WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — Coming out of Hartford High, Jordy Allard’s dream school was Northeastern University.
After one year at Southern New Hampshire University and three more at Babson College, he’s realized that dream. He’s decommitted from the University of Richmond and committed to pitch for the Huskies next spring.
He tried to get into Northeastern out of high school but was unable to gain admission. But he knew he liked what he saw.
“I toured there, I met coach (Mike) Glavine, saw the field, saw the facilities, and it was like I fell in love instantly in high school,” Allard said. “Going to Northeastern is kind of full circle. I wanted to out of high school, didn’t get the opportunity, went D-II, went D-III, and then now I’m back at Northeastern.”
Allard committed to attend graduate school and play baseball at Richmond in December 2020. But he made that decision more out of the guarantee of a roster spot than a love for the Spiders’ program or the university. Richmond didn’t have any graduate programs that appealed to Allard.
But he thought Richmond was better academically compared to others who reached out to him, so he never thought about going elsewhere. But that changed when Northeastern contacted him in early June, just after he began playing with the NECBL’s Upper Valley Nighthawks.
Allard immediately knew what he wanted to do after that. He wanted to ensure he got accepted to Northeastern before doing anything. He applied to the marketing program, which drew his interest, but he lacked necessary work experience for that program and was denied. He then applied to a professional sports administration program in Northeastern’s College of Professional Studies (CPS), and he was accepted.
He let Richmond know in mid-July, but that was before he was accepted to Northeastern. So there was about a week where Allard was not committed anywhere. But once he got accepted to the CPS program, he made it official.
Two of Allard’s teammates on the Nighthawks, infielder Max Viera and pitcher Jake Gigliotti, play at Northeastern. Allard said he didn’t tell them until he was accepted because he didn’t want word to leak that he decommitted from Richmond before it was definite.
But Allard said after he let Viera and Gigliotti know about his plans, they were useful resources to talk to about Northeastern.
“They tried to help me out housing-wise and just telling me what to be ready for and how things were,” Allard. “I went down with Jake Gigliotti on an off-day to tour Northeastern, and we rode around Northeastern on scooters. He showed me around the campus, showed me the baseball field, showed me where they were living, showed me around Boston. So that was really helpful.”
Nighthawks manager and fellow Hartford alum Justin Devoid has known Allard for several years. Allard helped Devoid with the White River Junction Junior Nighthawks in 2020 — a summer fill-in for the pandemic-canceled Vermont American Legion baseball season — before Devoid coached Allard with the NECBL Nighthawks.
Devoid said it’s awesome to see Allard get to a school he’s eyed for a long time. He said his determination and his good work ethic are two attributes that will serve him well.
“He’s there every day. He’s there early. He’s in the gym working out. He’s at the field for an hour doing a throwing program,” Devoid said. “I think he’s been on the same throwing program for a couple years, but he’s just really, really regimented with it. I think that just shows how badly he’s wanted it for a couple years.”
In the short term, Allard is focused on earning a role at Northeastern. Beyond that, he doesn’t have a plan. He’s open to playing professionally if those opportunities arise, and he’s not above playing in an independent league. He’s had thoughts about coaching before and is open to that possibility as well. Devoid said Allard would be a good coach, if he wanted to pursue it.
But Allard takes solace in having a Babson degree and eventually a Northeastern graduate degree to fall back on if things don’t work out in baseball. He said his business and marketing background, along with the professional sports administration education he’ll get at Northeastern, could set up some good opportunities for him.
“Something that has interested me is working with a sports apparel company, like New Balance, or working for a professional organization, like the Red Sox,” Allard said. “I think the professional sports administration degree will really help get me in there and network, like having professors help me network with teams or organizations around Boston.”
Seth Tow can be contacted at stow@vnews.com.