CORAL GABLES, Fla. – University of Miami head baseball coach Gino DiMare finalized the Hurricanes’ on-field staff ahead of the 2018-19 academic year, as announced Wednesday.
DiMare, who is entering his first season as head baseball coach at Miami and 20thoverall on staff with the program, promoted pitching coach J.D. Arteaga to associate head coach and Norberto Lopez to assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. DiMare also announced the addition of Bo Durkac as the Hurricanes’ volunteer assistant coach.
Arteaga will enter his 17th year on Miami’s coaching staff, where he has served as the Hurricanes’ pitching coach since 2003. The former UM standout southpaw has helped the Hurricanes continually produce top pitching staffs for nearly two decades. In 2018, he coached Evan McKendry to All-ACC honors after a season in which the sophomore right-hander led the Hurricanes staff in wins (seven) and strikeouts (114), as well as compiled a 3.52 ERA – second-best among weekend starters.
Under Arteaga’s direction, Bryan Garcia set the all-time saves record at Miami and became the first Hurricane to win NCBWA Stopper of the Year honors as the nation’s top relief pitcher in 2016. Arteaga also guided standout lefty Chris Hernandez to Baseball America Freshman Pitcher of the Year in 2008. Cesar Carrillo also dominated while working with Arteaga, receiving the Roger Clemens Award as college baseball’s best pitcher in 2005 and becoming a finalist for the Dick Howser Trophy.
Miami pitchers have earned 23 All-America honors, including six first-team selections, under Arteaga’s tutelage. Arteaga has produced 42 MLB Draft picks, including big leaguers Andrew Suarez, Chris Perez, Scott Maine and Carrillo. At least one Hurricane pitcher has been selected in the MLB Draft each year since 2004.
Lopez will spearhead Miami’s recruiting efforts after spending the previous three seasons working with the Hurricanes’ catchers and hitters. He was instrumental in the development of star catcher Zach Collins, who won the 2016 Johnny Bench Award honoring the nation’s best catcher. Collins, who was selected No. 10 overall by the Chicago White Sox in the 2016 MLB Draft, becoming Miami’s first first-round selection since 2010 after a stellar final season with the Hurricanes.
Under Lopez’s guidance, Isaac Quiñones enjoyed an outstanding debut season with the Hurricanes and earned 2018 Freshman All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. Prior to his time at Miami, Lopez coached at Texas Pan-American for seven seasons – including the 2015 campaign as the Broncs’ associate head coach. He also was an assistant coach at FAU in 2007-08 and at Broward College from 2004-2006.
Durkac will work with Miami’s infielders and comes to Miami after nine seasons at Illinois State (2010-2018), including the last four as the Redbirds’ head coach. Illinois State consistently ranked among the Missouri Valley Conference’s top offensive teams during Durkac’s tenure and ranked second in the MVC in fielding percentage in 2018. Seventeen student-athletes to play under Durkac have been selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft including St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong.
Prior to his time at Illinois State, Durkac spent seven years at Charlotte, where he was the hitting instructor, worked with infielders and assisted in recruiting. In all, Durkac coached or recruited 36 all-conference selections, three All-Americans and three freshman All-America selections at Charlotte, and helped the team to a 232-153-1 (.604) overall record from 2003-09.
In addition to Miami’s coaching staff, Robert “G.M.” McDaniel returns for his 19thseason on the baseball staff and his seventh as director of baseball operations and camps. Brian Gabriel is back for his sixth year as the Hurricane baseball strength and conditioning coach and H.R. Powell will serve as the team’s athletic trainer for the fourth season.
