Coaching Staff
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coaching staff Head Coach Mike Gottlieb coaching staff head coach – 21st season towson, ‘79 career Record: 495-515-7 Mike gottlieb Needing only five victories to become the first Towson Univer- sity coach in any sport to win 500 games, Mike Gottlieb has been part of the Tigers’ program for nearly 30 years. A 1979 graduate of Towson, he spent two seasons as a player on the Tigers’ roster. After graduating, he was a Tiger assistant coach for seven years. Since becoming the Tigers’ head coach in 1988, he has led the program’s rise to prominence in the Middle Atlantic region. Under his guidance, the Tigers have been very competitive in four different conferences over the last 20 years. From 1988 to 1992, he led the Tigers to a pair of East Coast Conference champi- onships. After three seasons in the Big South Conference, Towson joined the America East Conference in 1996. During six seasons in America East, Gottlieb coached the Tigers to four conference tournament appearances. In 1999, the Tigers won the America East regular season title. Towson was America East runner-up in 1999 and 2001. In 2002, the Tigers joined the very competitive Colonial Athletic Association. In their fourth CAA season, the Tigers reached the CAA championship game where they lost to Virginia Common- wealth. In 20 seasons, the Tigers have averaged more than 25 victories per year and posted ten winning records. There have been two trips to the NCAA Tournament, three conference titles and five appearances in league championship games. In addition, 11 Tigers have been drafted by major league teams. 4 2008 Tiger baSeball coaching staff In 2003, he reached a career mile- stone, earning his 400th coaching win Mike Gottlieb’s Record when the Tigers beat Drexel, 11-2. Season W-L League W-L The winningest coach in Towson University baseball history, he runs a 2007 21-30 11-18 program where the players win games 2006 20-34 8-22 and excel in the classroom. The Tigers 2005 34-24 13-11 have had four players named to the 2004 17-35 6-18 College Sports Information Directors 2003 28-25 11-9 of America Academic All-America team since 1996. 2002 23-27-1 9-12 Last year, senior catcher Ryan Schreiter was honored as a third team Academic All-America pick, joining previous honorees James 2001 37-23 17-11 Vallillo, Jason Rummel and Gregg Davies. 2000 31-23-1 19-9 The last nine seasons have been the winningest stretch in school 1999 33-19 20-7 history. Since 1999, Towson has won 244 games, including a school 1998 21-27 9-18 record 37 victories in 2001. 1997 24-28 9-14 The 2005 season was one of his most memorable. With an explo- 1996 17-29 8-14 sive lineup that led NCAA Division I with 105 home runs, the Tigers 1995 24-28-1 10-16 finished as Colonial Athletic Association runners-up. En route to a 34-24 final record, Towson won 17 of its final 24 games and finished 1994 18-29 8-19 fifth in the CAA with a 13-11 record. In the CAA Tournament at 1993 20-25 14-9 Wilmington, N.C., the Tigers lost their tournament opener to Vir- 1992 30-19-1 9-4 ginia Commonwealth, 6-5. However, the Tigers bounced back to 1991 28-23-1 (NCaa) 13-5 stun top-seeded UNC Wilmington, 6-1. Then, they reached the CAA 1990 18-29 7-7 finals with a 5-0 victory over Delaware. In the finals, the Tigers lost 1989 23-21-1 9-4 to VCU again, 13-6. The 2005 season was an amazing turnaround for the Tigers, who 1988 31-17-1 (NCaa) 12-2 doubled their victory total from the previous year. Towson improved from a 17-35 record in 2004 to a 34-24 mark in 2005. In 2003, the Tigers played in the CAA for the second year. Towson responded by posting a 28-25 overall record, its fourth winning season in five years. The Tigers also finished fifth in the CAA with an 11-9 record and qualified for the CAA Tournament. In 2002, Towson played its first year in the CAA. The Tigers went 9-12 in CAA games, just missing a berth in the league tournament. In 2001, the Tigers concluded a very successful run in America East. In their final season in the league, the Tigers set a school record with 37 wins. After finishing third in the league’s regular season standings, the Tigers finished as America East runners-up for the second time. In six seasons competing of America East competition, Gottlieb led the Tigers to four playoff berths and one regular season champion- ship. In 