USD Baseball 2009

Extraordinary Coaching Since taking over the reigns of the San Diego baseball program in 1999, head coach Rich Hill has built the Toreros into one ofthe premier programs in the country. Two years ago, the Toreros experienced one of the best seasons in program history, received a program-best No. 4 national ranking, received a No. 8 national seed in the NCAA Regionals, hosted a NCAA Regionals for the first time in the city ofSan Diego and produced the program's first 40-win season. Last season, the Toreros captured their second consecutive WCC championship, produced a program-record 44-17 overall mark and reached the championship game of the Long Beach Regional. Hill has assembled one of the best coaching staffs in the country, with ace recruiters Eric Valenzuela and Jay Johnson as well as Mark Viramontes. Together Valenzuela andJohnson assembled the No. 1recruiting class in the nation last year. "''Eric is one ofthe premier coaches in the country. His reputation has grown, especially here on the West Coast, as being an excellent recruiter. He brings a competitiveness to our pitching staff that is unmatched, 11 said Hill. '"'Jay Johnson is all about baseball. There is one thing on his mind, and that is trying to make our offensive players the best that they can be. He is an excellent recruiter, an excellent teacher and an excellent communicator and has a great future, 11 said Hill. 11 "Mark is the unheralded guy on our staff. I go to him just as much during the game as I do anyone on our staff. He has a great knowl– edge ofthe game, is an excellent catching coach, and a great field guy also,"said Hill.

•- I

West Coast Conference The West Coast Conference was formed in 1952 to provide a convenient venue for five San Francisco Bay Area 1 schools to compete in basketball. Since that modest beginning, the Conference has evolved and grown to become ' a nationally recognized and competitive force in intercollegiate athletics, with 13 league-sponsored sports: base– ball; both men's and women's basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, and tennis; and women's volleyball and crew. The eight lfVCC members span the western coast of the United States from Canada to Mexico, from the pine forests ofEastern Washington, to the Columbia River Basin, to the dynamic San Francisco Bay Area, to the sunny beaches ofSouthern California, the Conference is characterized by the stability of its membership - only two conferences have been together longer - and its unique emphasis on combining excellence in athletics with excel– lence in academics. The Conference recognizes championships in each of its sports, has hosted NCAA championship events, and produced 26 NCAA Division I individual or team champions. And, many outstanding WCC student-athletes have gone on to excel in professional sports. The Jong and rich history of the WCC demonstrates that success in intercollegiate athletics can be built on the foundation of values, character, and academics.

2008WCC Pitcher of theYear

First-Team llll-llmerican No. 4 pick in the MLB Draft BrianM t sz

San Diego has won fourWCC championships in the last six seasons (2002, 03, 07, 08), and has made three consecutive trips to the NCAA Regionals

Stadiu

Cunningha

Stadium opened in 1970. The stadium also has a concessions stand that services crowd needs as well as a brand new fully lighted scoreboard. The playing surface consists of "Bullseye" Bermuda grass and the dirt portion of the infield is crushed red brick, which can be found at many major league stadiums. The Stadium also features five batting cages that are roofed, fenced and all have lights. Three of the cages are 60 feet in length and the remaining two tunnels are each 40 feel long. In 1988 the stadium was named after John Cunningham, who led the Torero base– ball team for 34 years. Coach Cunningham is still active within the athletic department and is currently the Director ofTransporta– tion.

field, 395 feet to straightaway center, right– centerfield 385 feet, and 329 feet to right field.The fence is 8 feet high. With a capacity of 1,200, all seats are backed for spectator comfort. Field-level box seats are also available behind home plate. Spectators are also comforted by a full-service concessions stand, and public facilities. Prior to the 2003 campaign,Cunningham received several significant additions.A"Turf Tech"synthetic grass surface was installed in the foul areas between first and third base. Secondly, a new press box was built at the top of Cunningham that keeps the central architectural theme of 16th century Spanish renaissance alive, creating a superb facility to house media and game operations staff. In addition,a new public address system has been added, replacing the sound system that had been in place since Cunningham

Cunningham Stadium, the home of University of San Diego baseball, is one of the nation's most beautiful collegiate ball– parks. Situated in a natural amphitheater, Cunningham stadium is one of the coziest venues on the west coast. Just beyond the right field wall, the Douglas F. Manchester Residence Hall overlooks the picturesque home of the Toreros, creating an imposing view for left-handed hitters. Cunningham Stadium includes 4-lighted batting cages that allow players to hone their skills. For every bit of beauty that envelops Cunningham Stadium,there is an equal dose of tradition. The Toreros have won the 2002 and 2003 wee Championships, moving on to the NCAA regionals both years as well. Dimensions at Cunningham are 309 feet down the left field line,375 feet at left-center

◄ I 1 r

I I f I

I

I

Sports Medicine

The department of sports medicine operates under the super- ~ vision of the University of San Diego's designated team physi– f cian, Paul C. Murphy MD, the associate director of athletics for s~ s medicine, Carolyn Greer, associate athletic trainers, and , assistant athletic trainers.The sports medicine facility is lo– cated in the Jenny Craig Pavilion and is for the exclusive use of th~ University of San Diego student-athletes. This 2,400 square ffuot facility has defined taping, rehabilitation, and hydrothera– py areas. In addition, there are a private treatment/exam room, offices and storage. The entire athletic training staff takes great pride in the services rendered to over 400 student athletes thro~gh this facility. The USO athletic training room is clearly ttie top sports medicine venue in the West Coast Conference.

