Nick Quagliato Returns to Nighthawks for Second Season

By Thaddeus Sawyer

Sarge is back.

Nick Quagliato will return to the Upper Valley this summer for a second season with the Nighthawks.

Quagliato was one of the Nighthawks’ top hitters two years ago, slashing .280/.352/.378 for the 2024 team.

“Everything [about] the team environment,” Quagliato said. “Noah [Crane] is a great person. Matt Wright, awesome. Really awesome people. My host family were great people as well. It was just awesome.”

Though the New Jersey native had planned to be back for a second season in 2025, a season-ending shoulder injury forced the 21-year-old to miss out on the first playoff run in team history.

“Unfortunately, I couldn't come back to UV, but I was still following along,” Quagliato said.

Now healed, Quagliato says he’s excited to return to the Maxfield Sports Complex alongside some of the players from the 2025 postseason squad.

“Going to people's houses, jumping in the pool, having barbecues, team dinners, team hangouts, just everything,” Quagliato said. “The camaraderie was just amazing.”

Quagliato is also looking forward to once again playing in front of the tight-knit Nighthawks fanbase.

"We have such a close fan base,” Quagliato said. “It's a small town, White River Junction. So, we know everybody. Everyone comes out to the games. I mean, they treat us like professional athletes. They just love to see us play. They just love to see us as players on and off the field.”

Not only does Quagliato bring previous NECBL success back to the lineup, but also some hardware. The catcher was the first recipient of the NECBL Sportsman of the Year award in team history in 2024.

“It means everything,” Quagliato said. "I mean, just the type of player I am, I'm a guy that's going to give you all I got every single game, no matter what. I'm just a team guy and just bring the energy every single game. Just supplying the juice for the boys and just always want to win. Playing with the guys on the left of me and playing with the guys on the right of me.”

Playing his school ball at Farleigh Dickinson University, Quagliato started his season about 15 minutes from where he’ll be playing this summer, opening the year in a game against Dartmouth in late February with an RBI double. The right-handed hitter is currently batting .296 and getting on at a .371 clip while adding two home runs.

When Quagliato does return to the area, one of his goals will be winning the Governor’s Cup against the Vermont Mountaineers after the series ended in a tie during his first year with the club.

“If we had one more game, we definitely would have won the cup for sure,” Quagliato said.

Though Quagliato says he prefers to focus on team success, one aspect of his game that is unique to himself is who he honors on the field.

“Every game, I try to honor at least one fallen law enforcement officer so they’re not forgotten,” Quagliato said “That's something like means a lot to me.”

Quagliato’s dad is a law enforcement officer, and he also has other family members in the military. Though Quagliato said that it was something that officially started this season, he added that he has always tried to honor fallen officers through his play.

“Every single game, I like to play for them and I'm just going to give it all I got for them,” Quagliato said.