Morris Enters Eighth Season With New Contract
Oct. 29, 2000
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) – University of Miami Athletic Director Paul Dee announced today that Head Baseball Coach Jim Morris has signed a new six-year contract, which runs through the 2006 season. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.
“The University of Miami is extremely pleased to announce this extension with Coach Morris,” said Dee. “Coach Morris has been highly successful in all aspects of this program, for which is the reason the University has entered this extension.”
“I would like to thank Mr. Dee and the University of Miami for giving me the greatest opportunity of my coaching career,” said Morris. “This University and this baseball program has meant a great deal to me and my family since my arrival in 1994. Along with be surrounded by outstanding coaches, players and fans, it is an honor and privilege to continue the greatest tradition in college baseball.”
In his seven previous seasons at Miami, Morris has guided his Hurricane teams to seven postseason berths and six trips to the College World Series in Omaha, NE. Additionally, Morris’ 1999 club won the coveted National Championship with a 6-5 victory over Florida State in the title game.
Aside from winning UM’s third-ever National Championship in 1999, Collegiate Baseball and American Baseball Coaches’ Association named Morris the National Coach of the Year that season.
In addition, Morris had established a new NCAA record for guiding a team to the College World Series in each of his first six years with Miami (1994-99). Morris actually set the record in 1998 with his fifth straight trip to Omaha.
Morris’ 1999 Coach of the Year honor from Collegiate Baseball and the ABCA marked his second and third such national awards as Baseball America named him the 1994 Coach of the Year following his first season with the Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes will begin preparation for the 2001 season with fall practice at Mark Light Stadium, October 30 through November 17. Practices, which begin at 3 p.m. each day, are open to the public. Miami returns 21 lettermen from last year’s squad that finished 41-19-1 and ranked as high as 13th by Baseball America and the USA Today/Baseball Weekly Coaches’ Poll.
Among the 21 lettermen returning for the Hurricanes are 12 position players with double-digit starts, two starting pitchers and nearly the entire bullpen from last year’s squad. Miami also starts fall practice with 16 new players on its roster.
Highlighting the 2001 Hurricanes’ roster are sophomores Kevin Howard and Danny Matienzo, along with senior Kevin Brown. Howard was named Baseball America’s 2000 Freshman of the Year, while Matienzo was honored as the 2000 Coral Gables NCAA Regional Most Outstanding Player. Brown, regarded as one of the nation’s best power hitters according to Baseball Weekly’s 2000 preseason edition, was hobbled most of last season with a deep shin bruise.
Returning to the mound for the Hurricanes in 2001 are junior Brian Walker and sophomore Kiki Bengochea, along with top relievers Tom Farmer and Luke DeBold. Walker led the Hurricanes pitching staff in 2000 with a 12-2 record as UM’s No. 2 pitcher, behind Cincinnati Reds draft pick David Gil. Bengochea, who was UM’s No. 3 pitcher in 2000, was USA Baseball’s top reliever during the 2000 USWest Red, White and Blue Summer Tour. Farmer and DeBold, who each held the closer and long-reliever role during the 2000 season, each enjoyed successful summers in the Virginia Valley and Cape Cod Leagues, respectively.
The Hurricanes 2001 recruiting class, ranked 7th nationally by Collegiate Baseball, is highlighted by Boston Red Sox 18th round draft pick Haas Pratt (OF), Minnesota Twins 20th round pick T.J. Prunty (RHP), Cincinnati Reds 31st round draft pick Daniel Touchet (RHP) and Sacramento City Junior College’s Jeff Reboin (LHP).
The 2001 schedule for the Hurricanes begins on January 25th with Florida Atlantic at Mark Light Stadium. Miami will face seven teams that participated in the 2000 NCAA Division I Tournament, highlighted by annual games against state rivals Florida State, Florida, FIU, FAU, Jacksonville and South Florida. Among the teams travelling to Coral Gables in 2001 are Oklahoma State, Rutgers, East Carolina, Cal-State Fullerton and Virginia.