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Perfor

University of San Diego student-athl: es re~eive eli;: - ◄ :1~· I -4. · coaching from their strength and conditioning s\atf iAt ~!eM[ii' f IC of the premier weight rooms on the West Coast. With 5,000 feet of turf), 16 all inclusive hfting stations a_nd ap•·.·P.1ro_x1r.· ~_-•.• ( _ - i•·· ____.· __• ~· · 1_ 1 •_·•.·l_.d_ mately 20,000 pounds of free weights, multiple , ~, ~s canl __ · .J I p _ be si~~lt~neously coached in a comprehe~~ive stre~gt'i,~Jld .. ~ L}:L _ J c. cond1t1oning development program. Medicine balls, dumb- ,! · rr . " - bells, gymnastics rings and various pullup station~/ are u~~d- ' ; - r,·_ ;; ~ ~ ~ · f f fl I dd . . I 11, • ~.,,.....,., - ,. - ~ • square eet o oo~ spac~ (p ~s.an a ~t1ona 1,6~~,s~u.e:1re - ...;- -r _

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to enhance the training provided for all 16 of USD's varsit~ .

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sports.

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The USD strength staff advocates the use of gr

based, multi-joint, explosive free weight exercises in tfi'lf. training of student-athletes. USD teams are taught the clean and jerk, snatch, squats, deadlift and the various barbell and dumbbell variations. By using the exercises, in combination with intense effort, we believe USD student-athletes will be well prepared to meet every physical challenge put to them in competition.

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The Ca

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~~. The University of San Diego is an independent Catholic institution of higher education. Founded in 1949, USO is ......... •••i •11111:.. located on 180 acres overlooking Mission Bay, San Diego Harbor and the Pacific Ocean. The campus is named Alcala 0 ~ I Park and is located just 10 minutes from downtown San Diego. The campus was named after a Spanish village near :;t~~d M:~r:~s~~~~~t~~~~ :e~~~::::~~~~~~~eek::~t~~i'!1f1 1:t~r':~~fo~~~?~ ::~~:~~~rt;"!~:! ! 1u~~fn~~~~:::~ ~ -- - the inspiration for USO's architectural style. ~ a , Under the leadership of Mother Rosalie Hill of the Society of the Sacred Heart and Bishop Charles Francis Buddy 1 of the Diocese of San Diego, the University of San Diego began as separate colleges for men and women. The first ·""'fi classes met in 1952; the School of Law opened its doors in 1954. By the late 1960's it became clear that both colleges would benefit from combining academic resources, and in 1972 the University of San Diego became a single coedu- .~. . . cational Catholic university. . ·· · · - Now governed by a board of trustees independent from the founding organizations, USO is a Roman Catholic :;' institution that welcomes students, faculty and staff of diverse religions, traditions and remains dedicated to the ·-· - values originally articulated by Mother Hill and Bishop Buddy. Students choose from more than 60 undergraduate and graduate degrees programs in academic divisions including the College of Arts and Sciences and the schools of Business Administration, Leadership and Education Sciences, Law and Nursing and Health Science. The USO campus is regarded as one of the most architecturally unique institutions in the country, featuring major buildings designed in an ornamental 16th century Spanish Renaissance style. Since 1984, USO has completed numerous major construction and expansion projects. In 2000 the Jenny Craig Pavilion, a 5,100-seat athletic center, opened its doors as home to USO basketball and volleyball. Two years ago, the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice opened on the west end of campus, and in 2003 the Donald P. Shiley Center for Science and Technology opened. Afive-story Spanish Renaissance parking garage (1,100 spaces) was completed in 1998. Alandscaped foun- tain plaza was finished in the fall of 1995, connecting the entrances of the lmmaculata and Hughes Administration Center. In 1992, the university completed the 45,000 square foot Loma Hall, which includes an expanded bookstore, a larger mail center, classrooms and laboratories.

San Diego, California

San Diego is truly "America's Finest City." A modern metropolis (second larg– est in California) and a popular year-round resort, San Diego spreads from the coast to the desert, including cliffs, mesas, hills, canyons and valleys. San Diego also sur– rounds one ofCalifornia's greatest natural harbors which has been a dominant factor in determining the city's history,economy and development. Meteorologists claim San Diego as the country's only area with perfect climate. This ideal year-round environment posts an average daytime temperature of 70 degrees,with an annual rainfall average of less than 10 inches. Most days are sunny, with humidity generally low, even in the summer. The climate, attractive setting and recreational facilities make San Diego "America's Finest City." The city has mostly avoided the evils of urban sprawl, which has allowed its downtown to remain vibrant, especially

the Gaslamp Quarter. San Diego is also home to the world-famous San Diego Zoo as well as Sea World. The city is great for families, but for those without kids, there is a lot to do as well. San Diego is home to a number of military bases, primarily due to its location. In 1941, after the Pearl Harbor attacks, the U.S.estab– lished the headquarters of the Pacific Fleet in San Diego, and the city is now home to the largest air naval station on the west coast. Unlike many cities, San Diego's airport is right next to downtown, increasing its con– venience even more. It is hard to believe that San Diego is the nation's sixth-largest city, it just retains a small town feel. According to Sports lllustrated,"For sheer numbers of participants,diversity of pursuits of involvement, San Diego must rank as the sports fitness capital of the U.S." Sports are a major feature of the San Diego lifestyle. One can sail, swim, surf, scuba dive, snorkel, wind-surf on 70 miles of public beach or golf at any of the over 80 golfcourses throughout

the county. Balboa Park, a 1,158-acre recre– ation and cultural center, offers 25 tennis courts, two gymnasiums,two municipal golf courses, and one of the nation's finest zoos. Mission Bay Park is a 4,600-acre playground for jogging, fishing, bicycling, tennis,golf,jet skiing and kite flying. As well as participating in recreational ac– tivities,San Diego supports their professional teams--the NFL Chargers play at Qualcomm Stadium, and the San Diego Padres play at Petco Park. During college football bowl week, San Diego annually hosts the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl in late December. During 1998,Qualcomm Stadium hosted the Super Bowl game between Denver and Green Bay; followed by the World Series between the San Diego Padres and the NewYorkYankees. The Super Bowl returned to San Diego in 2003. Whatever sporting activity there is, it's here in San Diego --the sports capital of the U.S.!

