June 15, 2011

Serrano named head coach at Tennessee

Dave Serrano (left) has resigned as head coach at Cal State Fullerton to take the same position at Tennessee.

Serrano, 46, has a record of 289-139-1 (.675) in seven season as a head coach in Division I. He led UC Irvine to its first College World Series appearance in 2007 in his third season with the Anteaters before spending the past four years with the Titans. Serrano guided Cal State Fullerton to the College World Series in 2009, making him one of 11 coaches to take two different teams to Omaha. He was named Big West Coach of the Year for the second straight season after posting a record of 41-17 in 2011. The Titans won the Big West title and hosted a regional.

After seven seasons at Cerritos Junior College, Serrano was an assistant for two years at Tennessee from 1995-96. The Volunteers were 97-36 (.729) during those two seasons, including a trip to the College World Series in 1995.

From the start of his coaching career in 1988, Serrano had had 161 players drafted. He has had seven first-round picks and 23 have reached the Major Leagues.

A native of Torrence, Calif., Serrano played two seasons at Cerritos College before pitching for Augie Garrido at Cal State Fullerton in 1986. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Trinity College and University in 2003.

(photo by Matt Brown)