‘Back in ’80, We Saw It Too’: 1980 St. John’s Champions Cheer on Today’s Squad

When the Red Storm lifted the College World Series trophy in Omaha back in 1980, the campus was buzzing with a kind of pride you don’t often see again. Fast‑forward 46 years, and a new generation of Red Storm players is carving its own path through the NCAA tournament, sparking a wave of excitement among the alumni who were there for the original triumph.

“I still remember the roar of the crowd at Owen T. Jordan Field that spring,” said Tom Brennan, shortstop on the ’80 squad, during a recent Zoom reunion. “Seeing these guys run the bases with the same fire…it just brings it all back.” Brennan, now a high‑school coach in Queens, chuckled that he’d been surprised to hear the word “viral” used to describe the current team’s social‑media highlights.

The 2026 Red Storm entered the regionals with a 27‑12 record, a modest seed that many pundits wrote off as a long shot. Yet after a dramatic extra‑inning win over the defending champions, the team surged to the super‑regional round, leaving even the most skeptical alumni nodding in approval.

“It’s not just about the wins,” added former pitcher Mike Donovan, who threw a complete‑game shutout in the 1980 final. “It’s about the grit, the camaraderie. When I see the guys huddling after a tough inning, I think ‘that’s baseball.’ The new guys have that same DNA.” Donovan, now enjoying retirement in Westchester, admitted he’s been invited to a few campus events this season—something he says is a pleasant “trip down memory lane.”

For the current squad, the presence of the ’80 legends has been more than a morale boost; it’s a reminder of the standards set decades ago. Junior shortstop Luis Martinez, who just hit a game‑tying double in Friday’s regional, said the alumni visits felt like “a passing of the torch.” He added that the old‑timers’ stories of night‑time rain delays and post‑game pizza parties gave the team a fresh perspective on the program’s heritage.

It’s not all nostalgia, though. The 1980 crew, accustomed to playing on grass, has been quick to adapt their advice to today’s synthetic turf and advanced analytics. “We used to rely on gut feeling,” Brennan laughed, “now they have launch angle charts and spin‑rate data. It’s crazy—but the fundamentals are still the same: make solid contact and play smart defense.”

Even the athletic director, Karen Liu, has weighed in, noting that the resurgence is “a testament to the enduring culture we built back then and the relentless work of the current coaches.” She hopes the momentum will translate into another College World Series appearance, something she says would be “the ultimate reunion.”

As the tournament rolls on, the 1980 alumni plan to stay connected, promising to show up for the next big game—whether in person or via a livestream chat. Their message to the current Red Storm is simple, yet heartfelt: keep fighting, stay humble, and enjoy every moment on the diamond.

One thing’s clear: the echo of 1980’s triumph is reverberating through the stands today, and the whole St. John’s community is cheering louder than ever.