Dave Serrano Position: Head Coach Experience: Fourth season

Dave Serrano was named Baseball America's National Coach of the Year in just his third season as the head coach at UC Irvine after leading the Anteaters to their first Division I College World Series appearance in 2007. UC Irvine was thrust into the national spotlight after going 5-0 to claim regional and super regional crowns at Texas and Wichita State to become one of eight teams to advance to the CWS. Following a one-run loss to Arizona State in its CWS debut at Rosenblatt Stadium, UCI rebounded with a pair of thrilling extra-inning victories, defeating cross-town rival Cal State Fullerton in 13 innings and avenging its loss with a 10-inning win against the Sun Devils. The Anteaters' battle against the Titans lasted five-hour and 40-minutes for the longest game in the 61-year history of the College World Series. With their win against ASU, the Anteaters became the first team to win back-to-back, extra-inning affairs. The Anteaters also etched their names into the record books, playing in front of the second and third-largest crowds. A crowd of 29,921 watched UCI's match up against the Beavers and 29,034 were on hand to watch the Anteaters eliminate the Sun Devils. At the conclusion of the season, UC Irvine attained its highest-ever ranking of fourth by Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball and USA Today/ESPN.

Under Serrano's leadership, the 2007 squad became the only team in the program's Division I history to reach the 40-win plateau, finishing with a stellar 47-17-1 record. The Anteaters fell just one win shy of claiming a share of the Big West title by posting a 15-6 mark and UCI's highest finish at second place. An unprecedented eight UC Irvine players were named All-Big West and Serrano mentored Scott Gorgen to two All-America titles as well as Wes Etheridge and Sean Madigan, who were both All-America honorees. Also, a school-record eight Anteaters were selected in the 2007 MLB draft.

The team set several UCI records last season, posting top marks in at bats (2,197), hits (697), stolen bases (140), sacrifice hits (118) and tied for first in RBI (384). The pitching staff hurled a record-high 578.2 innings and struck out 494 to set a new program mark. UCI ended the season ranked nationally in the top 25 in triples per game (5th), stolen bases per game (8th), win-loss percentage (12th), fielding percentage (14th), batting average (21st) and earned run average (26th). Among UC Irvine's 13 regular season series wins were victories over No. 20 Long Beach State and No. 12 Cal State Fullerton on consecutive weekends to open Big West Conference action. UCI swept six opponents and did not post more than two consecutive losses all year. Serrano reached a personal milestone, recording his 100th career victory in a win against Pacific.

It is no surprise that the Anteaters have climbed onto the national stage under Serrano's guidance. Prior to joining the UCI program, Serrano spent 10 years as an assistant coach at the Division I level. His tenure included six Big West Conference titles, a Southeast Conference championship, 10 Regional appearances, three Super Regional titles, five College World Series appearances and a national championship in 2004. At the conclusion of the 2004 season, Serrano was tabbed the Assistant

As an assistant coach, he produced 15 All-Americans and in 2001 alone, four pitchers earned a total of 14 All-America titles. He mentored 26 All-Big West Conference pitchers and saw six of his players earn conference Pitchers of the Year honors, including a Freshman Pitcher of the Year. He guide his pitching staffs to the top of the Big West in ERA five seasons and held a spot in the nation's top 25 six times in this decade (17th in 2000, 14th in 2001, 24th in 2002, 3rd in 2003, 22nd in 2004, 15th in 2006). Since the reinstatement of UCI's baseball program, the national ranking of 15th is the highest UC Irvine has earned. He has cultivated nearly 30 of his hurlers into Major League draft selections, including 2005 first-round selection Ricky Romero, who spent two years under his guidance at Cal State Fullerton. Also members of the elite group of first-round picks groomed by Serrano are Adam Johnson, who was drafted in 2000 and Chad Cordero, who led the Major Leagues with 47 saves in 2005 and was named a National League All-Star. His recruiting classes were consistently ranked among the Top 20 in the nation, and in 2000 and 2002, saw his efforts were rated in the nation's top two.

Serrano credits much of his success to the impressive list of elite skippers with whom he has shared the dugout, and nurtured his development as both a player and a coach. That list includes Wally Kincaid (Cerritos College), Augie Garrido (CS Fullerton), George Horton (Cerritos, CS Fullerton) and Rod Delmonico (Tennessee) with the last three all earning "National Coach of the Year" accolades.

From 1995-96, Serrano was the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Tennessee, where he helped the Vols reach the 1995 College World Series for their first appearance in 44 years. Tennessee's Todd Helton, who doubled as a first baseman and a pitcher, and R.A Dickey were first-round draft picks in 1995 and 1996, respectively. In 12 of his 13 years of coaching at the Division I level, Serrano's teams have reached an NCAA Regional and he has also led teams to six trips to Omaha in that span.

Serrano began his coaching career at Cerritos College where he served seven years (1988-94). In those seven seasons, Cerritos won a state championship in 1989 and six conference titles, including 1991, when Serrano served as the Falcons' head coach and earned South Coast Conference Coach of the Year honors. He graduated from Cerritos High School in 1982 and pitched two seasons at Cerritos College. He went 12-1 and earned JC All-American honors in 1985 while leading the Falcons to a 39-5 record and a state championship. Serrano then pitched for Cal State Fullerton in 1986, recording a 3-4 mark with one save in 15 appearances. He earned his bachelor's degree from Trinity College and University.

Serrano and his wife, Tracy, have three sons: Kyle (11), Zachary (9) and Parker (3).