Gilmore Named CB’s National Coach Of Year

TUCSON, Ariz. — Coastal Carolina Head Coach Gary Gilmore has been named National Coach of The Year by Collegiate Baseball newspaper.

One of the most respected coaches in college baseball, Gilmore led the Chanticleers to their first national baseball championship at the recent College World Series with a 4-3 win over Arizona.

Previously Coastal Carolina’s best team finish in any NCAA championship was fifth-place in men’s golf.

The Chanticleers were 6-0 in elimination games during the 2016 NCAA baseball tournament and 5-0 at the College World Series. CCU is the first school to win five elimination games in Omaha since Oregon State in 2006.

Coastal Carolina also became the first team to win the championship in its College World Series debut since Minnesota in 1956 — some 60 years ago.

Coastal had a remarkable run through the playoffs as it first knocked off N.C. State, 7-5 to win the Raleigh Regional. Then the Chanticleers stunned Louisiana State two straight in Baton Rouge to qualify for the College World Series. In a first-round matchup in the College World Series, the Chanticleers also knocked off No. 1 national seed Florida, a team that had five players chosen in the first two rounds and five pitchers in the first four rounds of the recent MLB First-Year Player Draft.

After losing game one in the CWS finals to Arizona, 3-0, Coastal Carolina roared back to win the next two games in dramatic style. The national championship victory pushed Gilmore’s overall record to 1,100-540-2 in 27 years of coaching. He has been at Coastal Carolina for the past 21 years with one national championship, three super regional and 14 regional appearances.

A total of six Chanticleers were taken in the 2016 MLB Draft. It marked the most Coastal Carolina players taken in one season since seven were selected in 2010. Overall, it was his seventh time at least five Chanticleers have been drafted in one year. Overall at least one player has been selected in the MLB Draft in 20 consecutive seasons.

Gilmore, who is a nine-time Big South Conference Coach of The Year, has coached 26 players to All-American honors while he has coached the Big South Player of The Year 10 times.

Previous Collegiate Baseball National Coaches of The Year include:

• 2015: Brian O’Connor, Virginia
• 2014: Tim Corbin, Vanderbilt
• 2013: John Savage, UCLA
• 2012: Andy Lopez, Arizona
• 2011: Ray Tanner, South Carolina
• 2010: Ray Tanner, South Carolina
• 2009: Paul Mainieri, Louisiana St.
• 2008: Mike Batesole, Fresno St.
• 2007: Pat Casey, Oregon St.
• 2006: Pat Casey, Oregon St.
• 2005: Augie Garrido, Texas
• 2004: George Horton, Cal. St. Fullerton
• 2003: Wayne Graham, Rice
• 2002: Augie Garrido, Texas
• 2001: Jim Morris, Miami (Fla.)
• 2000: Skip Bertman, Louisiana St.
• 1999: Jim Morris, Miami (Fla.)
• 1998: Mike Gillespie, Southern Calif.
            Mike Batesole, Cal. St. Northridge
• 1997: Skip Bertman, Louisiana St.
• 1996: Skip Bertman, Louisiana St.,
            Andy Lopez, Florida
• 1995: Augie Garrido, Cal. St. Fullerton
• 1994: Larry Cochell, Oklahoma
• 1993: Skip Bertman, Louisiana St.
• 1992: Andy Lopez, Pepperdine
• 1991: Skip Bertman, Louisiana St.
• 1990: Steve Webber, Georgia
• 1989: Dave Snow, Long Beach St.
• 1988: Larry Cochell, Cal. St. Fullerton
• 1987: Mark Marquess, Stanford
• 1986: Jerry Kindall, Arizona
• 1985: Ron Fraser, Miami (Fla.)
• 1984: Augie Garrido, Cal. St. Fullerton
• 1983: Cliff Gustafson, Texas
• 1982: Ron Fraser, Miami (Fla.)
• 1981: Jim Brock, Arizona St.
• 1980: Jerry Kindall, Arizona