John Wink spent the last nine years as the pitching coach for the Rutgers University-Camden baseball program, helping the Scarlet Raptors record some of the best seasons in program history.

Wink’s dedication and performance have been rewarded. On July 25, 2007, the Delran resident was named as the Scarlet Raptors’ new head baseball coach, replacing long-time friend and colleague Keith Williams. Williams, who had employed Wink as his pitching coach since coming to Rutgers-Camden in 1999, resigned earlier in the month to take the head coaching job at Division II St. Andrews Presbyterian College in Laurinburg, North Carolina.

“We’re excited to have John in this new role,” said Rutgers-Camden Director of Athletics Jeff Dean. “He has a lot of support and confidence from the alumni and the staff. We think he’s going to do a terrific job.”

“Everything happens for a reason,” Wink said. “I know I’m very excited about the opportunity to continue what Keith and I have been doing for the last nine years. I think we’re moving in the right direction with the program.”

Since rebuilding the program in their first two years at Rutgers-Camden, Williams and Wink have helped the Scarlet Raptors post a 155-114-1 mark during the last seven seasons. After posting a combined 7-49 mark in 1999 and 2000, the Raptors set a short-lived school record for victories in a 21-15 campaign during the 2001 season. That season started a seven-year stretch in which the Raptors produced the five highest victory totals in Rutgers-Camden baseball history, including a record 32-10 mark in 2002.

Rutgers-Camden fielded a young team in 2007, when it posted a 15-24 record for only its second losing mark in the last seven years.

“Last year I think we lost 8-10 games in the eighth or ninth inning,” Wink said. “That comes from inexperience. I expect them to learn and grow from that experience.

“I think the plusses (of being named coach) are that we keep the continuity of the program going. From the players’ point of view, there’s a comfort factor. We were very young last year. The young guys can grow from that experience and not think about a coaching change. They know how I operate and they know what’s expected of them.”

The Raptors’ recent success has been built around Wink’s pitching staff, which usually ranks among the best in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. The 2005 team, which posted a 28-11 record for the second-most wins in program history, finished third in the NJAC in ERA (3.80) and fifth in opponent batting average (.275). Individually, Wink’s closer Matt Novella led the NJAC with a program-record nine saves (a figure which tied for third among all NCAA Division III pitchers).

The team finished fourth in the NJAC in ERA in both 2004 (4.00) and 2003 (4.19), while the 2002 staff led the conference and finished 13th nationally with a 3.37 ERA. That staff helped the Scarlet Raptors post a program-record 32-10 season.

The 2003 team saw closer Dan McKenna get selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 27th round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. He became the first Rutgers-Camden pitcher, and only the program’s second player overall, to be selected in the MLB draft.

Wink received recognition for his work during the fall of 2003 when he was honored as a recipient of the second annual AFLAC National Assistant Coach of the Year Award. Over 350,000 assistant coaches were nominated from around the country. Only 500 high school and college coaches, representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia, received the award.

Wink helped turn the program around in 2001 when his staff posted a 21-15 record and struck out 271 batters in 293-1/3 innings. It was the Raptors’ first winning season since 1988.

In his nine years with the program, Wink’s staff tossed three no-hitters, including one by Bob Diepold in 1999, a perfect game by Mike Murphy in 2001 and a no-hitter by Zack Pendleton in 2002.

A 1990 graduate of Holy Cross High School, Wink pitched for the Lancers under head coach Greg Luzinski, the former Philadelphia Phillies star. As a senior he went 8-1 for the Lancers’ 1988 South Jersey Parochial A championship team.

Wink continued his pitching career at Virginia Wesleyan College. A four-year varsity hurler for the Marlins, he graduated from Virginia Wesleyan in 1994 with a B.A. in Business Management.

Former Scarlet Raptor Mike Roth will serve as one of Wink’s assistants, returning to the Rutgers-Camden coaching staff for his fifth season. In addition to serving as the head coach, Wink will continue his role handling the Raptor pitchers.

“I’m extremely excited to have the opportunity,” he said. “I’m looking forward to the challenge.”