.A.GENERAL INFORMATION Location ................................................................................................San Diego, CA Founded .................................................................................................................... 1949 Enrol lment ............................................................................................................... 7,600 President........................................ ...................................Mary E. Lyons, Ph.D. Executive Director of Ath letics ............................................................... Ky Snyder Senior Associate Athletics Director.................................................. M ike Matoso Assoc. AD/Busi ness Affairs ....................................................................... Dan Yourg Assoc. AD/ Athletic Development .................................................... Brian Fogarty Assoc. AD for Facilities & Operations ...................................................... Andy Fee Assoc. AD/ Senior Women's Adm inistrator .................................... Shaney Fink Assoc. AD for Marketing ........................................................................Steve Becvar Head Ath letic Trainer .............................................................Carolyn Greer, A.T., C. Associate Athletic Trainer ..................................................................Paul Signorelli Assistant Ath letic Trainer (Baseball) ....................... Joe Parry, Eli Bisnett-Cobb Director of Athletic Performance Training ............................Stephane Rochet Sport and Business Psychology Consultan ....................... Karlene Sugarman Affiliation ............................................................................................. NCAA Division I Conference................................................................................................... West Coast Nickname ............................................................................................................. Toreros School Colors ......................................................................Torero Blue, Navy, White Athletic Dept. Phone ........................................................................ (619) 260-4803 .A.TEAM INFORMATION First Year of Baseball (Began Division I play)....................................1958 (1979) Overall All-Time Record .........................................................1,166-1,048-3 (.527) NCAA Division I Appearances (Last) .......................................................... 5 (2008) NCAA Tournament Record ................................................................................... 6-1 O Best All-Time Record .............................................................................44-17 (2008) 2008 Overall Record ............................................................................................44-17 2008 wee Record (Place ............................................................................. 16-5 (1st) 2008 Home Record ................................................................................................. 25-7 2008 Road Record .................................................................................................. 17-7 2008 Neutral Field Record ......................................................................................2-3 2008 Postseason ..........................................................3-2 (Long Beach Reg ional) Posit ion Starters returning/lost ............................................................................ 5/3 Starting Pitchers returning/lost ......................................................................... 5/2 Overall Letterw inners returning/lost .............................................................17/1 1 Newcomers................................................................................................................... 12 .A. HOME FIELD Surface ..................................................................................................... Natural Grass Dimensions ......................................................................... LF-309, CF-395, RF-329 .A. BASEBALL STAFF Head Coach ........................................................................................................ Rich Hill Alma Mater ................................................................................... Cal Lutheran, 1984 Record at USD ...........................................................................353-236-3 (1 O Years) Overall Record ..........................................................................686-456-3 (20 Years) Assistants.........................................................Eric Va lenzuela (Pepperdine, 2001) ...................................................................................Jay Johnson (Point Loma, 2001) ...............................................................................................................Mark Viramontes Dir. of Baseball Operations.............................................................. Ramon Orozco Baseball Phone....................................................................................(619) 260-5953 Baseball Fax ......................................................................................... (619) 260-7750 .A. MEDIA RELATIONS Associate A.D./Media Relations.............................................................Ted Gosen Assistant Dir. of Media Relations (Baseball Contact) .................. Chris Loucks Media Relations Coordinator ...........................................................Ryan McCann Loucks' Direct Office Phone ........................................................... (619) 260-7930 Fax ........................................................................................................... (619) 260-2990 Loucks' E-mail ...................................................................... cloucks@sandiego.edu Cunningham Stadium Press Box.................................................. (619) 260-8829 Web Site ................................................................................... www.usdtoreros.com .A. MEDIA CREDENTIALS Requests should be made by phone (619-260-7930), fax (619-260-2990) or e-mail (cloucks@sandiego.edu) as far in advance as possible and no later t han 24 hours before gametime. Credentials can be picked up at the w ill ca ll table located at the top of Cunningham Stadium.

.A. PHOTO CREDENTIALS Credentials will be issued on a game-by-game basis and must be worn in plain sight at all times. All photographers must remain off the playing surface and are encouraged to use the area behind t he visitors' dugout. NCAA regu lations regarding photography wil l be adhered to at all times. .A.PRESS BOX The USD press box is located on top of the stands behind home plate. Limited seating is avaliable w ith beat writers receving priority. Rad io positions and addit ional media w ill be allocated to the press box or the rows immediately in front of the press box, if necessary. .A.TELEPHONES The press box number for the media and scoring updates only, is (619) 260-8829. Additional lines are avaliable on a shared basis in the press box. .A.RADIO LINES Up to two telephone lines can be made avaliable to the designated radio station of the visiting team. Please make arrangements through the athletics media relations office well in advance. .A.HIGH-SPEED INTERNET The press box is equipped with severa l high speed data jacks for on-line browsing and transmission. A wireless connection has also been recently added to the press box for those media members who have a w ireless card. .A.INTERVIEWS Coaches and players wi ll be avaliable for postgame interviews on the field after a brief cooling down session and team meeting. Midweek interviews can be conducted before and or after practices by special arrangement through the athletics media relations office. Interviews w ith visiting coaches or players should be arranged through the visiting team's SID, when available. .A. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 2009 USO Baseball Media Guide is a product of the USO Athletics Media Relations department. Layout and Design: Chris Loucks Cover Design: Chris Loucks Photography: Dennis Mock, Brock Scott, Dale Frost, Eric Drotter, Matt Brown, San Diego Union Tribune Printing: Ideal Services TABLE OF CONTENTS 7- 13 .............................................................................. This is USO Baseball 14................................................................................. General Information 15......................................................................... 2009 Roster/Team Photo 16............................................................................... 2009 TV/Radio Roster 18-20.......................................................................... Head Coach Rich Hill 21 .............................................................Assistant Coash Eric Valenzuela 22 ................................................................. Assistant Coach Jay Johnson 23........................................................ Assistant Coach Mark Viramontes 23 ................................Director ofbaseball Operations Ramon Orozco 24-34....................................................................................... Player Profiles 36-38....................................................................................Season Outlook 39-44............................................................2009 Opponent INformation 45-47.......................................................................................2008 Statistics 48-52.............................................. USO Baseball Tradition ofExcellence 54-60..................................................................... Torero Baseball Records 62-63..................................................................................... All-Time Roster 64............................................................. USO President Dr. Mary E. Lyons 65.................................... USO Executive Director ofAthletics Ky Snyder 66 .................................................................................... USO Supports Staff 67..................................................................................... NCAA Compliance 68................................................................................ USO Media Relations

