St Joseph's Univ (Philly)

Good coach, former college catcher, been a pitching coach, perennial mediocre program, great, fairly new facilities, better than average academically

^ What he said. Middle of the pack A10 team, in Philly, pretty good academic reputation, nice campus for a city school, gated off from the "city". They give a ton of academic money out to those who qualify so don't let the private school price tag or a 25% offer scare you off right away. Know very good players who have gone there so it's still good baseball. Weather is garbage until mid April. Even though there aren't really any stud A10 teams, the conference is pretty competitive overall. I don't know what other schools your son is considering but not a bad option at all. 

My youngest just finished freshman orientation there this week, not playing baseball. From my research including several recent alums, one business associate (1986-89) and my experiences dealing with them so far it has been positive. 

I have only researched the business department and that is better then average I have no doubt about that. I have 2 friends that teach at Villanova business and they both gave SJU business a high approval. If you know anything about Villanova and the relationship between the 2 schools that is a major endorsement. 

They have a very active alumni base, as in they take care of their own coming out of school with career opportunities and internships. They have small classes and very nice campus, turf field that is kind of hidden from the wind. It is not gated off from the city but there is plenty of security around. It sits on City Line Ave and about 35% of so of the campus is actually outside of the city limits. I have little to no concerns about security. My guess is PAbaseball is thinking of Lasalle which is gated and fenced...for good reason. 

It isn't cheap at all but IMO the price tag isn't the driving feature. 

As the parent of current college baseball (D3) player my advice would be focus on the school more then the baseball. It is a typical mid major average program.

Son attended a different Philadelphia school, but played a few games there.  Nice looking campus, good baseball facilities.  The immediate surroundings to the field appear very affluent.

Lower Merion is very affluent.

old_school posted:

 

My guess is PAbaseball is thinking of Lasalle which is gated and fenced...for good reason. 

It isn't cheap at all but IMO the price tag isn't the driving feature. 

As the parent of current college baseball (D3) player my advice would be focus on the school more then the baseball. It is a typical mid major average program.

Poor choice of words. Meant gated off as in has a campus, not just spread out over a few city blocks like other schools in big cities. 

Thank you all for your responses.  Any more thought, please let me know.

We will see how this unfolds.

I can’t imagine how St Joe’s recruited when they played at Latshaw in Norristown. They must have avoided the field on the recruiting tour. Drunks and drug addicts hung out in Elmwood Park at night. The field had to be checked for broken glass and needles before pregame.

Elmwood was a community park in a questionable part of town. Latshaw wasn’t as good as the worst high school fields.

I had a niece go there. Nothing but positive things to say. The campus has a suburban feel, in my opinion. It is on City Line Ave. (which is the border between the city and suburbs) -- as mentioned part is in Lower Merion Township, an affluent suburban area, and even the part in the city, feels, in the immediately surrounding area (the first few blocks, say Overbrook Ave and Drexel Rd) suburban. 

It's a Jesuit school, as you probably know. I have no idea about the baseball program.  

RJM posted:

I can’t imagine how St Joe’s recruited when they played at Latshaw in Norristown. They must have avoided the field on the recruiting tour. Drunks and drug addicts hung out in Elmwood Park at night. The field had to be checked for broken glass and needles before pregame.

Elmwood was a community park in a questionable part of town. Latshaw wasn’t as good as the worst high school fields.

I think chestnut hill (D2) plays there now...

phillyinNJ posted:

RJM posted:

I can’t imagine how St Joe’s recruited when they played at Latshaw in Norristown. They must have avoided the field on the recruiting tour. Drunks and drug addicts hung out in Elmwood Park at night. The field had to be checked for broken glass and needles before pregame.

Elmwood was a community park in a questionable part of town. Latshaw wasn’t as good as the worst high school fields.

I think chestnut hill (D2) plays there now...

You’re right. Chestnut Hill steps up from D3 and steps down in quality of facilities. They used to play at Nor-Gwyn.

i moved away. I haven’t seen Latshaw in several years. But for eighteen years I saw it as a dump. 

Chestnut hill has improved the place. It certainly isn’t special but it is improved. Hostelley field is the field you are referring to, they use it for Nor-Gwyn legion Connie Mack and perky games. Sadly it is a shadow of its former self. No college teams play there anymore. 

But back to SJU the new field is on campus, turfed and plays very well. 

I moved away when my son (the youngest) headed for college eight years ago. I haven’t seen either field since. I am in town every few months. My daughter (the oldest) lives in LM. I’ve been to a few SJU games at the new field. It’s a really nice facility.

What’s mind boggling is after all these years Villanova still plays in a community park ten miles from campus.  At least it’s a decent field. But unless something has changed no concessions and no bathrooms. Just a food truck and a porta potty. Ten years ago I heard “The new on campus field is coming.”

My son played at the St. Joe's team camp back in early June. Very nice field.