Ex-UCI Assistant Altobelli to Coach Baseball at OCC

John Altobelli, who lost his job as an assistant baseball coach at UC Irvine when the program folded in May, has been selected as the head coach at Orange Coast, the college announced Thursday.

“This is a great deal for me,” Altobelli, 29, said. “I can stay in the area and it has always been my goal to be on this level. It’s an exciting level and very attractive to me.”

Altobelli played at Newport Harbor High School, Golden West College and the University of Houston before coming to UC Irvine to work as an assistant to Coach Mike Gerakos in 1987.

He said he planned to apply at OCC before the UC Irvine program folded because of lack of funding.

Altobelli replaces Mike Mayne who stepped down after 15 seasons at OCC. Mayne left with a 400-188 record, six conference championships and a state title (1980). Mayne will work as an assistant football coach this fall for OCC Coach Bill Workman.

“We’re very happy with what we got in John,” OCC Athletic Director Barry Wallace said. “He is a young coach with a lot of spirit and that is what we were looking for.”

Altobelli’s hire must be officially approved at the Coast Community College District Board of Trustees meeting July 22.

He has been married for 5 1/2 years to his wife, Barbara, and has an 18-month-old son, John James.