Broncs narrow coaching search to four

The University of Texas-Pan American has narrowed its national head baseball coaching search to four finalists out of the 24 that applied for the job.

UTPA Interim Athletic Director Ricky Vaughn said the university plans to name its new coach by early next week. UTPA still is actively interviewing the final four candidates.

The remaining candidates for the job are assistant baseball coach and recruiting coordinator at Division I Virginia Military Institute Ryan Mau, Virginia Tech Associate Head Coach David Turgeon, NAIA Saint Thomas University Head Coach Manuel Mantrana and 2007 UTPA Assistant Coach Eugene Salazar.

"I think with all of the candidates, they all have had coaching experience and they all have playing experience," Vaughn said. "All but one has head coaching experience. We feel really good about these final four. We think all four of them would fit in with the university.

"I think the amount of time we have taken on the search goes to show how important this decision is."

Mau and Turgeon toured the UTPA facilities last week. Mantrana and Salazar will go through their final interviews during the next two days.

Mau graduated from the College of Charleston and played professionally in the Florida Marlins organization. He also had assistant stints at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. and at Charleston Southern University in South Carolina.

"It is definitely a challenge," Mau said about possibly taking over a program that has struggled in recent years. "I don't see it as any more challenging as trying to recruit guys to come play at the Virginia Military Institute."

Turgeon, who said he was contacted by UTPA to see if he had any interest in the position, is the associate head coach/pitching instructor at Virginia Tech. Turgeon, a 1987 graduate of Davidson College, also has been an associate head coach at Duke (2006) and Connecticut (2004-2005) and a pitching coach at Boston College (2003). In 2000 he was the manager of the short-season Single-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, the Burlington Indians.

"I really think it can be a diamond in the rough," Turgeon said. "I think there is so much potential there. Their (Academic Performance Rate) has suffered a little bit, but I think someone has to go in there and retool some things."

Mantrana played in the farm systems for the Detroit Tigers, Milwaukee Brewers and New York Mets. He coached high school in Miami for four years before jumping to Miami-Dade Community College in 1995. In 1996, Mantrana took over at St. Thomas University in Miami. During 12 years as an NAIA coach, Mantrana has amassed a 434-193-1 record.

"In the past, (UTPA) was a proven winner," Mantrana said. "I think it's like a sleeping giant. The school just needs someone to wake it up. It is a good place for baseball, there's no doubt in my mind."

The most familiar of the finalists is Salazar, who was on the Broncs staff last season. He is the only finalist with experience as a Division I head coach, serving as interim coach at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi in 2007. Salazar also served as the head coach at Division II St. Edward's University in Austin from 1998 to 2002

Salazar did not return phone calls before press time.

UTPA opened a national search for a new coach after firing Willie Gawlik in late June. Gawlik was 120-206 in six seasons at UTPA.

Peter Rasmussen covers UTPA athletics for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4448 or via e-mail at prasmussen@themonitor.com.