M.
Williamsburg, Virginia's Colonial Capital, is a historic/theme park tourist destination. Harrisonburg is located in the lovely bucolic mountains with the school divided by a highway.
Both baseball fields are off campus a bit, as many fields are now when they build new facilities. W&M dedicated their new indoor practice facility this past spring.
I tried not to be too biased.
K - has W&M upgrade their outdooor facility? We were there 3-4 years ago and it looked tired.
Both W&M and JMU have good programs. As noted, you'd have to give W&M the edge on academics but JMU has a great new facility and good coach. JMU took a slight dip at the end of the previous coaches long tenure, which I attribute to losing his long-time assistant and recruiting coordinator to a head coaching gig at a small college in California. I would definitely feel good about my son being a part of either of these programs.
I would concur with what MBurtner said. My son visited W&M and has friends who are going to both for baseball. I'd say that W&M definitely has the academic edge, but it has a very different vibe from where my son ended up and it was more of a "feel" thing for him in his choice. Coaching there is excellent and the program did very well last year. JMU is definitely a "hot" program under its new coaching staff and has gotten some excellent recruits as well. I think a lot of it will be the feel of the two and which fits your son best. Both are excellent in slightly different ways.
As for W&M's northeast connection, my 2015 went to an indoor camp for W & M camp up in Tufts University (MA) during November one year. That was before the W&M head coach and Virginia Tech HC both left for Nebraska. I believe the current W&M coach was promoted from within. He's been there a few years now.
FYI, the RC, or one of the AC at W&M is the son of the HC at Tufts. And the RC at Tufts is another one of the sons too.
Gov posted:keewart posted:Son plays at William and Mary. We are from the south, depending on where you are positioned
The coach that recruited my son, and the current coach, are both from "up north" and have connections from that area. Current W&M coach coached both the Northwoods League and the Cape Cod League during the summers and has connections there as well. Son loves the coaching staff. JMU has a history of accepting many students from up north. The fellow that gave us the academic campus tour at JMU was from New Jersey.
The JMU coach is now in his second year at JMU and is well respected. I use to see him at all the usual recruiting events.
Both schools are first favorites, reach schools, and back up schools, for different reasons for those applying. I will go out on a limb and say that JMU is a back up school for many that apply to Virginia Tech and University of Virginia while William and Mary, one of the "Public Ivies", is a back up for many that apply to UVA and some of the Ivies. Son's girlfriend and her roommate transferred from UVA to W&M last year. You can look up the average SAT scores. W&M is the second oldest school in the country behind Harvard, and JMU was formally an all-girls teacher's college. It certainly isn't like that anymore! Campuses have different "feels" to them, at least to me. JMU has more than double the enrollment of W&M.
Williamsburg, Virginia's Colonial Capital, is a historic/theme park tourist destination. Harrisonburg is located in the lovely bucolic mountains with the school divided by a highway.
Both baseball fields are off campus a bit, as many fields are now when they build new facilities. W&M dedicated their new indoor practice facility this past spring.
I tried not to be too biased.
K - has W&M upgrade their outdooor facility? We were there 3-4 years ago and it looked tired.
If you are referring to the prior "outdoor hitting facility" that they had before this past January....Yes, THIS is quite an upgrade, lol. New warning track, too.
Also, new bat and helmet racks were just (this month) installed in the dugouts.
About grades: there are some players that just won't be accepted into W&M due to grades and scores, that may get into JMU. Not ALL the players come in to W&M with a 4.0.....far from it. But if the coaches are interested in your son, they will ask for a "pre-read"....where you send them your SAT/ACT scores and transcripts, so they can see how you fit. My son used baseball to get into W&M, which he may not have gotten in to otherwise. As a parent, I loved the freshmen mandatory study halls.
Not all the buildings at W&M are ancient. Many are historic, but they have redone the insides (of the ones they can) and pretty much stick to the the colonial style when building new buildings. Most of the upperclass players live off campus (this is true for JMU, too).
