Former Pima Baseball Coach Rich Alday Inducted into ABCA Hall of Fame

Former Pima Community College baseball coach Rich Alday has been posthumously inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Hall of Fame Class of 2025. Alday, who coached the Aztecs from 1974 to 1989 and returned in 2018, was honored during a banquet in Washington, D.C., on Friday.

The ceremony recognized not only Alday but also distinguished peers such as Dave Jarvis from Belmont University, Dave Johnson of Ephrata High School, and Jim Schlossnagle from the University of Texas, among others. This year’s induction adds to the extensive legacy of the ABCA Hall of Fame, which was established in 1966 and now features over 350 members.

Candidates for induction must have served as head coaches for over 15 years, made notable contributions to baseball at multiple levels, and exhibited high moral character, as detailed in the ABCA criteria.

During his tenure at Pima, Alday achieved 517 wins, leading the Aztecs to an NJCAA National Tournament Runner-Up finish in 1985, alongside five ACCAC Conference championships. He earned three Coach of the Year awards in 1981, 1983, and 1985. Alday also led the University of New Mexico’s baseball program to 515 wins across 18 seasons and secured two state championships in three years while coaching Ironwood Ridge High School’s softball team.

Alday’s accomplishments extended to international play, where he served as a bench coach for Team USA during their gold medal win in Seoul in 1988 and as an auxiliary assistant coach for the bronze medal team in the Atlanta 1996 Olympics. A lifetime member of the ABCA for 48 years, Alday was recognized as the 40th on the Arizona Daily Star’s list of Tucson’s Top 50 Athletic Figures of the 20th Century and was inducted into the Pima County Hall of Fame in 1994.

He passed away on January 6, 2021, but his legacy endures. Pima Athletic Director and Baseball Head Coach Ken Jacome expressed, “Coach Alday was not just a great college baseball coach but was an even better human being. He was my mentor and provided me the opportunity to coach at the Division I level. The program at Pima owes so much to him, and we honor him regularly.”