College Park Welcomes Ryan Dufrene Home to Lead Cavalier Baseball

The Class of 2015 alumnus returns as the third head coach in program history

Dateline: Wednesday, June 24, 2026, 6:30 p.m.

THE WOODLANDS, Texas — College Park High School introduced Ryan Dufrene as the new head baseball coach for Cavalier Baseball on Wednesday, June 24, at The Diamonds at College Park.

Dufrene, a College Park High School Class of 2015 alumnus and former Cavalier baseball and football player, becomes the third head coach in program history. He returns to the program after once playing for the Cavaliers and later continuing his baseball career beyond high school.

Coach Ryan Dufrene

Michael Burrow, College Park’s head football coach and campus athletic director, introduced Dufrene to the crowd. Principal Rob McFarlane also attended and made comments welcoming Dufrene and introducing the next chapter in Cavalier Baseball.

Burrow said Dufrene had already made a strong impression during the hiring process.

“He’s made an incredible first impression,” Burrow said.

Burrow also pointed to Dufrene’s connection to the school and community.

“This school, this community raised him, and he’s so proud and so excited to be back a part of it,” Burrow said.

Dufrene succeeds Michael Faherty, who led the Cavaliers for six seasons. Before Faherty, Jason Washburn launched the College Park baseball program when the school opened in 2005 and served as the first head coach for 14 seasons. Dufrene played for Washburn during his time at College Park.

The introduction brought together school leaders, players, parents, supporters and Dufrene’s family. Players and parents watched from the stands as Dufrene stood on the College Park baseball field with his family nearby.

When Dufrene addressed the crowd, he began by thanking College Park’s leadership and introducing his family, including his wife, Grace, and their children.

“This was always the dream to get back here and be able to take care of College Park,” Dufrene said.

Dufrene also spoke about the role his family has played in his coaching journey.

“Everybody that has been reaching out to me about getting this job, and being here has been talking about, you know, dream job, dream job, man, that’s got to be a dream job,” Dufrene said. “But I’ve been living the dream for five years now.”

Dufrene attended David Elementary, Collins Intermediate and Knox Junior High before playing baseball at College Park. He later played at Ranger Junior College and Illinois Springfield before finishing at Sam Houston State University.

During his remarks, Dufrene shared his personal journey and his vision for the College Park baseball program. He talked about his own path as a player, including moments when he was still trying to find his place in the program. He credited coaches and mentors at College Park with helping him continue.

“This place lifted me up above anything I could have ever imagined myself doing,” Dufrene said.

Dufrene also introduced several guiding principles he plans to bring to the program. He said “WAR” stands for being worthy to the team, accountable to the standard and having ruthless effort.

He also introduced “Triple A,” meaning anybody, anywhere, anytime, as a standard for how the Cavaliers will prepare to compete.

“The triple A that you see is anybody, anywhere, anytime,” Dufrene said.

Dufrene also talked about “Triple S,” saying the program cannot be soft, selfish or satisfied. He connected that message to players, parents and the booster club, emphasizing the need for selfless support around the program.

“What Triple S stands for is, you can’t be soft, selfish, or satisfied,” Dufrene said.

Looking Ahead

There will not be much of a soft landing for Dufrene in district play.

College Park is projected to enter one of the deepest baseball districts in the state, a league where postseason spots are not handed out and one bad week can change the standings quickly. The challenge is not just the number of talented teams, but the different ways those teams can beat you.

The Woodlands is projected to bring Division I-level pitching. Oak Ridge is expected to be strong defensively. Grand Oaks is projected to have middle-of-the-order power. Conroe is expected to make teams work with tough infield defense. Willis is projected to have quality starting pitching, and Caney Creek is expected to lean on a senior group with varsity experience.

Dufrene also steps into a district with some of the most talented and experienced coaching staffs in the state. That matters in baseball, where games can turn on details that do not show up in a box score. An experienced third-base coach can touch a hand to his cap and communicate something to the first-base coach without saying a word. A dugout can adjust defensive positioning, manage a pitching matchup or change the running game before most people in the stands notice anything happened.

With that much talent and coaching experience across the district, qualifying for the postseason can become a grind. A team can play clean baseball and still run into a Division I arm on Tuesday, a deep defensive club on Friday or an experienced lineup that does not give away at-bats.

For Dufrene, that challenge fits the standard he introduced to players and parents: College Park has to prepare for “anybody, anywhere, anytime.”

Click here for photo gallery