UCSB Coaching Change

I've heard Nebraska and Tennessee have also lost their coaches.

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Did they look in the lounge. Sometimes they hang out in there.




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It's really sad about Mike Andrews being let go at Nebraska.

My son had some discussions with them and was very seriously considering pursuing them further. This is a significant setback in his whole "selection process".

In my limited experience to Coach Andrews,I found him to be a strong leader, hardworking and well respected by his team.

It's sad to see a good coach get fired...

Originally posted by BOF:
FYI for those looking at the program. LMU Coach Jason Gill is rumored to be leading candidate.

Last year Gill replaced his whole staff and started building a new locker room+...why would he leave a private school for a UC???? He's got the Fullerton connection and I saw a rumor about Tennessee looking at Serrano....UCSB has got to be a step up for someone not a step down!!!!

LMU has a very difficult time recruiting given the cost of the school and the scholly limits. Given the options most kids would choose a USC, USD, or a UC over LMU. My son's good friend was recruited by them and choose another program for these reasons.

You are correct about the rebuilding issues at UCSB, but with their location, it should be a premier program. I have read the Serrano comments. But if I was a coach, let me see, I can live under the runway of LAX or in Santa Barbara ....hmmm what would I choose.

The school should be a premier program with a little effort.

quote:

Originally posted by BOF:
LMU has a very difficult time recruiting given the cost of the school and the scholly limits. Given the options most kids would choose a USC, USD, or a UC over LMU. My son's good friend was recruited by them and choose another program for these reasons.

You are correct about the rebuilding issues at UCSB, but with their location, it should be a premier program. I have read the Serrano comments. But if I was a coach, let me see, I can live under the runway of LAX or in Santa Barbara ....hmmm what would I choose.

The school should be a premier program with a little effort.

I agree with you BOF...UCSB should be a premier program on the west coast. The campus is amazing. I wanted to go back in a time machine and be 25 years younger when we took the campus tour last year with Coach Lefkowitz. However their baseball facilities were below average in comparison to other schools that we had visited, it was a little disappointing.

I don't think Gill will leave LMU? They had a pretty good season, wrapping up 2011 by sweeping a struggling USD this past weekend. The campuses of USD and LMU are quite similar. If I was a 17/18 year old, I'd prefer the LMU campus. Yes, it's just a couple miles from LAX, but it's also close to Santa Monica, Venice, Staples Center (Laker games), and the upper classman generally live off campus in Marina del Rey. There's no doubt that Loyola Marymount will continue to find it difficult to recruit against the USC and UCLA's in the area. If you're fortunate enough to be a top recruit, the PAC 10/12 opportunity is tough to pass up. I'll be honest, I was in heaven when my kid was being recruited by the Trojans. I was wide eyed with a huge smile as we walked thru the clubhouse, and then back upstairs to tour the USC Hall of Fame with all those National Championship trophies. When football season rolled around, we were invited to a USC/Washington game, and my kid was down on the Memorial Coliseum Field prior to the game; what a huge recruitment advantage compared to the "Non Football" schools in the Big West and West Coast Conference! My son wasn't as impressed as I was, so fortunately it didn't bother him when SC decided to go in another direction.

I'd like to hear what 3fingerglove's take is on the coaching change at UCSB, as his son will be a Gaucho in the Fall. I wonder if his family has been contacted regarding the upcoming changes? Coach Brontsema directed the ship for a long time there, so it should be interesting.

I don't agree that the SB location should automatically make the Gaucho's a top destination for top players. Some of the location negatives: cost of living, cost of UC tuition, and while the weather is nice, it reminds me of SF weather..a bit damp and cold all year long. Plus the school's athletic dept doesn't have the resources to truely support the team, and given the way UC's are operated, it won't be good enough for the program to come up with its own money for improvements, they'll have to come up with money for the softball team too. The success of building the Irvine program is not easily repeated.

The big advantage of schools with football programs like UCLA, USC isn't the allure of the football program per se, rather, the benefits that flow to the non-revenue teams, such as onsite medical facilities and staff, superior training facilities and lots of qualified staff.

Making UCSB into a premeir program is not a slam dunk, in fact I think its steep hill to climb and will take some good luck.

CPM,
Well said and I agree about everything but the weather. JMO, but other than some parts of San Diego, Santa Barbara weather can't be beat. You'll have a PM in a moment.

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The big advantage of schools with football programs like UCLA, USC isn't the allure of the football program per se, rather, the benefits that flow to the non-revenue teams, such as onsite medical facilities and staff, superior training facilities and lots of qualified staff.

Medical staff and facilities are off the chart.

quote:

Originally posted by CADad:
CPM,
Well said and I agree about everything but the weather. JMO, but other than some parts of San Diego, Santa Barbara weather can't be beat. You'll have a PM in a moment.

It was cold and breezy everytime I watched a game at UCSB. Perhaps the school is too close to the beach for me

Some of the names I hear being bantered about are interesting. CPNM has a pretty good read on it (except for the weather of course ). The UC’s do not have the money so whoever takes the job better be prepared to do a lot of external fundraising. There is a lot of money in Santa Barbara, but I am nor sure if the Hollywood types give a hoot about college baseball. That said if you have a Lady Gaga Gaucho day… Bingo! you have all the money you need.

