On July 1, 2023, the Syracuse Spartans will retire the No. 13 to honor CJ Roulo before their game against the Salt Cats. Roulo will also be inducted into the Spartans Hall of Fame. The ceremony will start at 6:30 p.m., with the game to follow at 7:00 p.m.

Nicknamed the “Red Owl” by former Spartans broadcaster Donny Chirel, Roulo was a collegiate athlete who played for Syracuse in the summer of 2021. Hailing from Mountain View, California, Roulo embraced the Syracuse community in his short time with us. He loved his new nickname so much that it even made its way into his social media handle, and he wore a shirt with the name on it during the 2021 season. Roulo truly represented what it meant to be a Spartan on and off the field.

“CJ was always the first one to ask how I was doing and always found a way to make me laugh during the summer I spent in Syracuse,” Chirel said.

Recently, Roulo worked as an assistant coach for the Santa Barbara City College baseball team. He also returned to the Salt City last summer, serving as the pitching coach for the Syracuse Salt Cats.

Former Spartans from the 2021 team and those that knew CJ will be present for his jersey retirement and induction into the Spartans Hall of Fame. All are invited to attend.

To the Spartans, CJ was known as the “RED OWL” and was one of the fiercest competitors ever to don a Spartan uniform. He had immense love for the game of baseball and brought a tremendous amount of that joy with him to the ballpark each day. It is the Spartans’ mission to never forget the number of lives he touched. We love you, CJ.