2009 SAN DIEGO BASEBALL ROSTER

Hometown/Last School Scottsdale, AZ/ University of Portland Las Vegas, NV/ Cimarron HS

B/T R/ R L/ R R/ R R/ R L/ R R/R R/ R R/ R R/ R R/ R R/ R

Yr. SR SO SO SR JR FR SO JR

Wt. 175 195 185

Ht. 6-0 6-3

Pos. ss INF OF 2B/3B INF/OF 2B OF/ C 3B RHP C

No. Name 1

Sean Nicol

Zach Walters Kevin Muno

3 4 5 6 7 8

Thousand Oaks, CA/ Loyola HS Scottsdale, AZ/ Brophy Prep HS

5-11 5-11

175 5-10 175 5-9 175 6-2 180 6-2 185 6-4 200 5-10 185 6-4 190 6-3 190 6-0 185 5-8 175 6-1 180 6-2 190 6-2 180 6-1 210 6-0 190 6-5 220 6-3 200 5-11 200 6-2 200 6-1 205 5-9 170 6-4 190 6-1 190 6-5 230 6-3 200 6-3 205

Anthony Strazzara Mike Lugo Chris Engell Austin Green Victor Sanchez Matt Thompson

Glendora, CA/ Bishop Amat Memorial HS Fairfield, CA/ Sacramento City College San Diego, CA/ Patrick Henry HS Norwalk, CA/Gahr HS

9

Santa Rosa, CA/ Santa Rosa CC San Diego, CA/Westview HS Gilbert, AZ/ Mesquite HS

JR

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 20 21 23 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 35 36 40

RS-JR

Nick McCoy Chris Jensen Bryan Haar Matt Couch Brian Farris Matt Hauser Paul Sewald Jose Valerio

FR FR

RHP UTL RHP C/ 2B C

San Diego, CA/ Grossmont HS Sacramento, CA/ Del Campo HS Yucaipa, CA/ Redlands East Valley HS Altadena, CA/Cuesta College Newport Beach, CA/Orange Coast CC Las Vegas, NV/ Bishop Gorman HS Chula Vi sta, CA/Castle Park HS Honolulu, HI/ Punahou HS Litchfield Park, AZ/ Agua Fria HS Monte Sereno, CA/ Los Gatos HS Valencia, CA/Cuesta College Irvine, CA/ Orange Coast CC Ramona, CA/ Ramona HS Oceanside, CA/ Oceanside HS Laguna Niguel, CA/ Aliso Niguel HS

R/ R RS-SR R/ R JR R/ R JR R/ R JR R/ R FR R/ R RS-SR R/ R FR R/ R SO L/ L SO R/ R JR L/ L JR L/ L JR R/ R FR S/ R RS-SO R/ R FR R/ R JR R/R SR R/ R RS-SO R/R

Steven Chatwood

RHP RHP 3B/ 1B C

Zach Kometani Sammy Solis

LHP RHP LHP OF UTL UTL RHP OF RHP RHP RHP

Kyle Blair Tyler Fick

Mike Ferraro James Meador

Jon Hotta

Darrin Campbell

Solvang, CA/ Santa Ynez HS El Cajon, CA/ Grossmont HS

Chase Yost AJ Griffin

San Clemente, CA/ Mater Dei HS Arvada, CO/ Creighton University

Scott DeNault Casey Schmidt

TORERO COACHING STAFF: 10 Rich Hill 34 Eric Valenzuela 2 Jay Johnson 22 Mark Viramontes Ramon Orozco

Head Coach (11th year, Cal Lutheran '84) Assistant Coach (Pepperdine, 2001) Assistant Coach (Point Loma, 2001) Assistant Coach Dir.of Baseball Operations (Ca l Lutheran '99)

The 2009 San Diego Toreros

Top Row (1-r): Austin Green, Zach Wal– ters, Scott DeNault, Paul Sewald, Chris Jensen, Darrin Campbell, Matt Thom– son, AJ Griffin, Casey Schmidt, Kyle Blair, Jose Valerio, Zach Kometani Middle Row (1-r): Rich Hill, Eric Valenzuela, Jay Johnson, Matt Couch, Victor Sanchez, Mike Ferraro, Matt Hauser, Brian Haar, Brian Farris, James Meador, Marcus Whithorne, Mark Viramontes, Ramon Orozco Botom row (1-r): Nick McCoy, Tyler Fick, Tony Strazzara, Jon Hotta, Kevin Muno, Steven Chatwood, Chris Engell, Sean Nicol, Michael Lugo, Chase Yost

2009 SAN DIEGO TV/RADIO ROSTER

Sean Nicol SR ♦ SS ♦ 5-11 / 175 Scottsdale, AZ

Zach Walters so ♦ ss ♦ 6-3/195 Las Vegas, NV

Kevin Muno Anthony Strazzara JR ♦ INF ♦ 5-11/1 85 SO ♦ INF/OF ♦ 5- 1 1 / 1 75 Thousand Oaks, CA Scottsdale, AZ

