USD Baseball 2009

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