Ryan Forrest and Dan Tischler Named to Baseball Staff
August 18, 2023 | Baseball
New head coach Todd Interdonato finalizes 2024 coaching staff
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Boston College baseball head coach Todd Interdonato announced the hiring of two assistant coaches on Friday morning, pitching coach Ryan Forrest and hitting/infield coach Dan Tischler.
Ryan Forrest arrives at Boston College after six seasons as the pitching coach at Air Force, where he helped lead the pitching staff to the most strikeouts in program history in 2022 with 455. Dan Tischler comes to the Heights after 11 years on the Columbia coaching staff, where he was promoted to Associate Head Coach in 2019, and a member of five Ivy League Championship teams, coaching 24 infielders to all-conference accolades during his tenure.
"Ryan has been a coach we've had a great deal of respect for over his coaching tenure," said Boston College head coach Todd Interdonato. "He has progressed into one of the most forward thinking and professional coaches in the country during his tenure at the Air Force Academy. Additionally, he has worked for one of the most respected men in college baseball under Mike Kazlauski.
Ryan has a unique ability to identify, connect, and develop student-athletes. We believe he is going to make a lasting impact on our pitching staff and program moving forward. He shares our vision of creating a player-centric program with individual development at the forefront of everything we do. We appreciate his willingness to go through the extensive interview process and believe in the mission of Boston College. We are excited to welcome Ryan, Kim, Rhett and Brandt to the BC Baseball family."
After one season on the Mississippi State staff, Forrest began at Air Force in 2018, when he improved the program's earned run average by 1.34 points in his first season. In 2019, Air Force set a program record with a 4.83 ERA during Mountain West play, the pitching staff's lowest ever ERA during conference season. Second-Team All-Mountain West hurler Jake Gilbert, an eventual Cincinnati Reds signee, posted a 2.55 ERA for the Falcons after Forrest converted him from a closer to a weekend starter, good for the eighth-best single-season ERA in program history.
Under Forrest's tutelage, the Falcons boasted two All-Conference pitchers in 2021, in Paul Skenes and John Byrnes. With 26 wins, the most by the program since 1993, Air Force put together its best conference record in program history at 18-16, ranking in the top-three in both strikeouts and saves in the Mountain West.
Air Force clinched their first Mountain West title and played in their first NCAA Regional in 2022, logging their most overall wins since joining the conference in 2000. Forrest's staff set the single-season record for most strikeouts by an Air Force pitching staff, with 455, and boasted Mountain West Co-Pitcher of the Year in Paul Skenes, who finished with a 7-1 record, a league-best 2.40 ERA, and 56 strikeouts in ten starts, garnering First-Team All-American honors and a spot on the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.
Forrest pitched for Maine from 2007-09 as a reliever. He started his collegiate career at Creighton University in 2006.
Dan Tishcler joined the Columbia staff in 2012 as an assistant coach, and was later promoted to Associate Head Coach in January 2019. Serving as the Lions' recruiting coordinator, coaching third base, and working with the infield, Tischler contributed to five Ivy League championships with Columbia, and a sixth as an assistant coach at Cornell in 2012.
"Dan's track record over the last 11 years of identifying and recruiting championship level players to Columbia completed our staff in ideal fashion," said head coach Todd Interdonato.
"What Dan has helped build and sustain under Brett's leadership is an extremely impressive quality. His knowledge and experience in recruiting high academic student-athletes from the Northeast will help build our brand across New England. We're excited for him and Kat to join the Birdball family."
Under Tischler's guidance, Columbia's offense and infield defense blossomed. In 2023, the Lions led the Ivy League in home runs (72), batting average (.306), runs (376), runs batted in (340), slugging percentage (.517), and total bases (850), their second straight season atop those categories. Columbia's infield turned 42 double plays (0.93/game) and allowed just 21 stolen bases, including just six in 21 conference games, all league-best marks. Columbia produced 2023 Ivy League Player of the Year in Andy Blake, who made just three errors in 21 conference games at shortstop, while leading the Ivy League in assists, earning semifinalist honors for the Brooks Wallace Award for the nation's best shortstop.
Tischler has produced 24 all-conference infielders during his Columbia tenure, including two Players of the Year and two Rookies of the Year. Tischler helped lead Columbia to team records for fielding percentage twice in back-to-back seasons (2013 - .971, 2014 - .975) and double plays turned in 2015 (48).
A New York native, Tischler played four years at Franklin & Marshall, and received his Master's degree in education from Columbia in 2012.
Coach Interdonato will also retain assistant coach Greg Sullivan, who will enter his 14th season with Boston College baseball in 2023-24.
"Being able to have Greg on our staff is a tremendous advantage as we all are set to join BC baseball," said Interdonato. "Greg's love and passion for Boston College is second to none - he is BC through and through. During the transition over the summer Greg was instrumental in providing the players with stability and mentorship. Simply put, Greg's love for BC and Birdball steadied the program this summer and allowed the players to continue to feel like this was home for them. He is as selfless of a coach as there is in college baseball. He loves this program in the truest fashion. We are so fortunate to have him with us."