The three things my son was looking for in a college besides baseball (not in this order) were: co-ed, have a football team, and 'new'. He got 2 out of the 3.
As a parent, If you come to Williamsburg, you will not lack in things to do and see, shop, hotels and good restaurants. After several visits, I have exhausted Harrisonburg. (Not that this is any way important in choosing a school....but....)
Several on the baseball team have joined fraternities, but most do not. They have their own "baseball houses" where some live and gather. You won't see frat boys with their shirts off on the roofs of the nearby houses with their favorite beverage at the Friday/Saturday games like you do at JMU. (Where is the gremlin icon with the sunglasses and beer when I need it?)
For anyone that is reading and doesn't know....William and Mary and James Madison play in the same conference.
keewart posted:Gov posted:keewart posted:Son plays at William and Mary. We are from the south, depending on where you are positioned
The coach that recruited my son, and the current coach, are both from "up north" and have connections from that area. Current W&M coach coached both the Northwoods League and the Cape Cod League during the summers and has connections there as well. Son loves the coaching staff. JMU has a history of accepting many students from up north. The fellow that gave us the academic campus tour at JMU was from New Jersey.
The JMU coach is now in his second year at JMU and is well respected. I use to see him at all the usual recruiting events.
Both schools are first favorites, reach schools, and back up schools, for different reasons for those applying. I will go out on a limb and say that JMU is a back up school for many that apply to Virginia Tech and University of Virginia while William and Mary, one of the "Public Ivies", is a back up for many that apply to UVA and some of the Ivies. Son's girlfriend and her roommate transferred from UVA to W&M last year. You can look up the average SAT scores. W&M is the second oldest school in the country behind Harvard, and JMU was formally an all-girls teacher's college. It certainly isn't like that anymore! Campuses have different "feels" to them, at least to me. JMU has more than double the enrollment of W&M.
Williamsburg, Virginia's Colonial Capital, is a historic/theme park tourist destination. Harrisonburg is located in the lovely bucolic mountains with the school divided by a highway.
Both baseball fields are off campus a bit, as many fields are now when they build new facilities. W&M dedicated their new indoor practice facility this past spring.
I tried not to be too biased.
K - has W&M upgrade their outdooor facility? We were there 3-4 years ago and it looked tired.
If you are referring to the prior "outdoor hitting facility" that they had before this past January....Yes, THIS is quite an upgrade, lol. New warning track, too.
Also, new bat and helmet racks were just (this month) installed in the dugouts.
About grades: there are some players that just won't be accepted into W&M due to grades and scores, that may get into JMU. Not ALL the players come in to W&M with a 4.0.....far from it. But if the coaches are interested in your son, they will ask for a "pre-read"....where you send them your SAT/ACT scores and transcripts, so they can see how you fit. My son used baseball to get into W&M, which he may not have gotten in to otherwise. As a parent, I loved the freshmen mandatory study halls.
Not all the buildings at W&M are ancient. Many are historic, but they have redone the insides (of the ones they can) and pretty much stick to the the colonial style when building new buildings. Most of the upperclass players live off campus (this is true for JMU, too).
The three things my son was looking for in a college besides baseball (not in this order) were: co-ed, have a football team, and 'new'. He got 2 out of the 3.
As a parent, If you come to Williamsburg, you will not lack in things to do and see, shop, hotels and good restaurants. After several visits, I have exhausted Harrisonburg. (Not that this is any way important in choosing a school....but....)
Several on the baseball team have joined fraternities, but most do not. They have their own "baseball houses" where some live and gather. You won't see frat boys with their shirts off on the roofs of the nearby houses with their favorite beverage at the Friday/Saturday games like you do at JMU. (Where is the gremlin icon with the sunglasses and beer when I need it?)
For anyone that is reading and doesn't know....William and Mary and James Madison play in the same conference.
