CapstoneEngineerMagazineFall2026 - Flipbook - Page 27
goal was to better understand pitching mechanics
“ Our
and provide objective information that can support player
Because many movement differences are subtle and occur
within fractions of a second, they can be dif昀椀cult to identify
consistently during conventional 昀椀lm study. AI enables these
motion patterns to be analyzed quantitatively and repeatedly
across large collections of video.
“Our system automatically identi昀椀es important moments
throughout the pitching motion and provides interpretable
movement indicators that coaches can review as part of their
overall player development process,” Golilarz said.
Rainey said that this application has allowed the pitching
staff to better strategize with their players by providing
objective data about their mechanics and movement. The
system gives coaches another source of information that can
help guide instruction, reinforce consistency and support player
development.
“The primary impact is providing coaches and players with a
quantitative tool for identifying subtle movement patterns that
may not be visible during traditional video review,” Golilarz said.
“
development and coaching.
— Kasen Rainey
This project demonstrates how modern AI systems can
extract meaningful information from real-world athletic
motion using accessible video sources.
“Our research is an exciting example of interdisciplinary
collaboration between AI research and athletics,” Golilarz said.
“It highlights how computer vision and machine learning can
provide practical tools for sports analysis while also advancing
broader research in interpretable AI and human motion
understanding.”
In a sport where the smallest details can make a
signi昀椀cant difference, tools like this and innovators like
Golilarz are helping advance player development through
data-driven insights. By combining arti昀椀cial intelligence
with sports analytics, Golilarz and the coaching staff are
helping pitchers re昀椀ne their mechanics, improve consistency
and perform at their highest level. With AI in their bullpen,
the UA baseball team is turning cutting-edge research into
real-world results.
FALL 2026 | CAPSTONE ENGINEER | 27
