Suozzi Chosen to Represent Nictakis, Wear No. 8

BOSTON – At the Boston College baseball team's annual "Baseball Night in Boston", junior outfielder Joe Suozzi was voted by his teammates to wear the No. 8 jersey for the 2019 season in honor of former player Peter "Sonny" Nictakis. The event was held at Fenway Park on Wednesday night and officially kicks off the start of the new season as the Eagles begin full-team practices Friday afternoon.

Suozzi became the eighth player to earn the honor since BC head coach Mike Gambino ('99) began the team tradition in 2011 to remember his teammate. Nictakis was a two-time captain for the Eagles in 1998 and 1999. He lost his courageous seven-year battle with Hodgkin's disease in the summer of 2000. Until 2011, his No. 8 had not been worn since his final season.

"It's honestly just such an honor to wear number eight," said Suozzi. " Coach Gambino talks about what a great guy Sonny was and how he always put the team in front of himself. To be selected to wear his numer, not only by the coaches, but also my teammates really means so much to me. I love these guys and it's such a great honor."

After receiving no offers out of high school, Suozzi enrolled at BC for the 2016 fall semester. He was afforded an opportunity at a walk-on tryout, but the Eagles' roster was already at capacity for the 2017 season. A year later, Suozzi made the team in fall ball.

Suozzi saw limited action through the first seven weeks of the season before he got his first opportunity to start on April 7 and remained in the lineup as BC's starting right fielder for 20 of the final 23 games. He hit .250 during the regular season and followed up by hitting .331 over the summer with the Sag Harbor Whalers of the Hamptons Collegiate League.

Nictakis was a two-year captain who earned the 1998 Jeff Keith Athletic Leadership Award and the 1996-97 baseball team leadership award. He graduated from BC in 1999 with a double major in English and technology.

No. 8 Recipients
2011 – Mike Sudol
2012 – Kyle Prohovich
2013 – Matt Paré
2014 – Tom Bourdon
2015 – Travis Ferrick
2016 – Johnny Adams
2017 – Johnny Adams
2018 – Carmen Giampetruzzi
2019 – Joe Suozzi

Baseball Night Notes

ESPN personalities Jon Sciambi (BC '92), Buster Olney and Karl Ravech were the featured guests of the night.
- The trio of baseball broadcasters hosted a lively conversation with guests on a range of baseball topics from the best atmospheres and interviews in baseball to insight on Hall of Fame voting and MLB free agency.
- All three have New England ties; Sciambi graduated from Boston College's Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences, Olney grew up in Vermont and attended Northfield Mount Hermon on Massachusetts, Ravech was born in Massachusetts and attended Needham High School.
Longtime BC senior associate athletics director Tom Peters, who retired following the 2017-18 academic year, was honored with the annual Pellagrini Award, named for the former BC coach and awarded to an individual that gives back to the program.

Suozzi Chosen to Represent Nictakis, Wear No. 8

Players Mentioned

Johnny Adams

Carmen Giampetruzzi

Joe Suozzi

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