Mike Lugo SR ♦ OF ♦ 5-11/1 75 Glendora, CA

Chris Engell JR ♦ 2B ♦ 5-9/ 175 Fairfield, CA

Austin Green FR ♦ OF/C ♦ 6-2/180 San Diego, CA

Victor Sanchez SO ♦ 3B ♦ 6-2/185 Norwalk,CA

Matt Thomson JR ♦ RHP ♦ 6-4/ 200 Santa Rosa, CA

Nick McCoy JR ♦ C ♦ 5-10/185 San Diego, CA

Bryan Harr FR ♦ UTL ♦ 6-3/ 190 San Diego, CA

Chris Jensen FR ♦ RHP ♦ 6-4/190 Gilbert,AZ

~ ,; . , Matt Couch SR ♦ RHP ♦ 6-0/ 185 Sacramento, CA

Steven Chatwood JR ♦ C/2B ♦ 5-8/ 175 Yucaipa,CA

Brian Farris JR ♦ C ♦ 6-1/ 180 Altadena,CA

Matt Hauser JR ♦ RHP ♦ 6-2/190 Newport Beach, CA

Paul Sewald FR ♦ RHP ♦ 6-2/180 Las Vegas, NV

Jose Valerio SR ♦ 3B ♦ 6-1/ 210 Chula Vista, CA

Zach Kometani FR ♦ C ♦ 6-0/1 90 Honolulu, HI

Sammy Solis SO ♦ LHP ♦ 6-5/220 Litchfield Park, AZ

Kyle Blair SO ♦ RHP ♦ 6-3/200 Monte Sereno, CA

Tyler Fick JR ♦ LHP ♦ 5-11 / 200 Valencia, CA

Mike Ferraro JR ♦ OF ♦ 6-2/200 lrvine,CA

James Meador JR ♦ UTL ♦ 6-1/205 Ramona, CA

Jon Hotta FR ♦ UTL ♦ 5-9/ 170 Oceanside,CA

Darrin Campbell SO ♦ RHP ♦ 6-4/200 Laguna Niguel, CA

Chase Yost FR ♦ OF ♦ 6-1/ 190 Solvang,CA

AJ Griffin JR ♦ RHP ♦ 6-5/230 El Cajon,CA

Scott DeNault SR ♦ RHP ♦ 6-3/200 San Clamente, CA

Casey Schmidt SO ♦ RHP ♦ 6-3/ 205 Arvada,CO

Rich Hill Head Coach

Eric Valenzuela Assistant Coach

Jay Johnson Assistant Coach

Ramon Orozco Dir. of Baseball Opp.

Mark Viramontes Assistant Coach

I Head Coach RICH HILL 11th Season as Head Coach

Rich Hill has built the USO Tore- ros into one of the most success- son ranked No. 6 Hill helped guide ful Division I baseball programs on Brian Matusz to the WCC Pitcher of the West Coast. The 2008 spring the Year award and the No. 4 over– season will be Hill's 22nd year as a all pick in the MLB draft. Hill also head coach at the collegiate level, guided 10 Toreros to AII-WCC hon– and 11th at USO, having enjoyed ors. Hill was also tabbed as the WC 18 winning seasons in 21 years. Coach of the Year for the second Since taking over at USO in 1999, consecutive season. long and ended the regular-sea–

Hill has been remarkable in lead- ing the Toreros to seven consecu– tive 30 plus win seasons, re-writing the school record book en route to claiming back-to-back West Coast Conference Champi–

In 2007 Hill directed the Toreros to the program's first 40-win sea– son, a program-best No.4 national ranking and a No. 8 national seed in the NCAA Regionals, becoming the first school in the history of the conference to receive this honor. The Toreros also hosted the NCAA Regionals, bringing this event to the city of San Diego for the first time ever. The Toreros posted an impressive 18-3 record in the wee including five consecutive series sweeps, a first at USO as well. Hill also eclipsed the 600 career win mark and moved over 300 wins as the USO skipper. For his efforts, he was awarded the wee Coach of the Year distinction. In the 2006 season, not only did Hill lead USO back to the postsea– son, but he also helped guide the Toreros to a, then program-best No. 8 national ranking in the Col– legiate Baseball top-25 poll on Feb. 2, 2006. Other milestones that Hill achieved during this historic sea– son was the team recorded its first win over a No. 1 ranked opponent as they swept the defending na– tional champion Texas Longhorns in the opening weekend. Hill be– came the third coach in the his– tory of the wee to eclipse the 200

onship titles in 2002 2003 and also claim– ing the WCC crown in 2007 and 2008.

In 2008, Hill led the Tore– ros to a second consecutive WCC title and his freshman class was rated the No. 1 re–

cruiting class in America according to Baseball America.USO posted the program's sec–

ond 40-win sea– son by setting the program record with a 44-17 mark.The Tore- ros received a program–

best No. 5 preseason national ranking by Rivals.com and USO remained in the

top-25 all season

conference wins mark, and he is 14 wins shy of the 700 career wins to– tal with an overall coaching record

THE RICH HILL FILE

Personal

of 686-456-3.

1-------------- Wife: Lori Children: Robbie (17), Lindsey (14)

Under his leadership San Diego has averaged 33 wins per season, including winning a then school record 39 games in 2002, a year in which Hill was honored by his peers as the wee Coach of the Year. Hill became one of the young– est coaches in collegiate history to reach 500 career victories in 2003, taking USO into postseason play and a second consecutive NCAA Regional appearance. Scheduling the nation's top com– petition, Hill owns a 309-219-3 (.585) overall record as San Diego's manager. In turn, Hill has brought the school national notoriety, earn– ing a No. 4 national ranking by Collegiate Baseball, its highest in school history. Following a 35-21 season in 2004, seven of Hill's eight graduating seniors signed professional con– tracts. That same season a record 1 O USO players were recognized as AII -WCC performers, with five play– ers being selected in the ' 04 MLB First Year Player Draft. This past June six more Toreros were drafted and signed by Major League clubs. The 46-year-old Hill is a proven winner. He has a record of success in each of his three head coaching stops - first at his alma mater Cal Lutheran. In his first head coaching job as the manager at Cal Lu, he won 83% of his games during his final three seasons (1991-93). Hill led Cal Lutheran to a record of 194- 76 (.719) over six seasons, includ– ing two World Series appearances. His 1990 team won the first-ever district championship in school

Education College: Cal Lutheran, 1985 (B.A. Physical Education) Graduate: Cal Lutheran, 1988 (M.S. Education) Coaching Career Cal Lutheran (1988-93) San Francisco (1994-98) San Diego (1999-present)

