Carter celebrates after the final out Photo by Mark Alexander
BAKERSFIELD, Calif.—CSU Bakersfield Director of Athletics Kenneth “Ziggy” Siegfried announced the appointment of Bob Macaluso as the head baseball coach at CSU Bakersfield following a national search to fill the position on Aug. 31. Macaluso takes over from Bill Kernen who retired upon the conclusion of the 2015 season.
“I am happy to have Bob become our head coach,” Siegfried said. “I am excited about the future of Roadrunner baseball under his leadership.”
Macaluso served as assistant coach for the Roadrunners in 2015 as CSUB won the WAC Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time. The Roadrunners’ tournament stay was highlighted by a 2-1 victory over Ole Miss, a team that made the 2014 NCAA College World Series. CSUB finished the 2015 campaign with a 37-24-1 mark. The 37 victories are a school record.
Just in this last year, Macaluso served as the Roadrunner third-base coach, was in charge of the CSU Bakersfield offense, and was responsible for working with the CSUB infielders. Roadrunner shortstop Mylz Joneswas selected in the 13th round of the 2015 MLB Draft by the Colorado Rockies. The offense scored 356 runs, the second most in school history. The Roadrunners reset the school record for putouts (1,650), assists (714), and double plays (61) in 2015. CSUB’s .975 fielding percentage in 2015 was the second highest in school history.
Macaluso joined the ‘Runners in the fall of 2014 after spending the previous seven seasons at UC Irvine. During his time with the Anteaters, UCI went 274-136, advanced to the NCAA Tournament four times, made the Super Regionals in 2011, and advanced to the 2014 College World Series.
“Bob has seen success at the highest level during his time at UC Irvine and he played a major part in helping our team win the WAC Tournament and advance to the NCAA regionals last season,” Siegfried said.
Macaluso joined the Irvine staff after serving in a similar capacity at Cal State L.A. for one season where he helped the Golden Eagles win the 2007 Division II West Regional title and advance to the Division II College World Series in Montgomery, Ala. Macaluso was the team’s third-base coach and worked with the infielders.
From 1998-2006, Macaluso was the head baseball coach at Muhlenberg College (Pa.) Taking over a program that had never finished higher than ninth in the Centennial Conference, Macaluso led Muhlenberg to a fourth-place finish in his first season. In 2002, the Mules recorded a school-record 23 wins en route to an appearance in the conference championship series. The following season, the team posted a 21-14-1 record and advanced to the championship series for the second consecutive year. Under Macaluso’s tenure, Muhlenberg had its first conference Player of the Year, its first all-regional honoree, and saw the school’s first no-hitter.
Macaluso also coached in the Cape Cod Baseball League, managing the Brewster Whitecaps for five years and was named Manager of the Year in 2003. He served as an assistant coach for the club from 2000-02, helping the team win the league title in 2000.
He began his coaching career as an assistant at Melrose High School in Melrose, Mass. and then became the head varsity coach at Weston High School (Mass.) in 1993. He also had a two-year stint from 1996-98 as an assistant coach at Springfield College. Macaluso also piloted the Reading (Mass.) Legion Post 62 from 1988 to 1997. Among the players he coached there was future major leaguer Jason Bere.
Macaluso earned a B.S. in physical education from Springfield College (Mass.) in 1987 and his master’s degree in physical education in 1998 from Springfield.