The File On Jim MorrisNational Honors1999 Collegiate Baseball National Coach of the Year1999 ABCA National Coach of the Year1999 Inducted into Georgia Tech Sports Hall of Fame1998 ABCA Atlantic Region Coach of the Year1997 ABCA Atlantic Region Coach of the Year1996 ABCA Atlantic Region Coach of the Year1994 Baseball America National Coach of the Year1993 Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year1987 Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year ABCA District Coach of the Year Metro Atlanta Dugout Club Coach of the Year1983 Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year
Coaching RecordOverall Record as a Head Coach 975-392-2 .713Overall Division I Record 844-351-2 .706Record at Miami (7 years) 340-107-1 .760Record at Georgia Tech (12 years) 504-244-1 .674Record at DeKalb CC (4 years) 131-41 .762
Morris as a Division I Head CoachYear School Record Pct. Post-Season2000 Miami 41-19-1 .680 13th Nationally, Coral Gables Regional Champs1999 Miami 50-13 .794 1st College World Series, Regional & Super Reg. Champs1998 Miami 51-12 .810 5th College World Series, Atlantic I Champs1997 Miami 51-18 .739 3rd College World Series, Atlantic Champs1996 Miami 50-14 .781 2nd College World Series, Central I Champs1995 Miami 48-17 .738 3rd College World Series, Atlantic II Champs1994 Miami 49-14 .778 5th College World Series, Atlantic. I Champs1993 Georgia Tech 47-14 .770 NCAA Atlantic Regional1992 Georgia Tech 45-19 .703 NCAA East Regional1991 Georgia Tech 42-26 .618 NCAA Atlantic Regional1990 Georgia Tech 46-25 .648 NCAA South I Regional1989 Georgia Tech 38-26 .594 NCAA East Regional1988 Georgia Tech 45-24 .652 ACC Champions, NCAA Atlantic Regional1987 Georgia Tech 51-14 .785 ACC Champions, NCAA Northeast Regional1986 Georgia Tech 45-23 .662 ACC Champions, NCAA Atlantic Regional1985 Georgia Tech 42-19-1 .680 ACC Champions, NCAA South II Regional1984 Georgia Tech 36-19 .6551983 Georgia Tech 38-15 .7171982 Georgia Tech 29-20 .592
Fall 2000 Practice Roster
# Name Pos. B/T Ht Wt Yr./CL Hometown/HS/Previous School0 Javier Rodriguez SS R/R 5-11 188 3/JR Miami, FL/Gulliver4 Jim Burt, Jr. OF R/L 5-11 220 2/FR Allendale, NJ/Bergen Catholic6 Kris Clute 2B R/R 5-10 180 4/SR Miami, FL/Killian9 Mike Rodriguez OF L/L 5-10 182 3/JR Cooper City, FL/Cooper City10 Kevin Mannix IF R/R 6-1 209 2/SO Syosset, NY/Syosset13 Troy Roberson RHP R/R 6-2 203 3/JR Royal Palm Beach, FL/King’s Academy14 Mike DiRosa C R/R 5-11 190 3/JR Miami, FL/Coral Gables16 Marcus Nettles LF L/L 5-11 185 3/JR Chicago, IL/Whitney Young17 Enrique Bengochea RHP R/R 6-2 195 2/SO Miami, FL/Columbus22 Danny Matienzo 1B R/R 5-11 190 2/SO Miami, FL/Columbus23 Alex Prendes LHP L/L 6-0 185 4/SR Miami, FL/Gulliver24 Kevin Howard IF L/R 6-3 185 2/SO Thousand Oaks, CA/Westlake30 Brian Walker LHP L/L 6-3 204 3/JR Miami, FL/Westminster Christian32 Dan Smith RHP R/R 6-4 215 4/JR Bonne Terre, MO/North County34 Chris Sheffield RHP R/R 6-3 215 3/JR Richmond, TX/Stephen F. Austin35 Charlton Jimerson OF R/R 6-3 207 4/SR Hayward, CA/Mt. Eden36 Greg Howell RHP R/R 6-0 180 4/SR Brandon, FL/Brandon38 Kevin Brown 1B/LF R/R 6-5 220 4/SR North Fort Myers, FL/North Fort Myers39 Tom Farmer RHP R/R 6-2 195 4/SR Crestwood, IL/Alan B. Shepard40 Luke DeBold RHP R/R 6-3 210 3/JR Dyer, IN/Andrean43 Vince Vazquez RHP R/R 6-3 215 3/SO Miramar, FL/Chaminade-Madonna49 Chad Strong IF R/R 5-11 225 3/SO Santa Maria, CA/Righetti51 Greg Lovelady C R/R 6-0 200 4/SR Miami, FL/Palmetto55 Chris Bell RHP R/R 6-3 195 2/SO Miami, FL/Columbus/U. Florida56 Alex Blanco SS R/R 5-10 181 1/FR Miami, FL/Westminster Christian57 J.D. Cockroft LHP S/R 6-0 196 1/FR San Mateo, CA/Bellarmine Prep58 Andrew Cohn LHP L/L 6-1 195 1/FR Miami, FL/Palmetto59 Matt Dryer INF R/R 6-2 195 3/JR Rochester, NY/McQuade-Jesuit/Indian River CC61 George Huguet RHP R/R 5-11 181 1/FR Miami, FL/Goleman62 David Lewis OF R/R 5-7 161 1/FR Lowndes, GA/Lowndes63 Tim McClendon RHP R/R 6-5 180 1/FR Orlando, FL/Dr. Phillips64 Haas Pratt INF R/R 6-2 218 1/FR Rancho Bernardo (CA)– T.J. Prunty RHP R/R 6-3 205 1/FR St. Paul, MN/St. Paul Academy65 Jeff Reboin LHP L/L 6-3 160 3/JR Carmichael, CA/San Juan/Sacramento City JC66 Ornan Reinoso 1B R/R 6-2 226 1/FR Miami, FL/Coral Gables67 Brad Safchik OF L/L 5-8 175 3/JR Miami, FL/Gulliver/U. Tampa68 Daniel Touchet RHP R/R 6-1 207 1/FR West Palm Beach, FL/Palm Beach Lakes70 Travis Trusnovec RHP R/R 6-2 179 3/JR Yaphank, NY/Suffolk (NY) CC71 Daniel Wells OF R/R 6-2 209 3/JR Columbine/Lamar (CO) CC
3 Head Coach Jim Morris (Elon, ’72, 8th season at UM, 24th season as a Head Coach, 27th season as a coach)42 Assistant Coach Lazaro Collazo (Miami, ’88, 16th season at Miami, 17th season as a coach)2 Assistant Coach Gino DiMare (Miami, ’98, 5th season at UM, 7th season as a coach)21 Assistant Coach Mark Kingston (North Carolina, ’92, 2nd season at UM, 5th season as a coach)
Strength Coach: Mike GibbonsTeam Trainer: Kevin BlaskeCoordinator of Baseball Operations: David DiggsStudent Assistants: Ethan Silverman, Robert GoldbergBaseball SID: Joe Hornstein
