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Wanted: new head Coach at UCI

rz1rz15,000+ posts
S.I. Yanks manager reportedly looking for college return
Staten Island Advance

Mike Gillespie led the Staten Island Yankees to a 47-28 record this season.

Mike Gillespie, the longtime University of Southern California baseball coach and the manager of the 2007 Staten Island Yankees, has informed the team that he has no interest in returning to the Yankees in any capacity next year, and has applied for a coaching job back in the college ranks.

The Orange County (Calif.) Register is reporting that Gillespie has applied for the current coaching vacancy at UC Irvine.

Coach Dave Serrano left UCI on Friday to accept the head-coach position at Cal State Fullerton. UCI made its first-ever appearance in the College World Series this year after a 47-17-1 season.

Gillespie told the paper that he has been contacted by several friends and acquaintances, but "no one in a position to hire me." The only contact he has had with UCI has been through associate athletic director Paul Hope, who confirmed that he had received Gillespie's resume.

"I suspect they have gotten a broad choice of applications," the 67-year-old Gillespie said.

Gillespie led the Staten Island Yankees to a 47-28 record this year before they were eliminated by the Brooklyn Cyclones in the first round of the New York-Penn League playoffs on Monday.

In his 20 years at the helm for USC, Gillespie complied a 763-471-2 record -- which includes a 1998 College World Series title and CWS appearances in 1995, 2001 and 2001 -- and coached several major leaguers including Barry Zito, Mark Prior and Aaron Boone.

"So I'm looking for something else," Gillespie told the paper. "I'm not ready to shut up and watch Oprah, which I guess I'm supposed to do at my age."
Last edited {1}
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T TG500+ posts
Confirmation from another source:

Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Gillespie applies for UCI baseball opening
By JANIS CARR
The Orange County Register

Former USC baseball coach Mike Gillespie has applied for the vacant UC Irvine coaching job, he said Tuesday.

Gillespie, who retired in 2006 after 20 years at USC, said he has been contacted by several friends and acquaintances, but "no one in position to hire me." His only contact with UCI has been associate athletic director Paul Hope, who said he received the veteran coach's résumé.

"I suspect they have gotten a broad choice of applications," Gillespie said.

Gillespie, 67, coached the Trojans to the 1998 College World Series title and took them to Omaha three other times ('95, 2000, '01). He compiled an overall record of 763-471-2 and coached several major-league players, including Mark Prior, Barry Zito, Aaron Boone, Bret Boone and Geoff Jenkins.

After leaving USC, Gillespie was named manager of the N.Y.-Penn League Staten Island Yankees, a short-season Class-A team, but recently told team officials he wouldn't be returning.

"So I'm looking for something else," Gillespie said. "I'm not ready to shut up and watch Oprah, which I guess I'm supposed to do at my age."

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If Gillespie gets the position the dominos stop falling.
Last edited by TG
T TG500+ posts
Dave Serrano on 8/31 ...

""I have no interest in leaving UC Irvine for Cal State Fullerton," Serrano said. "I feel that we have something special building at UCI with the program moving in the right direction. Fullerton is a great program and I have many enjoyable memories from there but my family and I are very happy in Irvine."

Moving along to 9/7, to quote Ollie North, "I have no recollection of that version of the truth, sir."

Dave Serrano on 9/7 ...

"Serrano also confirmed that uncertainty surrounding UC Irvine’s commitment to athletics played a significant role in his decision to leave."

So which is it coach?

