Tony Guzzo

Tony Guzzo
Biographical details
Born(1949-01-07)January 7, 1949
DiedOctober 10, 2024(2024-10-10) (aged 75)
Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.
Playing career
1968–1971East Carolina
Position(s)Catcher
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1972–1976Norfolk Catholic HS (VA)
1976–1978East Carolina (assistant)
1979–1982North Carolina Wesleyan
1983–1994VCU
1995–2004Old Dominion
2005–2006NC State (assistant)
2006–2007Boston Red Sox (scout)
2008–2010Louisburg (assistant)
2017–2024Old Dominion (assistant)
Head coaching record
Overall632–552–1
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
2 NCAA Division III Regional: 1981, 1982
2 CAA regular season: 1996, 2000
2 CAA Tournament: 1995, 1996

Anthony Guzzo (January 7, 1949 – October 10, 2024) was an American baseball coach. He was an assistant baseball coach Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, a position he had held since 2017. Guzzo served as the head baseball coach at North Carolina Wesleyan University in Rocky Mount, North Carolina from 1979 to 1982, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond, Virginia from 1983 to 1994, and Old Dominion from 1995 to 2004.

Career

Guzzo was raised in Elm City, North Carolina, where he played high school baseball for Elm City High School, where he graduated in 1968. Upon graduation, Guzzo played college baseball for East Carolina Pirates, where he was a catcher during his four-year career. Upon graduation in 1972, Guzzo became the high school baseball coach for Norfolk Catholic High School in Norfolk, Virginia, before receiving his first head coaching job, with North Carolina Wesleyan University. Guzzo served as the head coach for NC Wesleyan from 1979 until 1982, where in the final two years, he helped NC Wesleyan reach the NCAA Division III College World Series. He finished with a 102–66 record at NC Wesleyan.

In August 1982, ahead of the 1983 NCAA Division I baseball season, Guzzo was hired by Virginia Commonwealth University to lead the baseball program. At VCU, he finished with a 329–300–1 record. After the 1994 season, he joined Old Dominion University as the head baseball coach.[1] There he coached the program for 10 seasons. During his tenure, Old Dominion won two CAA regular season titles (1996, 2000),[2] two CAA Tournament titles (1995, 1996) and earned three NCAA Regional appearances (1995, 1996, 2000).[2] Notable players that Guzzo coached at Old Dominion included Justin Verlander, Kevin Gibbs, Matt Quatraro, Tim Hummel, and Ron Walker. After the 2004 season, Guzzo left Old Dominion and became an assistant coach for North Carolina State University.[3]

After stints as an area scout for the Boston Red Sox, an assistant at Louisburg College, and high school coaching for Nash Central High School,[4] Guzzo returned to Old Dominion in 2017 as an assistant coach.[5]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
North Carolina Wesleyan Battling Bishops (Dixie Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1979–1982)
1979 North Carolina Wesleyan 18–19 5–7
1980 North Carolina Wesleyan 22–19 5–7
1981 North Carolina Wesleyan 33–13 9–3 Division III College World Series
1982 North Carolina Wesleyan 29–15 6–2 Division III College World Series
North Carolina Wesleyan: 102–66 (.607) 25–19 (.568)
VCU Rams (Sun Belt Conference) (1983–1991)
1983 VCU 13–32 0–16 4th (East)
1984 VCU 19–28 4–12 4th (East)
1985 VCU 20–32 4–14 4th (East)
1986 VCU 26–32 4–13 4th (East)
1987 VCU 25–22 5–11 4th (East)
1988 VCU 45–16–1 11–5–1 1st (East) NCAA Regional
1989 VCU 30–15 8–7 2nd (East)
1990 VCU 18–29 2–14 4th (East)
1991 VCU 35–22 10–6 3rd (East)
VCU Rams (Metro Conference) (1992–1994)
1992 VCU 35–22 10–6 1st (East) NCAA Regional
1993 VCU 30–27 4–10 6th
1994 VCU 30–25–1 9–9 5th
VCU: 326–302–2 (.519) 71–123 (.366)
Old Dominion Monarchs (Colonial Athletic Association) (1995–2004)
1995 Old Dominion 39–20 9–9 5th NCAA Regional
1996 Old Dominion 39–17 13–7 1st NCAA Regional
1997 Old Dominion 34–20 12–8 2nd
1998 Old Dominion 28–29 9–12 5th
1999 Old Dominion 38–17 7–11 5th
2000 Old Dominion 33–24–1 14–7 T–1st NCAA Regional
2001 Old Dominion 19–37 6–15 5th
2002 Old Dominion 26–17 8–12 4th
2003 Old Dominion 18–33 5–15 4th
2004 Old Dominion 26–28 13–11 5th
Old Dominion: 290–242–1 (.545) 106–107 (.498)
Total: 718–610–3 (.541)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Death

Guzzo died in Norfolk, Virginia, on October 10, 2024, at the age of 75.[6]

References

  1. ^ Robinson, Tom (April 20, 1996). "Despite 500 Wins, ODU Baseball Coach Tony Guzzo Dodges Spotlight". The Virginian-Pilot. Landmark Communications, Inc. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Former ODU coach Tony Guzzo earns Bud Metheny Award". The Virginian-Pilot. December 30, 2016. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  3. ^ "NC State Hires Tony Guzzo". gopack.com. September 16, 2004. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
  4. ^ Neville, Geoff (6 March 2013). "Bulldogs upbeat on diamond". The Nashville Graphic. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
  5. ^ Minium, Harry (January 12, 2017). "Minium: At 68, Tony Guzzo hasn't lost his passion for baseball, or for ODU". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  6. ^ Former ODU Head Baseball Coach Tony Guzzo passes away at 75