Two years after receiving just one Division I offer, former LCM baseball standout now set to play for one of best college programs in the country

Posted: January 1st 1970

After posting a record-breaking season at Fairleigh Dickinson that saw him hit 32 home runs, Lower Cape May graduate Hunter Ray has announced he is transferring to Vanderbilt, one of the top college baseball programs in the country.

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

Hunter Ray had exactly one Division I offer for baseball when he graduated from Lower Cape May Regional High School in 2024.

He took that offer and ran with it.

Ray posted a historic, record-breaking campaign at Fairleigh Dickinson University in his second season with the Knights this spring. Over the weekend, he announced he is transferring to Vanderbilt University, which boasts one of the top college baseball programs in the country.

“For me, it’s going to the highest level to challenge myself,” Ray said during a telephone interview from Massachusetts, where is competing in a college baseball summer league. “I get to go to the (Southeastern Conference) and face the best arms every day.”

Ray, a right fielder for FDU, set single-season program and Northeast Conference records for home runs with 32 and RBI with 81. He also batted .345 with 72 runs scored and led FDU with a 1.276 OPS and 24 stolen bases. He was recently named the NEC Player of the Year and a first team All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association. He was part of a team that went 34-20-1 overall and reached the NEC Tournament championship game. The 34 victories were a program record.

“I definitely set high expectations for myself before the season,” Ray said. “Our coach had every player write down their goals on a card, and I said I wanted to be the NEC Player of the Year, break the home run record, be an All-American and win the conference and the only thing I didn’t accomplish was winning the conference.”

HUNTER RAY

Seeking to play at a higher level, Ray announced he was entering the transferring portal shortly after FDU’s season ended. Two years after receiving his one Division I offer from FDU, Ray said he heard from well over a dozen schools looking to secure his services before ultimately deciding on Vanderbilt.

Vanderbilt finished at 33-25 overall, 14-16 in the incredibly talented SEC, this season. Under longtime head coach Tim Corbin, the Commodores won the 2014 and 2019 national titles and have made five trips to the College World Series since 2011.

“Ultimately, I picked Vanderbilt because I always wanted to play under a guy like Coach Corbin because he’s a legend within college baseball,” Ray said. “Vanderbilt is an amazing school and then baseball-wise they’re one of the preeminent baseball schools around the country, so it’s an honor to play for them. “They’re all great people. I’m very comfortable with the coaching staff. This is a chance to go somewhere where I can showcase myself at the highest level.

“I really wanted to go somewhere where I had a chance to go to Omaha (for the College World Series) and compete for national championships and Vanderbilt is one of the schools with the ability to do it every year. I think Coach Corbin is the best coach in college baseball. He always has a chance to take a team to Omaha.”

Ray said he will always appreciate his two years at FDU.

“One thousand percent,” he said. “I had confidence that I could develop the skill set to do this. I put in a lot of work the last two years at FDU and I’m extra grateful for the coaching I got there. I had a lot of help from them during the whole process of putting my head down every day and getting to work.”

Following his breakout season at FDU, Ray has no doubt caught the eyes of Major League baseball scouts. He’ll have a chance to play in front of more of them more often at Vanderbilt.

“I want to put myself in the best position to develop at the highest level and hopefully set myself up to get drafted,” he said.

Ray was quick to point out the support he has gotten from his family, especially his mother, Heidi, and his late father, Rich, who passed away suddenly when Ray was a 16-year-old high school sophomore.

“Getting to this point, my entire career and even life has had a lot of ups and downs and my support system around me has been there for me the whole way,” Ray said. “My mom and dad always supported me. My brothers, too. My dream could have been anything but baseball and they would’ve supported me.

“All those people, I’m extremely grateful for them because without my support system I’m not sure how possible any of this is.

“The day I first posted (on Instagram) that I was committed to Vanderbilt was crazy. Everyone was reaching out to congratulate me. A lot of people who’ve been there for me along the way. I’m extremely grateful for all of them.”

Ray announced his decision to transfer to Vanderbilt on Saturday, one day before Father’s Day.

“I think my dad would be extremely proud of me,” he said. “I was talking to my older brother (Brennan) about it, and it kind of felt like everything had come full circle, to commit the day before Father’s Day. I think about how it happened and it’s almost like that’s how it was supposed to be. Every day I try to live for him and make him proud any way I can.”

Ray was a four-year starter at Lower Cape May. For his high school career, he hit .357 with 28 doubles, eight triples, seven home runs, 79 RBI and 76 runs scored. He finished just three hits shy of 100 for his career. He batted .434 with 14 doubles, four home runs, 23 runs scored and 23 RBI as a senior.