Hall of Fame
Carl Rivers compiled arguably the greatest pitching career for the Western Connecticut State University’s baseball team from 2000-03, and led the Colonials to their first-ever Little East Conference tournament championship.
Rivers was named the 2002 LEC Championship Tournament Most Outstanding Player for his efforts in leading WestConn to its first, and to-date only LEC tournament championship as the No. 3 seed. The Colonials went 4-1 on their way to claiming the double-elimination tournament crown, posting a 5-4 win over second-seeded Southern Maine in the “if necessary” tournament final to punch their ticket to the NCAA Division III Championship tournament for the first time in program history.
That season saw Rivers named a First Team All-Conference and Third Team American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) All-Region selection after he went 5-4 with five saves over his 18 total appearances as a starter and reliever. His 87.2 inning pitched as a junior are still a program record, while his five saves that year rank third in program history. He led the LEC in in strikeouts (82) and strikeouts per nine innings (8.93) over his 82.2 innings of work.
Rivers once again garnered Third Team ABCA All-Region honors as a senior after appearing in a program-record 20 games, posting five wins and three saves as he once again splitting time as a starter and relief pitcher. Rivers led the LEC with 12.92 strikeouts per nine innings that season, fanning a league-best 100 batters over 69.2 innings of work. He recorded his 100th strikeout on the final pitch of his collegiate career.
The Morris, Connecticut native finished his collegiate career as WestConn’s all-time leader in appearances (60), innings pitched (248.2) and strikeouts (276); his inning and strikeout records still stand today. His K/9 marks his sophomore through senior seasons ranked his second in all of Division III in each of those years.
Rivers earned bachelor’s degrees in communication and human resources from Western Connecticut State University in 2003. He was inducted into the WCSU Hall of Fame in 2009.