EDINBURG – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Department of Intercollegiate Athletics announced on Wednesday that baseball head coach Manny Mantrana, who just completed his ninth season, is stepping down to become the Special Assistant to the Athletic Director.
A national search for Mantrana’s successor will begin immediately.
“We appreciate Coach Mantrana’s hard work and dedication as the head baseball coach over the past nine years,” UTRGV Director of Athletic Chris King said. “He’s been a wonderful representative of our University and a mentor for our student-athletes. He has produced champions in the classroom and in the community and has always done so with the utmost class and integrity. I look forward to working with Manny in a new capacity as the Special Assistant to the Athletic Director.”
Mantrana closes this chapter of his career with 210 coaching victories, which ranks second in NCAA Division I program history. He amassed 662 wins overall in 21 seasons as a head coach.
Mantrana’s teams combined to win 92 conference games, tying the NCAA DI program record held by legendary head coach emeritus Al Ogletree.
Mantrana’s teams upset two ranked opponents, including No. 8 Texas A&M 5-2 on March 14, 2012, and No. 15 Oklahoma State 3-1 on March 14, 2014.
In the classroom, Mantrana’s student-athletes have combined for 30 Academic All-WAC honors and 260 AD Honor Roll awards. The baseball team currently sports a 3.023 cumulative grade point average.
Mantrana’s teams have always been active in the community, earning the 2013 Tom Walter Inspiration Award after hosting blood and bone marrow drives in honor of a young boy from Brownsville named Nolan Naranjo, who initially suffered from aplastic anemia before his condition worsened and he developed myelodysplastic syndrome.
Both drives became yearly traditions for the program, with the bone marrow drive extending department-wide and leading to the registration of thousands of students, including every baseball player and coach.
“I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with the baseball program for the last nine years,” Mantrana said. “I am a big believer in our department’s purpose – preparing our student-athletes for excellence in life. My ultimate goal in 27 years of coaching has always been to produce good fathers, husbands, friends, neighbors, co-workers and members of the community. Transitioning into an administrative role allows me the opportunity to take that mission to a new level, as I hope to positively influence the lives of all 250 student-athletes in our department. I am proud to be able to continue to serve UTRGV in my new role as the Special Assistant to the Athletic Director.”
Mantrana had four players selected in the MLB Draft, including third baseman Angel Ibanez (2012, Houston Astros), right-handed pitchers Dusten Knight (2013, San Francisco Giants) and Sam Street (2014, Pittsburgh Pirates) and outfielder Logan Landon (2015, Los Angeles Dodgers). Additionally, right-handed pitcher Michael Zouzalik (2012) signed as undrafted free agent with the Texas Rangers, left-handed pitcher Alex Henson (2015) signed as an undrafted free agent with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and several others have gone on to play in independent and international leagues.
Scout.com’s Giants minor leaguer of the month of April, Knight is currently at AAA Sacramento, one step from the major leagues, and sporting a 2.84 ERA to go with 12 strikeouts and an opponents batting average of .196 in 12.2 innings.
Landon reached base four times in two games for AAA Oklahoma City earlier this month while Zouzalik pitched at AAA Norfolk (Baltimore Orioles organization) down the stretch last year before being assigned to Norfolk out of spring training this year.
Landon, Street and Zouzalik all had the opportunity to participate in major league spring training this year.
Additionally, Landon (Class A Great Lakes), Henson (Class A- Orem Owlz), Street (Class A+ Bradenton) and first baseman turned right-handed pitcher Roger Bernal (Pericos de Puebla, Mexican League) all led their teams to championships last year. Bernal has now won three professional championships, teaming with fellow 2012 alumni Mike McCarthy, Vinnie Mejia and Jonathan Sa to lead the Roswell Invaders to the 2013 Pecos League Championship before winning the 2014 United League Baseball Championship with the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings.
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