Serrano starting to reassure ‘Eaters

Steve Virgen

Before Dave Serrano was introduced as UC Irvine’s new baseball coach

Monday, he was working the phones on Sunday, reassuring his players

that everything would be OK.

The Anteaters, who lost their coach, John Savage, to UCLA July 1,

were informed they would be getting a new coach who was an assistant

for 2004 NCAA champion Cal State Fullerton. UCI was also acquiring

the asset that ushered the new era of Anteater baseball: pitching.

Serrano, who was a pitching coach and lead recruiting coordinator

at Cal State Fullerton, said he was proud to be UCI’s new baseball

coach at a press conference at the Bren Events Center Monday, where

he was officially sworn in a day after the announcement came. He also

said his first order of business was to form a relationship with the

players.

“I’ve been very excited on how the players have responded to me,”

said Serrano, who is in his first NCAA Division I head coaching post.

“I’ve gone into this a little timid. I know that they all feel like

the carpet has been pulled from underneath them, and I made that

comment to them. But I’m here to tell them, ‘Give me a chance. Give

me and my staff a chance.’ I can’t promise them, but I can assure

them they’ll be happy with me and my staff.”

Serrano, 40, is expecting to sign a multi-year deal with a base

salary of $98,000 a year, which is a bit higher than what Savage

received, said athletic director Bob Chichester, who made his first

high-profile hire. The contract will also have incentive bonuses.

“I’m very excited about him,” Chichester said. “He’s the guy who’s

been there before and has done it ... We are very much looking

forward to working with him to develop the future of the baseball

program.”

Serrano said he has begun to assemble his coaching staff, but he

has chosen not to go public with his assistants, saying only they

will be part of, “the family,” he’s familiar with.

Serrano thanked Cal State Fullerton Coach George Horton, as well

as others involved with Titan athletics. He said initially leaving

the Titans was a tough decision, but looking back, he said it was

easy.

“This is my new home,” Serrano said. “And, I plan on it being my

home for along time. I was only going to leave Fullerton for

something special. A lot of success will hopefully come our way.”

Serrano said he seemed destined to become an Anteater. Toward the

end of the regular season, when Fullerton played at UCI, Serrano said

he was captivated by Anteater Ballpark. He also had a premonition.

“I told my wife [Tracy], that would be a special place to be the

head coach,” Serrano said. “I said maybe one day that will happen.”

Serrano also said over a year ago, his wife wrote on a piece of

paper, “Dave will be the next head baseball coach at UCI,” and put it

in a compartment in their room.

Serrano said he looked forward to starting his job.

“The resources are here,” Serrano said. “The community support

isn’t here yet, but I think it can be. There’s nothing but great

things that can come from this program.”

Chichester said a few players were involved in the interview

process, as Chichester called players throughout his meetings with,

“a couple of applicants.” He called pitchers Glenn Swanson, Justin

Cassell and Michael Koehler, who has been a leader for the Anteaters,

Chichester said. Greg Wallis and Matt Anderson were also notified

during the interview process, as well as Koehler’s parents.