On September 6, 2014, the Holland Hurricanes baseball team played its inaugural regular season game, a 6-2 victory in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia versus the Saint Mary’s University (SMU) Huskies.  They began that inaugural season with a seven-game road trip, winning six, before defeating the Cape Breton University (CBU) Capers in their home opener in front of a capacity crowd at Memorial Field in Charlottetown by a score of 9-3 on September 20.

2014 was a breakthrough year for the program.  A 16-2 regular season record, and the first of the teams four Atlantic Championship banners.

11 months earlier, the Holland College Athletics and Recreation Department had recognized the baseball talent on Prince Edward Island and beyond and was ready to join the top universities in Atlantic Canada on the diamond.

But first, a head coach was needed to lead the program.

“Soon after moving back home to PEI, I was approached by Albert Roche in late 2013 about the possibility of starting a baseball program at Holland College, from scratch,” shared Andrew MacNevin. “I knew we had the talent locally and throughout Atlantic Canada to compete at a very high level against the best programs in the Country.”

MacNevin would eventually be hired as the programs first head coach, a role he’s held for ten years, before he recently decided to announce he was leaving the position. 

134 regular season games coached over nine seasons for MacNevin, a record of 113-21, four Atlantic Championships, and five National medals highlighted by a silver in 2015. This is the legacy Andrew MacNevin will leave behind after leading a program from scratch to what is now known as a top collegiate baseball destination within Canada.

“I recognized very early in our conversations that Andrew was an ideal fit for our new program,” shared Director of Athletics and Recreation at Holland College, Albert Roche.  “His combination of personality, collegiate baseball experience along with coaching ability was exactly what we needed to establish and advance our program.  Over and above his suitability was his passion for the game and the value he places on relationships.  He has positively impacted a lot of student-athletes during his tenure as head coach.  His record speaks for itself, and we were quite fortunate to have his leadership at the helm for ten years.”

Upon accepting the position with the Hurricanes in 2013, MacNevin was pleasantly surprised by the support from Holland College towards forming this new team.

“What I did not expect, was how supportive Holland College would be towards their Athletics programs. I had spent two years coaching at a college in New York and was pleased to realize the support provided by Holland College was above and beyond. The level of professionalism provided towards student-athletes and staff, is something to be very proud of and creates a top-notch culture and experience for everyone involved.”

“I am so grateful to Holland College to have had this opportunity to work alongside so many great coaches, players and administrative staff over the past 10 years. It has been an absolute pleasure watching so many student-athletes embark on their own journeys and success along the way.”

Logan Gallant has had the unique experience of being coached by MacNevin, as well as coaching alongside him.  Gallant was a member of the Hurricanes roster as a student-athlete in 2014 and 2015 and joined the coaching staff in 2018.

“From a player’s perspective, he gave everyone a fair shake. I remember showing up the first year of the program and he had some recruits but also a lot of walk-ons, including myself, who he needed to get to know quickly. I remember him taking a chance on me right from the start because he needed a third baseman and although I hadn’t played that position much in my career, he taught me everything and next thing I knew I was the starting third baseman. A couple years later he mentioned that he liked me from the beginning defensively due to my work ethic and that was the reason I got my shot. He respects work ethic, passion and overall love of the game. He was a coach you wanted to play for. He made sure to do whatever was best for the team and the team bought into that.  As a coach, he’s always ensured everything was done the right way. For five years I was an assistant to him, but more importantly he treated you like a friend, an equal. Every decision we made was always methodical, but it was also a team decision. I appreciate the experience he helped me gather over the years and am honoured to call him a friend.”

Since 2014, there have been many high points for the baseball Hurricanes as they’ve competed in the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball Association (ACBA), as well as making seven national championship appearances.

In 2015, the ‘Canes fell to the McGill University in the national championship final in Fredericton, New Brunswick by a score of 3-2.

