(Photo by Michelle Bishop)
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – UC Santa Barbara head baseball coach Andrew Checketts, who this June led the program to its first ever College World Series berth, has agreed to terms on a contract extension through the 2022 season, it was announced by UCSB Director of Athletics John McCutcheon on Monday.
“We are extremely pleased to be able to work out this agreement with Andrew,” said McCutcheon. “When you look at his body of work, the tremendous progress that our program has made, and the trajectory we are on for the future, making this commitment was the right thing to do. I look forward to working with Andrew to put the resources in place to continue to build our program and I ask all Gaucho fans to join us in that effort at this special time for UCSB baseball.”
With a career record of 180-107-3 and a 68-55 mark in Big West play over five full seasons, Checketts owns the highest overall and conference winning percentages in program history at .632 and .553, respectively.
The Gauchos reached new heights with Checketts at the helm in 2016, winning the Nashville Regional at Vanderbilt before sweeping Louisville in the Super Regionals to reach UCSB’s first ever College World Series. In Omaha, the Gauchos eliminated No. 3 national seed Miami before ultimately falling to Arizona, which reached the CWS Final.
By season’s end, UCSB accrued a school record 43 wins against Division I opponents and Checketts was named a finalist for National Coach of the Year.
“I’m grateful to our administration, particularly John McCutcheon and Chancellor Yang for their faith and commitment in myself and UCSB Baseball,” said Checketts. “I’m appreciative of the dedication of our players, coaches and support staff. Without their help, the growth of our program would not be possible. My family and myself love the Santa Barbara community and look forward to continuing to being a part of the UCSB Baseball program for years to come.”
This year’s trip to Omaha was another step forward for a program that has scored new achievements on an annual basis under Checketts.
In 2015, UCSB had a program-record 11 players drafted or signed to pro contracts – including No. 4 overall pick Dillon Tate – and hosted the first regional in program history.
In 2014, the Gauchos set a school record for non-conference winning percentage (.815) and earned the program’s first top-10 ranking since 1986.
UCSB went undefeated in home series for an entire season for the first time ever in 2013, earning a Regional berth in the process to end a 12-year postseason drought for the program. In Checketts’ first year, he set a UCSB record for most wins by a first year head coach (28).
During his time on the central coast, no Big West program has had more players drafted than UCSB’s 27.
A proficient recruiter, he and his coaching staff have assembled nationally ranked recruiting classes in three out of five years.
National publications have caught on to his sharp baseball mind, as he has been cited as a “Top-10 Head Coach Under 40” by Baseball America and a “Rising Head Coach” by Perfect Game.
Prior to his hiring as UCSB’s ninth-ever head baseball coach, he made coaching stops as an assistant at Oregon, UC Riverside, and Riverside CC.
As a player, Checketts spent one year at Florida and three at Oregon State. He was named an All-American and the Pac-10 North Player of the Year as a senior in 1998. Checketts was drafted in the 21st round of the 1998 MLB Draft by the Boston Red Sox.