Coachin Honors WCC Coach of the Year, 2002, 07, 08)

The Hill Family (l-r): Robbie, Lindsey, Lori, Rich

Hill's Year-by-Year Coaching Records Year School Record

Conference

Cal Lutheran Cal Lutheran Cal Lutheran Cal Lutheran Cal Lutheran Cal Lutheran San Francisco San Francisco San Francisco San Francisco San Francisco

21-21 31-18 35-16

13-11 6th (NAIA Dist. 3) 16-8 3rd (NAIA Dist. 3) 12-8 1st (NAIA Dist 3) 10-3 1st (NAIA Dist. 3)

1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 200S 2006 2007 2008

32-8 43-6 32-7

20-1 1st (SCIAe)

19-2 1st (West Region)

22-33 24-35 30-25 29-27 34-24 35-21 39-23 32-30 35-21 30-27 33-25 43-18 44-17

9-21 (6th WCC) 11-17 (5th WCC) 15-13 (4th WCC) 17-11 (3rd WCC) 18-12 (T-3rd wee)

13-1 6-1 (3rd WCC Coast) 14-1 6 (3rdWCCCoast) 20-1 o (2nd wee West) 18-12 (1st West/ 1st wee) 18-12 (1st West/ 1st wee) 19-11 (2nd wee Coast) 16-14 (2nd WCC Coast)

28-27-1 34-27-1

San Diego San Diego San Diego San Diego San Diego San Diego San Diego San Diego San Diego San Diego

13-8 (3rd WCC) 18-3 (1st WCC) 16-5 (1st WeC)

Career atUSD atUSF at Cal Lu Career

Years

Overall

Conference 235-160-1

353-236-3

10

139-144 194-76

70-74 90-33

5 6

686-456-3

339-227-1

21

history. His 1992 squad posted a 43-6 record before falling a couple of outs shy of the NCAA Division Ill title, while the 1993 team finished first in the Western Region with a 32-7 record. Under Hill's guidance, the Kingsmen knocked off Division I opponents such as USC, Pepperdine, San Diego State, UC Santa Barbara and Cal State Northridge. During his six seasons at Cal Lutheran, 92 percent of his players received their degrees Hill was hired by The University of San Francisco in 1994, taking the Dons from the wee cellar to a 34- win season in his final year in 1998. During a five– year coaching stint at San Francisco (1994-1998), Hill posted three consecutive winning seasons, includ-

Rich Hill's Coaching Highlights

• No. 1among active WCC coaches in career (686) and league (235) victories as well as wins per season (32.7) • 18 winning seasons in 21 years as a head coach • Over 600 career victories (686-456-3) • Has averaged 35.3 wins per season at USO since 2000 • Back-to-back West Coast Conference Championships 2002-2003 and again in 2007-2008. • wee Coach of the Year 2002, 2007, 2008 • Five NCAA Regional teams at USO in past six seasons • Eight players, including seven graduating seniors sign pro contracts following the 2004 season • Inducted into the Cal Lutheran Hall of Fame (2005)

ing a school best 18 wins in the West Coast Confer– ence in 1998 as the Dons finished tied with USO for third place in the WCC. Over his final three seasons there, Hill guided USF to upper division finishes in the WCC; and posted three straight winning seasons, including two campaigns of 30 or more victories. Hill's track record boasts record-breaking seasons for wins in a single season at Cal Lu (43), USO (39) and Chatham in Cape League (35). In addition to his collegiate coaching positions, Hill was head coach for the Cha– tham A's of the Cape Cod League between 1990-93, winning the league title in 1992 with a franchise record of 35-11. He has twice been rec– ognized as the ABCA West Region Coach of the Year (1992, 1993);was the 1992 Cape Cod Baseball League "Manager of the Year"; was twice named the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year (1992, 1993); and twice was the recipient of the Cali- fornia Lutheran Alumni Career Excellence Award (1993, 1994). Hill's assistants have gone on to successful careers in baseball, including five earning head coaching positions, and two with administrative positions with Major League clubs. Hill has made his mark off the field as well. He has been an advisor fort he Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He started an innovative peer-mentor– ing program with his USF team. Dons players and coaching staff volun– teered at the nearby Hamilton Community Center, reading stories and playing games with homeless children. Furthermore, Hill is a speaker and clinician at various conventions and camps throughout the re– gion.

Hill earned his Bachelor of Arts degree (Physical Education) in 1985 from California Lutheran University. After playing one season with the St. Louis Cardinals organization in 1985 (Single A affiliate in Sa– vannah, Georgia), he returned to his alma mater where he earned his Master of Science degree in Education in 1988. Rich and his wife, Lori, live in San Diego with their two children, Robbie (17) and Lindsey (14) .

Assistant coach ERIC VALENZUELA Sixth Season as Assistant Coach

Eric Valenzuela, a key component in the success of San Diego baseball and the development of USD's pitching staff, begins his sixth season as an assistant coach for the Toreros in 2009. Valenzuela made an immediate impact during his first season at USO in 2004.Under his direc– tion the Torero pitching staff led the West Coast Conference in team ERA.All four graduating pitchers from his 2004 staff went on to sign professional contracts at season's end. Valenzuela continues to recruit and develop some of the nation's top amateur players.Va– lenzuela spearheaded the recruiting efforts for the 2008 USO recruiting class that was ranked the nation's best by Baseball America. He was also the catalyst for the 2006 recruiting class that was among Baseball America's Dandy Dozen. In 2008, under Valenzuela's guidance, the Torero pitching staff ranked fourth in the nation in strikeouts (566), fourth in fewest walks (149) and seventh in ERA (3.40). Valenzuela also guided Brian Matusz to the No. 4 overall pick in the MLB draft and also had Josh Romanski (4th round) and Ricardo Pecia (6th round) drafted as well. Valenzuela helped guide the Toreros to the first 40-win season in program history in 2007 with a 43-18 overall record, as well as a program-best No. 4 national ranking and a No.8 national seed in the NCAA Tournament. He helped guide three pitchers to All-American status in 2007 and 2008 as well as helping guide Brian Matusz to the WCC Pitcher of the Year and the No.4 overall pick in the 2008 MLB draft. Also under his tutelage, USO has had three pitcher's, Matusz Josh Romanski (2007) and AJ Griffin (2008) named to Team USA. A native of Covina,Valenzuela returned to Southern California after serving as an assistant coach at St.Mary's College for two seasons (2002 & 2003).While at St. Mary's, Valenzuela coordinated much of the team's community programs, including directing youth camps and clinics. Valenzuela served as the Gaels third base