If you read the release from the school the AD says he wants a program that is competitive and expects to go to make a run at Omaha every year then he better be prepared to back it up with money. They need 2 more scholarships, new facilities, etc. I laugh at how great he thinks the batting cages are. There nice, but if he wants to see some real batting cages go to UCLA….

It would be great to see the program competitive, but it will take someone special. That said the potential is certainly there to be a very competitive program. This one will be interesting to watch. I certainly hope the best for 3FG’s boy.

When we went to watch a game there this year I thought he campus and area were so beautiful.Fund raising, and the ability to fundraiser are cornerstones of UC programs.Look at what Cal did.I agree SB has the money, just are the people with money willing to donate it to baseball.

Its a beautiful school, beautiful area and a great educaion for the price.

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From what I understand the school (as many do) has not wanted to push the athletic envelope for some time, (since Football was dumped?)...it was simply not a prioroity...happy to limp along...my understanding is that all that has changed. You get the right AD, and the right department attitude, fully fund the program... and things can change overnight...even in this budgetary climate.

I have been told by may long tiem SB residents that part of the issue is that UCSB and it's athletics have not reached out and been fully embraced by the larger community,(trust me the $ is definately there) again the right AD changes this

As far as the expense goes, a UC education is still a great bargain, granted it is not as inexpensive as Fullerton, but it is not LMU either. Yes the academics are UC, but Cal Poly is a tougher academic nut to crack.

And hey, Baskerfield is a program on the rise (headed for the Big West?)and doing well recruiting...and tell me kids would rather play in Bakersfield?

If you start to add up the pro's...beach culture, big time college town (Isla Vista), basically SoCal but not the rat race, UC education, Beautiful local commnity, great conference, UCSB Co-eds, I can't think that it is prohibitivey expensive compared to other SoCal schools to live in the student Ghetto (big time built in fan base)..you really have something special to sell. I still think the program is a big tiem breakout if the admin is willing to work to make it so.

Heck if you don't believe me...sounds as if coach Gil as well and a large number of very highly regarded candidates are drooling over the position...



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Yes, 3FGson will enroll at UCSB next fall. Coach Brontsema did call within a few hours of the announcement, although by that time the news was not really a surprise.

Of course we'll be interested to see who is hired. But in terms of "is this good or bad for 3FGson?", the reality is that he will have to perform next fall if he is to play a role on the team. And it would be the same story if the old coaching staff had been retained. The only scenario that would be obviously disappointing: if the new coaches were to decide that they didn't want 3FGson to show up next fall.

Is UCSB a desireable coaching situation? I think it is. The commonly mentioned negatives are fixable, with the exception that it isn't in the premier conference. In comparison, a coach or AD can't change the prevailing atmosphere of a school, its location, weather, academic reputation, or costs. In California, if baseball isn't a consideration, nearly all students consider UCSB to be, at the least, an OK place to go to school. In other words, a potential recruit probably won't reject UCSB for non-baseball reasons. Make the baseball situation attractive, and they will come.

Best of luck to 3FGson next year. I'm pulling for him.

quote:

Originally posted by JMoff:
Best of luck to 3FGson next year. I'm pulling for him.

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And 3FG...your approach "...he will have to perform" is refreshing...there are no guarantees...only opportunities...


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quote:

Originally posted by biggerpapi:
I've heard Nebraska and Tennessee have also lost their coaches.

Darin Erstad named Nebraska head coach today.

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Three finger;
call me 707-538-0777.
My daughter attended UCSB, I conducted a clinic several years ago and we had a Goodwill Series event with Japan at UCSB.

Also I lived in Santa Barbara for 11 years.

Whoever the coach means little, the opportunity, the environment and the future is important. I would trade with your son in a "heartbeat"

Bob

quote:

Originally posted by Bob Williams:
I would trade with your son in a "heartbeat"

Well that is a D'Oh statement.....

From Santa Barbara newspaper.

Andrew Checketts, the pitching coach at the University of Oregon, has accepted an offer to become the new head baseball coach at UCSB, sources said on Monday.

The university had no formal announcement, although a press conference was being arranged for as early as Wednesday.

Gauchos athletic director Mark Massari reportedly made a contract offer to Checketts last week in Las Vegas, where a baseball recruiting tournament is being held. The other finalist for the job was Cal State Fullerton assistant coach Greg Bergeron, who was reportedly interviewed in Santa Ynez two weeks ago.

Checketts, 35, was hired by head coach George Horton in the fall of 2007 to help resurrect Oregon's long-dormant program for the spring of 2009.

His first recruiting class at Oregon was ranked second in the nation by Collegiate Baseball and 10th by Baseball America. Last year's recruiting class came in at third and fifth, respectively.

The Ducks advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2010 with a record of 40-24, with Checketts' pitching staff ranking third nationally with an earned run average of 3.29.

Oregon was 33-26-1 this season. Earlier this year, Checketts came in at No. 4 ranking in a survey of head coaches to rank college baseball's best pitching coaches.

He previously served as the pitching coach at UC Riverside, helping guide the Highlanders to a Big West Conference championship in 2007 with a team ERA of 3.68.

Checketts was an All-America pitcher at Oregon State and was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 21st round of the 1998 Major League Baseball Draft.

Checketts will take over from Bob Brontsema, who had an 18-year record of 485-427 - a school record for wins. The Gauchos went 26-26 this last season.