“This has to be my most memorable experience over my ten years,” shared MacNevin. “Although we lost, it was a very formative experience for our players and program to have accomplished so much success in only the second year of our program.  It was a proud moment for our players and staff to have come so close to winning a National Championship and served as a great opportunity to put the Holland College baseball program on the map at a national level.”

The team also earned national bronze medals in 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2021.

MacNevin reflects on their trip to the United States in 2017 where they played exhibition games versus collegiate programs.

“In 2017, our team had a special experience travelling to the USA to play games against similar College programs. This was a unique experience having spent time at the University of Maine and Southern Maine Community College, having success winning a few games during our travels.”

For ten years, baseball has been one of the most attractive offerings at Holland College.  Providing the opportunity to continue your baseball career while studying at the post-secondary level on Prince Edward Island.  The Hurricanes are the only post-secondary baseball program in the province.

“It’s a privilege to play collegiate athletics, experience camaraderie with teammates and coaches, and to represent your college as a student-athlete,” shared MacNevin.

“Providing this opportunity for 24 baseball players and a six-man coaching staff each year, is something I feel very passionate about. The baseball program at Holland College provides such a tremendous opportunity for local players to stay close to home, receive a post-secondary education and experience the game at the next level as a collegiate athlete.”

“Each year we are fortunate to compile a roster of players from across Canada, with a mix of international students as well. Many of these students were introduced to Holland College as the direct result of having a baseball program. If the baseball program helps to influence even just a few players to attend Holland College to further their post-secondary institution, then personally I feel it has done a great service. Holland College and staff are not only preparing these young athletes to excel on the field, but also in the classroom and life afterwards as well.”

As MacNevin prepares for life away from the Hurricanes, he reflects on the last ten-years, and the state of the Hurricanes baseball program entering 2024.

“Holland College has worked hard to build a solid reputation in Atlantic Canada as a premier baseball program who takes care of business the right way, both on and off the field. As one of the smaller programs in the Country, we’ve had a tremendous amount of success both locally and on the national stage. Our program is run very similar to any college programs south of the border.  I believe we have done a great job in building an identity that is known to execute even the finer details within the game, which has led to collective success from the ground all the way up throughout our program.  Each year we’ve been blessed to have a very experienced and well-rounded coaching staff, which does a great job to pass along their knowledge, passion and experience to all within our program. We also experience former players wanting to remain involved with the baseball program upon graduation, which generates a unique culture and helps build a consistent approach year-after-year. It also serves well for baseball in our province and our region, as many continue to play and coach and give back to the game into their later years.”

We asked Andrew one last question before we ended our interview.

What are the benefits to offering collegiate sport to students at a post-secondary institution?

“There are many benefits of being a student-athlete including teaching teamwork, perseverance, responsibility, physical endurance, commitment, and time management, to name just a few. These experiences help promote the development of a strong work ethic, create character values, leadership skills, and lifelong friendships with teammates that last forever. When recruiting players, we often tell players and parents that you’re not just choosing Holland College for the Academics, it’s not just about the Athletics, but what you’re receiving as a student-athlete is a well-rounded life experience. And that is the guarantee you will receive while attending Holland College.”

As the Hurricanes prepare for the 2024 ACBA season in September, the search for MacNevin’s replacement as the Head Baseball Coach will begin now. The Hurricanes Athletics and Recreation Department would like to express their appreciation towards Andrew, and his family, for their commitment, sacrifice and dedication to developing the Hurricanes Baseball program over the last ten years. 

“The most fulfilling part of the job for me will always be the relationships with players, coaches, and staff,” expresses MacNevin. “This is something I genuinely cherish and I will miss working alongside so many great people each day.”

Connect with the baseball Hurricanes at www.x.com/HCanesbaseball and www.instagram.com/hollandcanesbaseball.

For more information on the Holland Hurricanes, please visit www.hollandhurricanes.com,www.facebook.com/hollandhurricanes. www.x.com/hc_hurricanes and www.instagram.com/hollandhurricanes.

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