It's just another example where players and parents should never forget college sports are a business.
BullwinkleBullwinkleBrown and Fuzzy Hero
Here's the names that are floating around

Troy Buckley: Long Beach Assistant
Don Barbara: Long Beach to Sac State Assistant
Pat Shine: Irvine/UCLA assistant now Head Coach at CalState LA
Rick Vanderhook: Fullerton assistant
Mike Gillespie: ex USC (trojans) coach
Doug Smith: UCR Head Coach
Rod Delmonico: ex Tennessee Head Coach
Rich Hill: Head Coach USD
Augie Garrido: Head Coach Texas

Others as they come up will be posted
Last edited by Bullwinkle
FutureBack.MomFutureBack.Mom1,000+ posts
quote:
I'm no Longhorn fan, but I can't think of a single baseball reason for Garrido to leave UT for UCI


I agree with you 100%, dbg ... there is not enough financial incentive for one thing ... the UC's don't pay a lot of $$ to their baseball head coaches. I am sure financially it would be a let down, and then to have to try and find housing here without spending a fortune in property taxes alone ... well, I personally thing Garrido will have no interest in the position and that we won't see his name again in relation to this opening.

On a personal note ... I have the utmost respect for Coach Doug Smith from UC Riverside and I hope he doesn't move to Irvine since his team is already having to deal with the loss of a quality pitching coach with Checketts going to Oregon with Horton et al.
Last edited by FutureBack.Mom
justbaseballjustbaseball10,000+ posts
Well, I don't have any idea if Augie is interested or not, but the older I get the more I understand a move like that.

As I get closer to retirement myself I value many, many things much more than money (and believe me I do and did value money quite a bit). But family would certainly be first. Climate, comfort, living where I want to live all would be factors to me greater than money.

Remember, as far as national contenders Augie has been there and done that...and UCI is no slouch in that category either.

I personally doubt it will happen but it certainly would not surprise me either.
Last edited by justbaseball
T TG500+ posts
Serrano was quoted as saying part of his reason for leaving was uncertainty of the financial commitment to the athletic department by a new university president. Therefore I would be surprised to see any coach make a lateral move without commitment from the president. The new coach is more likely to be an unemployed coach or an assistant looking to move up.
FutureBack.MomFutureBack.Mom1,000+ posts
I was happy to read today that altho he was invited to an interview and actually had one lined up, Coach Doug Smith has withdrawn his name and confirmed that he will be staying at U C Riverside. As a Highlander alum, and parent of a former Highlander player, I am thrilled for the Highlander team and recruits.

I wish the Anteaters well in their search and I hope they have someone in place very soon so that the returning players and new recruits feel like they have a place to go when school starts (UCI is on the quarter system so they start later than other schools).
C cbg500+ posts
I was told by someone close to the program that all of the coaching salaries were only about $200,000.00 and that is the main reason that Serrano took another job. IMO college baseball is in a transition period where some D1 schools are paying large sums of money to coaching staffs (which is great if you can get it) and some schools have decided not to follow that same path at this time. College baseball is viewed by some as the next potential revenue source (or at least a break even program) for many athletic departments. For teams to break even or make money they must have a good coaching staff that can win baseball games. College baseball has become a big business at some schoools and my prediction is that other schools will follow in due time.
Last edited by cbg
C cbg500+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by FutureBack.Mom:
cbg ...


are you saying that the total salary amount for all the coaches in the UCI baseball program total ~$200K?


That is what I was told by someone close to the program.

I read somewhere that the SEC average for a head baseball coach is $334,000.00
Last edited by cbg
FutureBack.MomFutureBack.Mom1,000+ posts
quote:
I read somewhere that the SEC average for a head baseball coach is $334,000.00


Awwww ... the wonders of having football money behind an athletic program ! ! !

I don't know what other programs pay, but when Jack Smitheran, head coach at UCR when our son was there, left after 30+ years, he had just gotten a raise and was making $105K. UCR, at the time, had the smallest athletic dept budget in the Big West Conference so I don't know what other head coaches received. I did find a document regarding Cal Poly staff (that is also a California state school) and saw that the max a head coach could receive as late as '04 was a little over $99K (apparently if they had a full 12 month contract because the 10 month salary was around $86K. Heck, as low as some of those salaries are, I am surprised the winning coaches aren't heading out in droves ...
Last edited by FutureBack.Mom
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