A Radford University student-athlete has died following a single-vehicle crash near campus, according to media reports. He was 19 years old.
The The Roanoke Times reported that Joey Raccuia was involved in a crash around 11:20 a.m. Wednesday near the university’s baseball stadium. Authorities said he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Raccuia was a member of the Radford University baseball team, playing as a middle infielder and pitcher. He had appeared in two of the Highlanders’ first seven games this season, including one start.
A Radford native, Raccuia was the son of former Highlanders head baseball coach Joe Raccuia. Joe Raccuia led the program for 12 seasons from 2008 to 2019. During his tenure, the team captured two Big South Tournament championships and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in those seasons.
In addition to coaching at Radford, Joe Raccuia previously served as an assistant coach at George Washington, George Mason, and Alabama. He also held a head coaching position at Marist, where he earned MAAC Co-Coach of the Year honors in 2005 after leading the team to a Metro Atlantic Championship and an NCAA Regional appearance.
So far this season, the Highlanders hold a 5-2 record, with series victories over Iona and Bucknell. The team is scheduled to host Bryant in a three-game series this weekend. University officials have not yet announced whether those games will proceed as planned.
Further details regarding the crash have not been released.
