USD Baseball 1982

JOHN CUNNINGHAM Head Coach

Beginning his 19th season as head coach of the Uni- versity of San Diego baseball program , John Cunningham has guided the Toreros from a NCAA Division II power to one of the top programs in the Southern California Baseball Association (one of the best baseball confer- ences) and the NCAA Divi- sion I ranks.

A native of San Diego, Cunningham attended St. Augustine High School where he was a scholastic and athletic standout receiv- ing AII-CIF honors in base- ball and led the County in scoring during his senior year basketball season . Cunningham attended the University of San Francisco where he again was a baseball and basketball standout, while also making the Presidents' Honor Roll six times and achieved membership in the National Jesuit Honor Socie- ty, "Alpha Sigma Nu." He received a B.S. Degree in History as well as general secondary credential. In basketball he was named to the All-Conference and Honorable Mention on the Catholi c All-American team 's. Baseball cornered him a professional contract with the Baltimore Orioles. In his senior year, Cunningham was USF's "Athlete of the Year." John began his career at USO in 1962, with last year seeing him win his 400th game. From 1969 through 1981 the Toreros have compiled ten winning seasons out of twelve. His teams have won thirty or more games five times, first in 1981 ; then back to back in 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981. Four of his teams have gone to post-season play-offs; two of the four becoming regional champions and College World Series parti cipants. The 1971 team won the regional title while setting the school record of 34 wins. For that performance, Cunningham was named District 8 "Coach of the Year." 1979 was Cunningham's first effort at the Division I level. Contrary to expectations, he guided the Toreros to an im- pressive 32-19-1 record and a fourth place (14-12) finish in the SCBA. His 1980 Torero team finished the year at 30-25-1 (14-4 SCBA) and, in 1981 USO finished the year 30-25-1 and a fourth place finish in the Conference with a 15-12-1 record . John and his wife Nancy were married in May of 1978. He has a stepson, Geoffrey, age seven.

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