April 11, 2008
By Megan Hess, Lehigh Sports Media Relations
Since he entered Lehigh in the fall of 2004, Joe Ercolano has had one main thing on his mind: baseball. Now that he is a senior and wrapping up his time at Lehigh, Joe, or "Erc" as his teammates and coaches call him, can look back at his career and chalk it up as a success.
As a freshman, Ercolano, who is from Fairfield, Conn. had an extremely strong season. He finished up with a .422 batting average, ranking tenth nationally, and was named first team All-Patriot League. He was also named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American. Erc had a very successful sophomore season and as a junior, started all 44 games for the Mountain Hawks, led the team in runs with 36, and was named to the second team All-Patriot League.
But for Ercolano, baseball is not about the accolades and awards that he has received during his career at Lehigh. It is about the lessons he has learned through being a part of a team and the bonds he has made with his teammates.
"Most of my time at Lehigh has been spent with my teammates; whether it is staying up at the library, going out to dinner, or socializing at night" he said. "My teammates have become a family for me here at Lehigh who I can always count on to be there for me on and off the field. My coaches have taught me more about the game and life itself in my four years here than any class I have taken at Lehigh."
Head coach Sean Leary has seen Ercolano progress throughout his four years as a student and as an athlete.
"Joe has shown his greatest improvement as a student-athlete in the area of balancing school and baseball," he said. "This was a challenge for Joe when he first arrived on campus and I am very proud of how he has matured as a young man."
Off the field, Ercolano is an economics major. He has done an excellent job of handling his rigorous academic curriculum with his demanding baseball schedule.
"Joe's a good student. I think he's got a good head on his shoulders and a good bat on his shoulders. He's had a great baseball career and has done well in his economic studies," said J. Richard Aronson, Erc's economic Professor. "He has done well balancing his schedules and has maintained his studies at a very high level."
Ercolano is very appreciative of all the support he has received and is humbled by those that are always there for him.
"My family has always supported me, especially my parents," he said. "Without them I wouldn't be where I am today. My friends have been great, they always are keeping track of how I'm doing and have always been positive for me. I have run into professors that have been a little more supportive of my commitment than some others have been, but overall I can honestly say that all my professors at Lehigh have been great people."
Erc does not have any specific plans for after graduation but hopes to incorporate baseball into his future. One of his options is attending graduate school while coaching baseball.
Leary is supportive of Ercolano's future plans and sees him as a leader and a role model for his teammates.
"Joe has been wonderful to coach," added Leary. "He has worked very hard to improve his skills. As a coach, it is very important for your best players to lead by example and if a young player watches Joe, they see that he plays hard from start to finish of every game. Young players emulate the upperclassmen. We've got some talented young players and if they can mold their games to be like Erc's -- the future of Lehigh baseball will be very exciting."
The hard work and determination that Erc possesses, coupled with the support from teammates, coaches, family and teachers alike, has made for an extremely successful career. For many athletes it is difficult to pick out the best moment in their career. For Joe, this answer came easily.
"Winning the Patriot League Championship in 2006 and playing in the NCAA tournament was the greatest moment in my career at Lehigh. Not only was it the first time our team has ever won the championship, but it was by far the best team I have ever been a part of."
Leary has a more specific memory of Erc's contribution to winning this championship.
"I'll always remember Erc catching the last out of the 2006 Patriot League Championship. He's had so many great individual moments and records but, first and foremost Joe has always been a team first guy --- and I think it is fitting that my best memory of his career is a team moment," he said.
Needless to say, Joe Ercolano has had a very successful four years at Lehigh. This season, he has been a standout player, leading the team in homeruns and RBI, and also in categories such as walks and stolen bases. The Mountain Hawks season is winding down but there are still league match-ups ahead. Leary feels that Erc is a key element to the team finishing up strong.
"Joe is very determined. When he steps out on the diamond each day, he is going to give his best for his team," said Leary. "I love to coach players that have one goal each day--helping the team win. Joe will do whatever it takes to help us win a game."
Ercolano and the rest of Lehigh's class of 2008 will play their final home league games this weekend, as they host Lafayette for a four game series. The first pitch for Saturday and Sunday's games is scheduled for noon from the baseball field on the Goodman Campus. Saturday's games will also be broadcasted on Lehighsports.com, with streaming provided by Yahoo! Sports.