Much improved baseball facility.... I will convey to my 2018.
Also, William & Mary has a tight alumni association; members are very involved, leveraging their relationships, and in very "prominent circles".
Facilities look nice. To follow-up on my comment about the "very old" buildings at W&M, as I noted, many will find them charming and a huge draw. My daughter was just put-off by the whole look and dated feel of the campus, especially since, academically, it was her top choice at the time. I was surprised.
As a visiting parent, I'd take I-81 over I-95 any day and twice on Sunday (actually, maybe 3 times on Sunday). OTOH, my daughter really likes nearby CNU.
Batty67 posted:Facilities look nice. To follow-up on my comment about the "very old" buildings at W&M, as I noted, many will find them charming and a huge draw. My daughter was just put-off by the whole look and dated feel of the campus, especially since, academically, it was her top choice at the time. I was surprised.
As a visiting parent, I'd take I-81 over I-95 any day and twice on Sunday (actually, maybe 3 times on Sunday). OTOH, my daughter really likes nearby CNU.
Once your son gets into Tech (be careful what you're asking for) as 2 more hours on I-81 is sometimes 6!
Short scenic drive from W&M to JMU. Take some time to visit both and let your son make the decision, take a school tour and review the programs offered. There are just as many drunks at W&M as JMU (don't let anyone fool you) and FWIW, the girls are hotter at JMU. JMU does an awesome job (better than most from what we have heard from friends that attend other schools) of acclimating the incoming freshman to the school and being away from home. The baseball facilities are very nice at both schools. JMU is relatively new to the Business world, but has a very highly rated Business program. Go Dukes!
Batty67 posted:As a visiting parent, I'd take I-81 over I-95 any day and twice on Sunday (actually, maybe 3 times on Sunday). OTOH, my daughter really likes nearby CNU.
CNU is the best bargain around for a public D3 with great baseball and facilities. They were ranked #2 in the nation and playing the #1 when son and I went to watch a game about 5-6 years ago. Several of son's friends play for CNU.
I've heard I-81can be no picnic these days... But I-95 on a Sunday heading north varies from bad to g-dawful.
the 10 or 15 miles where the beltway merges with 95 at Arlington both north and south is one of the if not the worst stretch of roads in the country. I have driven the East coast most of my life, my company does work in North Jersey and on Long island, we have been up in the NE and Boston proper...they can't charge enough for the EZ pass express lanes in the middle to be a bad option - and it isn't cheap as it stands!
Buddy34,
My two cents.....Very familiar with both schools and their baseball programs. I'm on their campuses every month in business meetings and I know tons of alums from both schools. You can't go wrong with either in terms of an education and baseball. I think the world of JMU's Coach Ike as he spoke to all three of my boys multiple times over the years when they were high schoolers. I love the William & Mary campus...I think it is the best in Virginia and the region. I've been to every major school on the East coast and then some. Again, JMO as I'm a huge history buff.
For me, the difference between the schools is going to come down to what kind of learner your son is and his thirst for education & knowledge. IMHO, William & Mary is going to be more geared toward a very motivated, and independent self-learner. Not only is it extremely competitive to get accepted, it is also very academically competitive once classes start. My oldest son was recruited and offered by W&M, and that was the feeling my wife and I came away with. If W&M had an engineering school it probably would have been a much easier decision many years ago....with W&M being a state school for us.
Best of luck in the recruiting process!
Amount of Wins in the last 10 years:
*Division I schools are allowed 56 regular season games per year while Division III schools are allowed 40 regular season games per year.
Win % in the last 10 years:
Amount of Wins in the last 5 years:
*Division I schools are allowed 56 regular season games per year while Division III schools are allowed 40 regular season games per year.
Win % in the last 5 years:
Regional Appearances in the last 10 years:
Regional Championships in the last 10 years:
*Only 3 schools have won a regional championship that advanced them into the World Series.