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coach, managed recruiting efforts and also directed the team's strength and conditioning program.Valenzuela's background in developing young talent includes managing the pitching staff of the Brewster White Caps of the Cape Code League in 2003. Valenzuela garnered All -America honors as a prep athlete at Bishop Amat High School and went on to accept a baseball scholarship at Arizona State University where he was a member of the Sun Devil's 1998 College World Series team.Aftertransferring to Pepperdine,Valenzuela would be honored as the Wave's team captain his senior year, leading Pepperdine to the 2001 West Coast Conference Championship title. Valenzuela graduated from Pepperdine in 2001 with a B.A. in Criminal Justice.His father,Victor, was an assistant boxing coach for the United

States in the 1984Olympic Games and currently runs the Duarte Boxing Club in Duarte,Calif. His sister, Nicole Valenzuela, was a member of the USO softball team from 2005-08. Valen– zuela, his wife Betty and one-year-old daughter Catalina Esmie reside in San Diego.

The Valenzuela Family (1-r): Eric, daughter Catalina Esmie and wife Betty

Assistant Coach JAYJOHNSON Fourth Season as Assistant Coach

Jay Johnson, is entering his fourth season with the Toreros. During his first three seasons at USD, he was instrumental in helping guide USD to three consecutive trips to the NCAA Postseason and back-to-back WCC Championships in 2007 and 2008, while assisting head coach Rich Hill with all aspects of the game. Johnson serves as USD's hitting coach and also takes on the roll of associate recruiting coor– dinator. He helped recruit USD's 2008 class, which was ranked the nation's best by Baseball America. In his first season, the Toreros ranked first in the WCC in team hitting overall (.310) as well as in conference games (.329). Under his guidance, Josh Romanski was tabbed as the WCC Freshman of the Year and USD defeated four first-round draft picks. Johnson helped guide the Toreros to the programs first 40-win season in 2007 with a 43-18 overall record, as well as a program-best No. 4 national ranking and a No. 8 national seed in the NCAA Tournament. With his guidance, the Toreros produced the WCC Player of the Year in Shane Buschini in 2007, who led the conference in hitting, and helped eight players ern first-team AII-WCC honors. Also under his guidance, the team defeated 10 pitchers on the Roger Clemens Award watch list, en route to again leading the wee in hitting (.314 overall and .335 in wee games).

Johnson, the head coach at nearby Point Loma Nazarene prior to coming to USD, did a remarkable job at PLNU, leading the NAIA Sea Lions to a national ranking as high as No.6 and a 2005 Golden State Athletic Conference-Southern Division Championship. During four seasons at Point Loma Nazarene, three as an assistant before be– coming the head coach in 2005, Johnson and the Sea Lions made four consecutive trips to the NAIA Region II Championships and established a Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) record with 47 wins in 2004 while claiming the GSAC championship, as well as finishing 3rd in the NAIA College World Series. The 2004 team was also awarded the Hank Burbridge NAIA team Champions of Character award. In the spring of 2005 Johnson guided Point Loma Nazarene to a 37-16 overall mark, winning the 2005 GSAC-Southern Division Champi– onship and finishing the season ranked No. 19 nationally. Seven of Jay's players at PLNU moved on to play professional baseball. An outstanding high school and collegiate athlete,Johnson was the starting second baseman at Point Loma Nazarene in 1999 and 2000, hitting .326 during his senior season in 2000. Prior to PLNU, Johnson played at Shasta Junior College. As a prep ath– lete at Oroville High School, Johnson was a First Team AII-CIF Northern Section pick in both baseball and football.

Johnson earned a degree in Physical Education at PLNU in 2001 and later acquired a Master's degree in Physical Edu– cation at Azusa Pacific University.

Assistant Coach MARK VIRAMONTES JI Fourth Season as Assistant Coach

Mark Viramontes is entering his fourth season as an assistant for the Toreros baseball program under head coach Rich Hill. He brings over 13 years of coaching experience to the Toreros coaching staff. Viramontes assumes the roll of USD's catching coach and field supervisor, while also working closely with the team's hitters as an intricate part of the Toreros coaching staff. In the summer of 2006, Viramontes took over as head coach for the DuPage Dragons of the Central Illinois Collegiate Summer League (CICL). During his first season at the helm, Viramontes guided the Dragons to a franchise-best 25-19 overall record. In the summer of 2007, Viramontes also helped lead the team to the league championship game.

