By the time Danny Crossen stepped into helping lead player development at Northeastern, he had already lived the full arc of a college baseball journey.
Now, one year removed from a record-breaking senior season, he’s bringing that experience to the next generation from a different vantage point.
But Crossen’s route to Northeastern wasn’t typical. In high school, he originally considered playing college hockey before fully committing to baseball. That decision led him to a post-senior year at Cheshire Academy, where his coach had strong connections to Northeastern and head coach Mike Glavine.
“We came on a tour and loved it,” Crossen recalled.
It didn’t take long for the Northeastern coaching staff to notice the type of person he was, even if the on-field results weren’t immediate –– especially since he only played in three games his freshman season.
“[Crossen] came in and early on, he didn’t really play a ton,” said assistant coach Kevin Cobb. “We had him moving around to a bunch of different positions, and really, he just worked hard every single day to go out there and try to be a better player. He earned everything.”
His sportsmanship wasn’t just about his hustle, though. Crossen brought an identity as a team player.
“He embodied everything we wanted from a toughness and culture standpoint,” Cobb said. “He turned himself into an above-average defender at third base, a middle-of-the-order hitter. But more than that, he lived the standard. He had great leadership skills.”
In 2022, as a junior, Crossen started setting the tone for his breakthrough season, playing in 35 games and showing flashes of potential. He hit .194 with 24 hits, 20 RBI, and two home runs in 124 at-bats, while adding five doubles and three stolen bases. Defensively, he was reliable, contributing to 24 double plays and logging 12 putouts across multiple games.
“It wasn’t always easy. I didn’t really play my first two years. But they stuck with me, gave me a chance, and it all came from that,” he said. “The next three years, I just kind of ran with it.”
When the 2023 season commenced, Crossen was more than ready.
In his senior campaign, Crossen started 59 of 60 games, setting a Northeastern record with a 60-game on-base streak and a single-season program record for hits with 84. He posted career highs across the board, with a batting average of .350, 10 home runs, and 16 stolen bases.
“When he got his opportunity, he was great and never looked back,” Cobb said.
After graduation, Crossen wasn’t quite ready to put down his glove. He returned home and coached in the Cape League while still chasing one more shot to play. That chance came in the California Winter League and a brief stint in independent ball with the New England Knockouts of the Frontier League, where he played just five games.
“It didn’t go as I planned,” he admitted. “But Coach Glavine and I had been talking nonstop about what I wanted to do after baseball, and when this opportunity opened up, I knew it was right.”
For Crossen, that step back into the program was as natural as it was meaningful.
“I knew when I wanted to get back into working in baseball that there was no better coaching staff to come learn from,” he said. “The second it became an opportunity to work … that was something I couldn’t turn down.”
Graduate student catcher Gregory Bozzo, who played with Crossen from 2021 until 2023, immediately saw the value of having him back at Northeastern.
“He definitely helps out with hitting a lot, especially for me,” Bozzo said. “We’ve always kind of talked about hitting. Now, he’s able to see me from a different lens, not as a hitter trying to lock in himself, but as someone who’s locked in on helping me. I always talk with him about my swing, what he sees, what his opinion is — because I value that.”
The former infielder has only recently graduated from playing, but Crossen has drawn from his own experience to help the next wave of Huskies. Even though his current role may be off the field and behind the scenes, his influence is undeniable.
“I have a different relationship with him than some of the younger guys, which is awesome,” Bozzo said. “I know what he’s about. I know what he stands for. He’s still got the same sense of humor, still the same guy, but he’s taking the job really seriously and doing a great job.”
Cobb agrees that Crossen has become a vital bridge in the program’s development engine, calling him a leader with high integrity.
“He handles all the off-field stuff — scouting reports, clipping video, putting together defensive shifts,” Cobb explained. “He’s really in it when it comes to development. He breaks down each player, figures out what they need, and works with the staff to build that plan.”
That drive and involvement don’t go unnoticed by others, either — to the team, that energy has always been a core part of who Crossen is.
“He’s super positive with the players. He has great energy,” Cobb added. “He’s very approachable, very even-keeled. He knows when to chime in, and when just to be a presence.”
For Bozzo, that energy has always been part of who Crossen is as a teammate, as a leader, and as a person.
“No matter how it’s going for him, he’ll always be there first for other people,” Bozzo said. “The biggest compliment I can give him is this: He knows the culture. And he lives it.”
Despite this new role, he’s the same Danny Crossen who brought his all to the plate every game.
“A lot of them saw how I played,” Crossen said. “Now they’re seeing me put that same effort into helping them, to get where they want to go. And I take that seriously.”
Three words from Bozzo summarize who Crossen is:
“He’s the man.”