Lopez Named Assistant Baseball Coach
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — University of Miami head baseball coach Jim Morris announced the hiring of Norberto Lopez to the position of assistant baseball coach Friday.
Lopez, who got his start playing baseball at Monsignor Pace High School in Hialeah, Fla., before moving on to Broward College and Nova Southeastern, will oversee catchers and will also assist coach Gino DiMare with the Hurricane hitters.
“Coach Lopez is exactly what we need. He’s a Miami guy, he’s someone who has caught in college and professional baseball, and he is a great source of knowledge for our players at that position,” Morris said.
After being drafted by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 1999, he spent three years in the organization. Lopez advanced to AAA and made an appearance in the Angels’ major league camp.
Most recently, Lopez served on the UTPA Broncs coaching staff from 2009-2015. He was promoted to the position of Broncs associate head coach prior to the 2015 season.
“I’m extremely excited – I can’t express it in words,” Lopez said about joining the Miami staff. “Growing up in Miami, I was a big fan of UM, and now I get to work alongside a legend in Jim Morris, a great recruiting coordinator in Gino DiMare and a tremendous pitching coach in JD Arteaga.”
Behind the plate Lopez will be working with 2015 All-America and All-ACC first team selection Zack Collins, as well as all of the Hurricanes catchers.
“I’m very excited about having him and what he can bring to our program,” Morris said. “Coach Lopez can help elevate Zack and all of our catchers to the next level.”
Lopez was an assistant coach for FAU where he helped the Owls compile a .341 batting average with 93 homeruns in 2007, and a .321 batting average with 99 homeruns in 2008.
Prior to his time at FAU, Lopez spent two years at Broward Community College from 2004 through 2006 where he led the team to a third place finish at the National Junior College
Athletic Association World Series. Serving as the hitting and catching coach, Lopez saw his team hit .301, set the home run record at the state tournament and win the Florida Community College Activities Association state title.
Lopez graduated from Nova Southeastern University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1999. In 2006, he earned a master’s in exceptional student education from Nova Southeastern.
“I’m very grateful for the opportunity that Coach Morris has given me,” Lopez said. “When you have that much talent on the team, and you get to work with those types of players and people, you’re blessed. I’m excited to get started.”
Lopez and his wife Cheryl have two sons, Niko and Mason.
