Sam Piraro no longer a candidate for Cal Poly baseball coaching job
Sam Piraro, the only San Jose State University baseball coach to take the Spartans to two NCAA post-season tournament appearances, has taken himself out of consideration for the vacant Cal Poly University baseball head coaching position.
| The 2003 season will mark Sam Piraro's 17th at San Jose State. |
Piraro, the winningest baseball coach in San Jose State history, has a 536-384-4 record in 16 seasons at the school. The Spartans advanced to the College World Series in 2000 and was one of 64 teams that participated in the 2002 NCAA Tournament. No other Spartan baseball coach has taken a team to more than one national tournament appearance.
The 50-year-old native of San Jose and former San Jose State infielder became a prime candidate for the Cal Poly job when Ritchie Price left the school in late June to accept the baseball head coaching position at the University of Kansas.
PIRARO COMMENTS
"After several family meetings over the past few weeks, I’ve reached the decision that it is best for my family and me to withdraw my name from consideration for the Cal Poly baseball position. The people at Cal Poly, starting with athletics director John McCutcheon, were very accommodating and professional through the entire process. Cal Poly has a good structure in place to attract a top-flight head coach and I’m sure that will happen," says Piraro, who has been named the Western Athletic "Coach of the Year" twice in San Jose State’s six seasons in the conference.
"At the same time, I’m looking forward to coaching the San Jose State University baseball team. We’ve accomplished a great deal in 16 years in all facets of the program. We are consistent winners; have reached post-season play twice in the last three seasons, have upgraded our facilities, increased our scholarship commitment and overall operating budget and can be proud of our academic accomplishments through the years."
BELL HAPPY
"We’re very happy Sam is staying at San Jose State University as our baseball coach," says Chuck Bell, San Jose State’s director of athletics. "Sam has done a wonderful job with our baseball team. He has brought a lot of notoriety and attention to the school. The baseball program definitely is one of San Jose State’s top-producers in all areas and Sam is to be commended."