Ryan Forrest arrives at Boston College after six seasons as the pitching coach at Air Force, where he helped lead the pitching staff to the most strikeouts in program history in 2022 with 455. Dan Tischler comes to the Heights after 11 years on the Columbia coaching staff, where he was promoted to Associate Head Coach in 2019, and a member of five Ivy League Championship teams, coaching 24 infielders to all-conference accolades during his tenure.
"Ryan has been a coach we've had a great deal of respect for over his coaching tenure," said Boston College head coach Todd Interdonato. "He has progressed into one of the most forward thinking and professional coaches in the country during his tenure at the Air Force Academy. Additionally, he has worked for one of the most respected men in college baseball under Mike Kazlauski.
Ryan has a unique ability to identify, connect, and develop student-athletes. We believe he is going to make a lasting impact on our pitching staff and program moving forward. He shares our vision of creating a player-centric program with individual development at the forefront of everything we do. We appreciate his willingness to go through the extensive interview process and believe in the mission of Boston College. We are excited to welcome Ryan, Kim, Rhett and Brandt to the BC Baseball family."
After one season on the Mississippi State staff, Forrest began at Air Force in 2018, when he improved the program's earned run average by 1.34 points in his first season. In 2019, Air Force set a program record with a 4.83 ERA during Mountain West play, the pitching staff's lowest ever ERA during conference season. Second-Team All-Mountain West hurler Jake Gilbert, an eventual Cincinnati Reds signee, posted a 2.55 ERA for the Falcons after Forrest converted him from a closer to a weekend starter, good for the eighth-best single-season ERA in program history.
Under Forrest's tutelage, the Falcons boasted two All-Conference pitchers in 2021, in Paul Skenes and John Byrnes. With 26 wins, the most by the program since 1993, Air Force put together its best conference record in program history at 18-16, ranking in the top-three in both strikeouts and saves in the Mountain West.
Air Force clinched their first Mountain West title and played in their first NCAA Regional in 2022, logging their most overall wins since joining the conference in 2000. Forrest's staff set the single-season record for most strikeouts by an Air Force pitching staff, with 455, and boasted Mountain West Co-Pitcher of the Year in Paul Skenes, who finished with a 7-1 record, a league-best 2.40 ERA, and 56 strikeouts in ten starts, garnering First-Team All-American honors and a spot on the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.
Forrest pitched for Maine from 2007-09 as a reliever. He started his collegiate career at Creighton University in 2006.
Dan Tishcler joined the Columbia staff in 2012 as an assistant coach, and was later promoted to Associate Head Coach in January 2019. Serving as the Lions' recruiting coordinator, coaching third base, and working with the infield, Tischler contributed to five Ivy League championships with Columbia, and a sixth as an assistant coach at Cornell in 2012.
"Dan's track record over the last 11 years of identifying and recruiting championship level players to Columbia completed our staff in ideal fashion," said head coach Todd Interdonato.
"What Dan has helped build and sustain under Brett's leadership is an extremely impressive quality. His knowledge and experience in recruiting high academic student-athletes from the Northeast will help build our brand across New England. We're excited for him and Kat to join the Birdball family."
Under Tischler's guidance, Columbia's offense and infield defense blossomed. In 2023, the Lions led the Ivy League in home runs (72), batting average (.306), runs (376), runs batted in (340), slugging percentage (.517), and total bases (850), their second straight season atop those categories. Columbia's infield turned 42 double plays (0.93/game) and allowed just 21 stolen bases, including just six in 21 conference games, all league-best marks. Columbia produced 2023 Ivy League Player of the Year in Andy Blake, who made just three errors in 21 conference games at shortstop, while leading the Ivy League in assists, earning semifinalist honors for the Brooks Wallace Award for the nation's best shortstop.
Tischler has produced 24 all-conference infielders during his Columbia tenure, including two Players of the Year and two Rookies of the Year. Tischler helped lead Columbia to team records for fielding percentage twice in back-to-back seasons (2013 - .971, 2014 - .975) and double plays turned in 2015 (48).
A New York native, Tischler played four years at Franklin & Marshall, and received his Master's degree in education from Columbia in 2012.
Coach Interdonato will also retain assistant coach Greg Sullivan, who will enter his 14th season with Boston College baseball in 2023-24.
"Being able to have Greg on our staff is a tremendous advantage as we all are set to join BC baseball," said Interdonato. "Greg's love and passion for Boston College is second to none - he is BC through and through. During the transition over the summer Greg was instrumental in providing the players with stability and mentorship. Simply put, Greg's love for BC and Birdball steadied the program this summer and allowed the players to continue to feel like this was home for them. He is as selfless of a coach as there is in college baseball. He loves this program in the truest fashion. We are so fortunate to have him with us."
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