Mike Gambino named Boston College Head Baseball Coach

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FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Mike Gambino, a 1999 graduate of Boston College, has been named head baseball coach, Director of Athletics Gene DeFilippo announced today.

Gambino, who was an assistant coach for the Eagles from 2003-05, replaces Mik Aoki who resigned to become the head coach at Notre Dame.

"We are very excited to bring back Mike Gambino as our new head coach," DeFilippo said. "As a former player and assistant coach here, Mike has the experience and passion to bring the baseball program to the next level. He has already hit the ground running."

Gambino has spent the last four seasons as an assistant coach at Virginia Tech under former BC head coach, Pete Hughes. He served as the Hokies’ recruiting coordinator and also worked with the hitters and infielders. Virginia Tech’s batting average improved 40 points (from .279 to .319) under his direction since the 2006 season.

"I want to thank Fr. Leahy, Gene DeFilippo and Tom Peters for giving me the opportunity to come back and coach at my alma mater," Gambino said. "I’m very excited to be back at the Heights. I plan to continue to build on the success established by my coaching predecessors. It’s a goal I have been working toward since I was a player. We will strive for excellence in the classroom and on the field. We’re going to work extremely hard as a staff and as a team to get BC into the national tournament consistently, and we’re going to have a lot of fun doing it."

With Gambino’s help, the 2010 Hokies made their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2000 and finished the season ranked No. 20 in the country.

Prior to working in Blacksburg, Gambino spent a year as a regional scout for the Detroit Tigers.

Gambino, who played for the Eagles from 1997-2000, started 166 games in the middle infield. He held a career batting average of .313 with 22 doubles, eight homers, 87 RBI and 117 runs. In his final season in 2000, he belted 78 hits and scored 52 times, which ranks tied for fifth and eighth, respectively, in a single season. His 78 hits that year was the most in a single season at the time.

He was a first-team All-Big East, All-New England and All-Northeast region honoree following his senior campaign. He also earned second-team All-New England and Big East Academic Team accolades during his playing career. Following his career with BC, the Garrison, N.Y., native played two seasons in the Boston Red Sox minor league system. He spent the 2000 season with the Augusta Green Jackets before splitting the 2001 season between Augusta and the Lowell Spinners. In 2002, the Red Sox hired Gambino as a special assistant to the Major League staff before heading back to Lowell for a coaching role with the Spinners just prior to the June draft. Following his stint in Lowell, the Red Sox sent Gambino to the Major League Baseball Scout Development Program.

In January 2003, Gambino returned to Boston College as an assistant coach under Hughes.

Gambino received his bachelor’s degree from the Heights in English and theology.

GAMBINO’S CAREER
2010 – Boston College head coach
2007-10 – Virginia Tech assistant coach
2006 – Detroit Tigers regional scout
2003-05 – Boston College assistant coach
2000-02 – Played in Boston Red Sox minor league system
1995-2000 – Played at Boston College