1999, Towson won the league’s regular season title, marking the only time Delaware didn’t win the title in a sevcn-year stretch. The Tigers, who were America East runners-up in 1999 and 2001, had a 56-29 league record over their final three years in the league. The 1999 America East Coach of the Year, he earned the 300th victory of his coaching career when Towson beat Vermont, 2-1, on April 16, 2000. The Tigers, who are starting their seventh season as members of the Colonial Athletic Association this season, have also had some impressive success against non-conference teams during the last few years. CoaCHiNg staFF 5 coaching staff During the 2000 season, the Tigers also posted one of the most A member of America East from 1996 to 2001, the Tigers nearly prestigious wins in the history of the program. On March 21, Towson won two championships. In 1999, the top-seeded Tigers won the beat North Carolina by 9-8 when the Tar Heels were the sixth-ranked regular season title with a 20-7 record. They advanced to the cham- team in NCAA Division I. The win also ended Carolina’s 52-game pionship round with a 6-1 win over Maine and a 4-1 victory over home winning streak against non-Atlantic Coast Conference teams. Delaware. However, the Blue Hens came back to win twice on the In 2003, the Tigers posted another win over a nationally-ranked final day of the tournament, earning their second straight America team when they beat 17th-ranked Richmond, 19-10. East championship. In 2000, the Tigers finished second in the league Three yeats ago, Casper Wells and Shane Justis became the most and lost their first two games in the tournament. recent Tigers to be drafted by a major league organization. Wells, the In 2001, the Tigers battled Delaware and Maine all season for the 2005 CAA Player of the Year, was a 14th-round draft choice by the regular season title. Towson entered the conference tournament as Detroit Tigers while Justis, an All-CAA shortstop, was selected by the the third seed with a 17-11 record. In the opening game, the Tigers Los Angeles Dodgers in the 21st round. pounded out a school and tournament record 28 base hits in a 20-4 Both Wells and Justis are continuing to develop in the two orga- first round win over Maine. nizations. After dropping a 4-1 decision to Delaware in the second round, the In 2002, outfielder Gregg Davies was selected in the 21st round Tigers earned a berth in the championship round by beating North- by the Baltimore Orioles. Six years ago, pitcher Bryan Simmering was eastern, 7-6. Delaware won the title with a 7-0 win in the final game. picked in the 27th round by the Oakland A’s. It was the only time all season that the Tigers were shut out. After the 2000 season, Towson had two pitchers drafted. Chris In 1988, Coach Gottlieb enjoyed a very memorable debut season. Russ was picked in the third round by the Texas Rangers and Denny The first-year coach led Towson to the best season in school history, Chapman was selected by San Diego in the 27th round. In 1999, as the Tigers posted a 31-17-1 record. They went 12-2 in the East infielder Jason Rummel was a 29th round pick by the Chicago White Coast Conference, finishing first in the league standings. Towson Sox in 1999 while pitcher Chris Fiora was a 22nd round pick by St. swept through the 1988 ECC Tournament, beating Hofstra and Louis. Delaware twice, to win its first ECC championship. Coach Gottlieb Pitchers Mike Vota and Derek Hasselhoff were drafted by the was honored as the ECC Coach of the Year and later earned NCAA Chicago White Sox in 1995. In 1988, Chris Nabholz was the first Regional Coach of the Year honors. Gottlieb-coached player to be drafted. He was a second round draft Making their first NCAA regional appearance, the Tigers did well. pick by the Montreal Expos. Nabholz went on to pitch in the major After a loss to College World Series-bound Miami, they beat Vir- leagues for five years. ginia Commonwealth and finished fourth in the NCAA regional at In six seasons as members of America East, four different Tigers Miami. were named as the America East Scholar-Athlete for baseball. Davies In 1989, Towson took second in the ECC as Rider won the title. won the award in 2001, joining Jason Sandner (2000), Rummel In 1991, Towson won its second ECC championship and posted a (1999) and Valillo (1996) as Towson players who earned the honor. 28-23-1 record.