FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
DURHAM, N.C. — USA Baseball has announced that Oregon baseball coach George Horton has been named to the 2012 Collegiate National Team coaching staff. The Ducks skipper will serve as an assistant coach under manager — and new Tennessee Volunteers head coach — Dave Serrano.
“We have long admired George’s work at Cal State Fullerton and Oregon, and we are excited to name him to a Collegiate National Team coaching staff,” said Eric Campbell, USA Baseball’s general manager of National Teams. “George’s energy and leadership will be a welcome addition to Dave Serrano’s staff.”
While Horton will be making his debut as a full-time member of a Collegiate team staff, he first wore the red, white and blue as an honorary auxiliary coach on July 21, 2010, in Omaha, Neb., where Team USA defeated Japan, 4-1, in an international friendship game.
“I am both honored and humbled to be selected by the USA Baseball organization to be on Dave Serrano’s staff for the Collegiate level USA Baseball team this coming summer,” said Horton. “What a tremendous privilege it will be to represent the USA and to be able to coach America’s finest baseball players.”
Now entering his fourth season at the helm of the Oregon baseball program, two-time National Coach of the Year Horton continues his effort to rebuild a competitive baseball legacy at the University of Oregon. During his three previous seasons with the Ducks, Horton has coached one All-American, 14 all-conference players, two collegiate national team players and 15 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft picks.
Horton has an 86-90-1 record in three years at Oregon after being chosen as the man to resurrect the program in September of 2007, after Oregon baseball had been dormant since 1981. Horton’s greatest accomplishment during his tenure has been Oregon’s selection to the 2010 NCAA Tournament, in the program’s second year back from reinstatement.
Before being named the head coach at Oregon, Horton helmed the Cal State Fullerton baseball program from 1997-2007. During his tenure with the Titans, Horton compiled an overall record of 490-212-1 (.698) and oversaw six appearances in the College World Series, including back-to-back berths in 2006 and 2007 as well as 2003 and 2004. He was named National Coach of the Year by Baseball America in 2003, and garnered the ABCA and Collegiate Baseball National awards following his squad’s title run in 2004.
An alum of the Fullerton baseball program himself (1975-76), Horton served as an assistant coach for the Titans for six years (1991-96) prior to being named head coach, and he skippered Cerritos College from 1985-90, compiling a junior college record of 226-53 (.810). Horton is one of nine men to have appeared in Omaha as both a player (1975) and a head coach.
This summer will also mark a reunion for Horton and Serrano. The current Vols head coach played for Horton at Cerritos in 1985 and then joined Horton’s staff as an assistant coach in 1988. Serrano took over head coaching duties in 1991 when Horton left for Augie Garrido’s staff at Cal State Fullerton. After a stint at Tennessee, Serrano went to Fullerton in 1997 to serve as pitching coach and recruiting coordinator for Horton who had been named Titan head coach the same year. Serrano then replaced Horton as Cal State Fullerton skipper in 2008.
“It will also be fun to be reunited with one of my ex-players and colleagues, Dave Serrano, and others that will make up the coaching staff,” said Horton. “We hope to continue to the great tradition of success for USA Baseball this summer.”
The schedule for next summer’s Collegiate team will be announced in early 2012.
