John Toppa

Photo by: Stephen Slade

Position:
Outfielder
Height:
6-null
Weight:
209
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Portsmouth, R.I.
High School:
Bishop Hendricken

2019 Season:Senior Captain. Closed out illustrious UConn career with 237 career hits, tying for sixth all-time at UConn. Played in 222 games, ranking fifth in program history. Toppa added name to short list of UConn players to play in three NCAA Tournaments (2016, 18, 19). Hit career-high .326 to lead team, added career-highs in runs (50), hits (76), doubles (14), home runs (4), RBIs (35), walks (41), stolen bases (15), on-base percentage (.433) and slugging percentage (.438). Second on team with 21 multi-hit games. Hit first home run of the season at College of Charleston (2/23). Recorded three hits including a home run at Coastal Carolina (3/2). Went 3-5 with a pair of doubles to clinch series win at UCF (3/31). Grabbed three hits at Tulane (5/16). Registered four-straight multi-hit efforts from April 27 – May 3. Racked up four-hit performance against Nebraska (5/31) in NCAA Oklahoma City Regional. All-Oklahoma City Tournament team.

2018 Season: Team Captain…Was the only Husky to start all 60 games…Hit .283 with 67 hits, 34 runs scored, nine doubles, three triples, one home run and 30 RBIs…Walked 28 times, stole 11 bases and did not commit an error in the outfield…Recorded a .363 on-base percentage…18 multi-hit games and seven multi-RBI efforts…Second on team with a 19-game reach base streak…Hit a two-run home run at Georgia Tech (Feb. 18)…Smacked a two-run single at UNF (March 2)…Three-hit performance with two RBIs and two runs scored at The Citadel (March 10)…2-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored at No. 30 Coastal Carolina (March 13)…Recorded a four-hit day and a pair of doubles vs. Bryant (April 11)…Three knocks and run scored at Memphis (May 4)…Picked up a couple multi-hit games to begin The American Championship vs. Cincinnati (May 23) and Wichita State (May 23)…Went 2-4 with two RBIs in NCAA Conway Regional elimination game vs. LIU Brooklyn (June 2)…Cashed in on three RBIs in NCAA Conway Regional Final vs. Washington (June 3).

2017 Summer: Played for the Wareham Gatemen in the Cape Cod Baseball League and earned CCBL All-Star nod…Played in 41 games and hit .281 with 39 hits, three doubles, one triple and 12 RBIs…Scored 19 runs and swiped four bags during the season…First five games hit .444 (8-for-18)…Had a four-hit, four RBI game vs. Bourne (7/5)…Reached base in 12 of final 13 games of the season.

2017 Season: Played in 49 games and made 45 starts for the Huskies…Primarily played left field but made a few starts as the designated hitter when he had an injured shoulder…Hit .267, 47 hits, 24 runs, nine doubles, one triple and 12 RBIs…Third on the team with 10 stolen bases…Had 14 multi-hit games…Hit a two-run single at Santa Clara (3/14)….Had a multi-hit effort at BYU (3/17) with first extra-base hit of the season…Had four-straight two-hit games against Hartford (4/5) and vs. Memphis (4/7-4/9)…Registered a 10-game hit streak from 4/13-4/29, raising his average from .200 to .271 over the stretch…Named to American Athletic Conference Honor Roll on 4/24)...Went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs in a win vs. Sacred Heart (5/9).

2016 Season: Made 49 appearances with 42 starts as a freshman…Was one of three Husky batters to hit over .300, finishing with a .303 batting average…Drove in 23 runs and swiped seven bags in eight attempts…Registered 13 multi-hit efforts and tallied five games with multiple RBIs…Named to the American Athletic Conference All-Tournament team…Went 3-for-4 and drove in four runs against Memphis in the conference tournament on May 25…Tallied two hits and scored a run in the league title game vs. Houston on May 29… Recorded a hit and drove in a pair of runs against Georgia Tech in NCAA Regional Action (June 5).

High School: Earned three varisty letters at Bishop Hendricken in Warwick, R.I. under head coach Ed Holloway...Named to the All-State First Team from 2013-15...Named the MVP of the 2015 Rhode Island Championship Series...Served as team captain during his senior season...A three-time All-Division team member...Named the Warwick Beacon’s 2015 Athlete of the Year.

Personal: Son of John and Kendra Toppa...Has one sister, Tatum...A political science major.