Rutgers University announced the passing of Mike Higgins, a former standout on its baseball team, who died over the weekend at age 54.
Higgins was recognized as an All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association in 1993. That season, he achieved a .370 batting average with nine home runs and set a then-school record with 56 runs batted in. He also recorded 39 walks and 20 doubles during that year, which were both second-highest in Rutgers history at the time.
During his collegiate career from 1990 to 1993, Higgins contributed to three Atlantic 10 Tournament Championships for Rutgers. The team also secured three consecutive regular-season Atlantic 10 East titles and won the overall Atlantic 10 championship in his senior year. Higgins played on three NCAA Regional teams, including the 1990 East Regional where Rutgers defeated UConn, Maine, North Carolina and Georgia; the 1991 Central Regional in Texas; and the 1993 Mid-Atlantic Regional in Tennessee.
After college, Higgins was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the 22nd round of the Major League Baseball draft in 1993 and went on to play four seasons of professional baseball.
He is survived by his wife Lori, his daughter Ashley, and his son Mike, who is currently a member of the Rutgers football team.
“###
