June 16, 2007

OMAHA, NE - Long-time Cal State Fullerton assistant baseball coach Rick Vanderhook has been promoted to Associate Head Coach the university announced on Saturday afternoon at the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.

"I commend the Cal State Fullerton athletic leadership for recognizing and rewarding Rick Vanderhook with the associate head coach position for Titan baseball," Head Coach George Horton said. "We're delighted that Rick has decided to stay on as an important part of the Titan baseball program.

"I think the administration has realized what we have known all along, that we have one of the finest young coaches in the country."

The 42-year-old Vanderhook is currently in his 21st season on the Titans' coaching staff, helping Fullerton to 11 Big West Conference titles, 11 regional championships, five super regional titles, nine trips to the College World Series and a pair of NCAA National Championships in 1995 and 2004. He was also a member of the 1984 national championship Titan squad as a player.

He began his coaching career as an assistant to then-Fullerton Head Coach Augie Garrido from 1985-88, serving as the bullpen coach for the first two years before stepping into the third base coaching box and working with the hitters and defense in 1987.

After spending two seasons as an assistant to current Fullerton volunteer coach Bill Kernen at Cal State Northridge, Vanderhook returned with Garrido to Cal State Fullerton in 1991 and has remained ever since.

"Hook" is in his first season as the team's pitching coach and defensive coordinator after many year's as the program's third base coach and hitting instructor.

The Titans take the field at Rosenblatt Stadium on Saturday evening at 4 p.m. PDT as they open the 2007 College World Series against defending national champion Oregon State. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN and will also be audio streamed over the Internet at www.fullertontitans.com.