His most recent coaching experience came in handling a wide range of duties as an assistant at Division II California State University of L.A. in 2005 . As an assistant at East L.A.College from 1999-2004,Viramontes helped the Huskies to three post– season trips including a state finals appearance in 2000. Viramontes has also spent the 2004 & 2005 season's coaching in the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) with the Brewster Whitecaps. His coaching career began assisting the 1995 varsity program at James A. Garfield High School in Los Angeles and at San Gabriel High School from 1996-1998. He would later become an Associate Scout for the Cincinnati Reds,evaluating baseball talent in inner-city L.A. Dir. ofBaseball Ops. RAMON OROZCO Third Season as Dir. ofBaseball Ops. Orozco brings a wealth of coaching experience to the USD coaching staff as he was most recently an assistant coach in Hawaii Collegiate Baseball League (HCBL). Orozco was in charge of the offense for the HCBL champion Kamuela Paniolos. His team led the league in homeruns and was second in total runs scored. Ramon has also been an assistant un– der current USD Assistant Coach Mark Viramontes of the DuPage Dragons of the Central Illinois Collegiate Summer League. During his first season as a pitching coach, he helped guide them to the regular- season Co-Championship. During the season, Orozco helped the team post a franchise-best 25- 19 overall record and the second lowest earned run average in the CICL. Prior to work with Kamuela Paniolos and the DuPage Dragons, Orozco has served as an assistant coach for Glendale Com– munity College. He served as the Vaqueros infield and first base coach . In addition to his coaching duties, Orozco served as an academic adviser and mentor to his players. Eight of his players moved onto four year universities and one player (Jason Botts) was selected in the Major League Baseball Draft. Botts debuted with the Texas Rangers in 2005. Orozco played his college baseball at Los Angeles Mission College and California Lutheran University.While at CLU he was a member of two Division Ill Western Regional teams. His senior year Orozco helped CLU win aWestern Regional Champion– ship and a College World Series appearance.CLU finished eighth in the final polls of 1998. Orozco earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics in 1999 from California Lutheran University. He also holds two masters degrees, one in Cross-Cultural Education that he earned in 2002 from National University, and the other is a Masters degree in Educational Administration from the University of La Verne that he received in 2005 . Ramon Orozco is entering his third season with the Toreros baseball program. Orozco is responsible for the off-the-field operation of the baseball office. He assists head coach Rich Hill with all team and recruiting travel in addition to assisting with on-campus recruit– ing.Orozco also serves as the liaison for visiting teams and campus affairs.

#3 ► Zach WALTERS 6-3 ► 795 ► So. ► UR ► SS Las Vegas Nev. Cimarron High School

# 1 ► Sean NICOL 6-0 ► 175 ► Sr. ► R/R ► SS Scottsdale, Ariz. University ofPortland

JUNIOR (2008): Was one of two players to play and start in all 61 games...posted a .3 13 batting average, with 72 hit s, 13 doubles, one trip le and 27 RBI... helped the team win t he WCC regu lar– season championship and advance to the champ ionsh ip game of the Long Beach Regiona l...helped the team post a program– best 16-game wi nning streak...posted 18 mu lti-hit games...went 3-for-5 with two doubles and two RBI against San Diego State (2/ 23/ 08)...went 3-for-4 aga inst California (3/ 2/ 08)...went 2-for-2 with two runs scored against Santa Clara (3/ 6/ 08) ...went 2-for- 3 with three RBI against Hawaii - Hilo (3/ 16/ 08)...went 7-for-14 with three RBI and one double in a three-game series against Loyola Marymount (4/ 25-4/ 27/ 08). SOPHOMORE (2007): Played and started in al l 61 games as the every-day shortstop...played a role in helping USD win the regu lar-season WCC Championship... helped team achieve a program-best No. 4 national ranking ...hit .300 with 71 hits, ten doubles, two triples, five home runs and 30 RBl...recorded 21 mu lti-hit games...went 3-for-4 with one double aga inst Virginia Commonwea lt h (2/ 16/ 07)...went 2-for-4 with one home run, two RBI and three runs scored against Santa Clara (5/ 12/ 07)...went 4- for-5 with one double against UNLV (3/ 24/ 07) ...went 2-for-5 with one double and four RBI against San Francisco (3/ 5/ 07) ...went 2- for-4 with one triple and two RBI against Santa Clara (5/ 13/ 07). FRESHMAN (2006): Played at the Un iversity of Portland ... Start– ed in 46 games while appearing in 49 at second base ... tied for team-high with five stolen bases, second with 34 runs, 61 hits and th ird with a .303 batting average ... also had 34 runs, 26 RBI, 11 doubles, four home runs and a trip le. HIGH SCHOOL: Earned four varsity letters in baseba ll under Tom Succow at Brophy College Prep...as a sophomore he hit .305 and helped his team reach the semi finals of the playoffs...as a ju– nior he hit .426 with five home runs in helping his team win the Regional championship...as a senior he hit .418 with four home runs in helping his team win a second consecutive Regional championship. PERSONAL: Sean Nicol was born on Sept. 25, 1986...is the son of Karl and Apri l Nicol...chose to transfer to USD because of the great academic atmosphere and outstand ing baseball pro– gram.

FRESHMAN (2008): Played in 29 games with 16 starts...hit .265 with 18 hits, four doubles, one home run and 13 RBI... helped t he team win the WCC reg ular-season champ ionship and advance to the championship game of the Long Beach Regional...helped the team post a program-best 16-game winning streak...went 3- for-4 with three RBI aga inst Santa Clara (3/ 29/ 08) ...went 2-for-2 with one double and three RBI aga inst Harvard (3/ 24/ 08). HIGH SCHOOL: Earned four varsity letters in basebal l wh ile playing at Cimarron Memorial High School... Was named first– team All-State in Nevada as both a sophomore and junior...was named first-team All -Sunset Division as both a sophomore and junior and senior...as a junior he won the 2006 Sunset Division batting title as he hit .549 with eight home runs, whi le also steal-1!111111111111• ing 24 bases. PERSONAL: Zach Walters was born on Sept. 5, 1989 in Chey– enne, Wyo....he is the son of Patrick and Angela Wa lters...was heavi ly recruited by Arizona State, Arizona, UC Irvine, Stanford, Gonzaga and Baylor...chose to attend USD because of the base– bal l program and the academic reputation...he enjoys playing ping-pong, basketba ll, skiing and drawing in his spare time.

Walters' Collegiate Batting Record year g-gs

ab r h 2b 3b hr rbi so bb sb-a ba

7

5

2008

59-76

68

78 4

0

1 13

12

0- 7 .265

Nicol's Collegiate Batting Record year g-gs

ab r h 2b 3b hr rbi so bb sb-a ba

67 -61 230 56 72 13 61-61 237 42 71 10 2

6

9-13 .313

2008 2007

1 0 27 24

5

56

30 31 9-75 .300 career 122-122 467 98 143 23 3 5 57 80 70 16-28 .306