Garden City, N.Y. - What usually starts out as a dream for most has become a reality for Adelphi University baseball rising senior Matt Alifano, who officially signed with the Philadelphia Phillies organization on Tuesday afternoon immediately following the 20-round MLB First-Year Player Draft. 

"Signing with the Philadelphia Phillies organization means a lot to me," said Alifano. "You always hear the phrase, 'hard work pays off', and at this point, it definitely feels like it has."

"I'd be remiss if I didn't thank my family and friends for all that they have sacrificed for me to be in the situation I am in today," he continued. 

The draft, which used to consist of 40 rounds, only saw 17 NCAA Division II athletes this year, including 2022 Northeast-10 Conference Pitcher of the Year Jack Choate of Assumption University, who was selected in the ninth round by the San Francisco Giants. 

The third baseman will jump on a plane this Thursday and head to Clearwater, Fla. for mini-camp action with other draftees, after wrapping up his summer efforts with the Winnipesaukee Muskrats of the New England Collegiate Baseball League. In 72 at-bats this summer, he was one of two members in the league to post a .400 batting average, which included 29 hits and 16 RBIs.

"I think it goes without saying that I'd like to thank all of the coaches that have been instrumental in getting me to this point today, including my hitting instructor Keith Osik, travel coaches Ryan Pembroke and Bill Pulsipher, as well as Bill Ianniciello and the Adelphi coaching staff."

Alifano, who entered the 2022 season as an NCBWA Preseason All-America Honorable Mention, was named to the ABCA and D2CCA All-America Third Team and an NCBWA Honorable Mention All-American at the conclusion of his junior campaign.

The Center Moriches, N.Y. native and 2022 NE10 Southwest Division Player of the Year, became the first Panther since 2009 to bat .400 in a season. The right-handed lead-off hitter raked to the tune of a .401 average in 172 at-bats, with nine home runs and 46 RBIs.

He led the NE10 in batting average, hits, doubles, walks and on-base percentage at the conclusion of the regular season, and was tabbed the ABCA, D2CCA and NCBWA East Region Player of the Year for his efforts.

""I am very excited and happy for Matt to earn this extraordinary opportunity to play professional baseball for the Philadelphia Phillies organization", said Adelphi Head Coach Bill Ianniciello. 

"Matt has been an exceptional student-athlete from the day he joined us. He has represented Adelphi University in an exemplary manner on and off the field, and was fully dedicated to this chance to fulfill a lifetime dream. 

 "I am proud of Matt, his family and the entire Panthers community. I also thank the Phillies — and particularly their Long Island-based scouts, Tom Downey and Sal Agostinelli — for their extensive efforts in selecting Matt."

The Panthers have seen two athletes drafted in the last seven years - Ed Baram ('19) was selected in the 30th round of the 2019 MLB amateur player draft by the Oakland Athletics and Jonathon Mulford ('16) was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 34th round of the 2016 MLB Draft. 

Alifano also extended a thank you to high school coaches Dennis Donovan, Paul Gibson, and Rob Dyer as well as the staff at Infiniti Performance and Gameday Sports Performance.