Red Sox’s Cora Named Executive in Residence at UMass Boston
Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora is going back to school, so to speak. The skipper will be the executive in residence for the New Balance Sport Leadership and Administration program at UMass Boston.
The program launched in 2019 and currently has 126 enrolled students. It aims to prepare students for various jobs in the sports industry by cultivating professionals who can better society through the prism of sports.
More from Sportico.com
“The sports industry is highly competitive, and I’m excited to collaborate with UMass Boston to assist in the development of high-character individuals and help position them to attain positions that will allow them to shape sports for future generations,” Cora said in a press release.
Dr. Joseph Cooper, the Dr. J. Keith Motley Endowed Chair of Sport Leadership and Administration at UMass Boston, called Cora “one of the most respected and forward-thinking managers in sports.”
Cora, a former infielder for the Red Sox, was hired by Boston after spending the 2016 and 2017 seasons as the Astros’ bench coach and became the Red Sox’s first Puerto Rican manager. He led the franchise to a World Series title in 2018 and has a .543 win percentage across five seasons.
In November 2019, Cora was implicated in having a central role in Houston’s elaborate plans to steal signs from opposing teams during its 2017 World Series-winning season. Major League Baseball suspended Cora, along with then-Astros manager A.J. Hinch, former general manager Jeff Luhnow and Carlos Beltran—who had been hired as manager of the New York Mets before parting ways after the investigation—for the 2020 season. Cora left the Red Sox during the suspension but was rehired in advance of the 2021 season.
The business of managing the Red Sox won’t pause, especially for a team expected to again struggle to keep up in a competitive American League East. However, Cora will mentor and speak with students both on campus and at Fenway Park during class visits.
Best of Sportico.com
