Tampa Spartans baseball

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Tampa Spartans baseball
Founded1977 (1977)
Overall record2,146–941–9 (.695)[1]
UniversityUniversity of Tampa
Head coachJoe Urso (24th season)
ConferenceSunshine State
LocationTampa, Florida
Home stadiumUniversity of Tampa Baseball Field
(capacity: 750[2])
ColorsBlack, red, and gold[3]
     
College World Series champions
1992, 1993, 1998, 2006, 2007, 2013, 2015, 2019, 2024, 2025, 2026
College World Series runner-up
1987, 2003
College World Series appearances
1986, 1987, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2024, 2025, 2026
NCAA tournament appearances
1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026
Conference regular season champions
1987, 1989, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026

The Tampa Spartans baseball program represents the University of Tampa in the NCAA's Division II level in the Sunshine State Conference. The Spartans are the most successful baseball program in the history of Division II with eleven national titles, the most recent coming in 2026. The Spartans are coached by Joe Urso, considered to be the greatest Division II baseball head coaches and one of the best college baseball coaches of all-time.[4]

Tampa has reached the College World Series 22 times, reaching the finals 13 times. The Spartans have won 25 Sunshine State Conference titles, including 20 since 2000, and have produced 101 Major League Baseball draft picks.[5] Nine of those players have gone on to play in the big leagues, including Tino Martinez, Ozzie Timmons and Lou Pinella. The program has highly-publicized wins against Philadelphia Phillies in an exhibition game back in 2015[6] and the Netherlands national baseball team ahead of the 2006 World Baseball Classic.[7]

The Spartans have spent 399 weeks ranked in the top 25, including 298 consecutive weeks from 2005–present. Of those 399 weeks, 119 have been spent as the No. 1 team in all of Division II and 353 weeks have been spent inside the top 10.[8]

Yearly records

Year Conference Coach Overall Record Postseason
1961Sam Bailey9–11–1
1962Sam Bailey13–10
1963Sam Bailey13–9
1964Sam Bailey8–14
1965Sam Bailey12–9
1966Larry Gable16–8
1967Larry Gable8–15
1968Larry Gable10–15
1969Bob Dews13–9
1970Dan Sikes8–11
1971Dan Sikes7–14
1972Dan Sikes15–9–1
1973Joe Wiendl8–22
1974Frank Permuy14–20
1975Frank Permuy10–18–1
1976Frank Permuy21–14–1
1977Ind.Frank Permuy18–24–1
1978Ind.Pete Mulry29–13
1979Ind.Pete Mulry25–25
1980Ind.Pete Mulry27–18
1981Ind.Pete Mulry27–19
1982SSCBrian Sabean27–19
1983SSCBrian Sabean24–18–1
1984SSCBrian Sabean37–18NCAA Regional
1985SSCKen Dominguez32–17
1986SSCKen Dominguez36–23College World Series
1987SSCKen Dominguez42–11–1National Runner-Ups
1988SSCKen Dominguez31–18NCAA regional
1989SSCLelo Prado37–18–1NCAA regional
1990SSCLelo Prado45–14College World Series
1991SSCLelo Prado34–17NCAA Regional
1992SSCLelo Prado42–19National Champions
1993SSCLelo Prado43–21National Champions
1994SSCLelo Prado36–18NCAA Regional
1995SSCLelo Prado41–17NCAA Regional
1996SSCTerry Rupp45–16College World Series
1997SSCTerry Rupp46–16College World Series
1998SSCTerry Rupp46–14National Champions
1999SSCTerry Rupp33–22
2000SSCTerry Rupp45–12NCAA Regional
2001SSCJoe Urso49–10College World Series
2002SSCJoe Urso36–19NCAA Regional
2003SSCJoe Urso45–18National Runners-Up
2004SSCJoe Urso41–16NCAA Regional
2005SSCJoe Urso40–18NCAA Regional
2006SSCJoe Urso54–6National Champions
2007SSCJoe Urso53–10National Champions
2008SSCJoe Urso42–11–1College World series
2009SSCJoe Urso40–17NCAA Regional
2010SSCJoe Urso46–11College World Series
2011SSCJoe Urso36–17NCAA Regional
2012SSCJoe Urso38–10NCAA Regional
2013SSCJoe Urso47–12National Champions
2014SSCJoe Urso54–4College World Series
2015SSCJoe Urso43–13National Champions
2016SSCJoe Urso41–10NCAA Regional
2017SSCJoe Urso37–12NCAA Regional
2018SSCJoe Urso42–11NCAA Regional
2019SSCJoe Urso45–14National Champions
2020SSCJoe Urso15–7
2021SSCJoe Urso23–6College World Series
2022SSCJoe Urso44–13NCAA Super Regional
2023SSCJoe Urso43–11NCAA Regional
2024SSCJoe Urso52–8National Champions
2025SSCJoe Urso55–10National Champions
2026SSCJoe Urso51–9National Champions
Overall Record: 2146–941–9

[1]

Notable alumni

Current MLB roster

Former Spartans on current MLB rosters.

Player Position Team
Jordan Leasure P Chicago White Sox

Individual honors

Division II Player of the Year

Player Position Year
Tino Martinez 1B 1988
Sam Militello P 1990
Mike Valdes P 1998
Lee Cruz OF 2006

National Coach of the Year

Player Year
Lelo Prado 1992
Lelo Prado 1993
Terry Rupp 1998
Joe Urso 2006
Joe Urso 2007
Joe Urso 2013
Joe Urso 2015
Joe Urso 2019
Joe Urso 2024
Joe Urso 2025

SSC Player of the Year

Player Position Year
Brian Zaletel 3B 1992
Rodd Kelley SS 1993
Ronnie Merrill SS 2000
Tom Carrow OF 2001
Lee Cruz OF 2006
Mike Schwartz DH 2010
Yorvis Torrealba OF 2019
EJ Cumbo OF 2023
EJ Cumbo OF 2024
Jhoander Irigoyen DH 2026

SSC Pitcher of the Year

Player Year
Ricky Burton 1996
Mike Valdes 1998
Charlie Manning 2001
Eric Beattie 2003
Sergio Perez 2006
Kevin Ferguson 2007
Sean Bierman 2012
Mike Adams 2013
Preston Packrall 2014
David Lebron 2017
David Lebron 2018
Jordan Leasure 2021
Alex Canney 2023
Skylar Gonzalez 2024
C.J. Williams 2025
B.J. Bailey 2026

SSC Coach of the Year

Player Year
Joe Urso2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2024, 2025, 2026
Terry Rupp1997, 1998, 2000
Lelo Prado1989, 1993
Ken Dominguez1987

References

  1. "Yearly Results - University of Tampa Athletics". University of Tampa Athletics. Retrieved April 27, 2017.
  2. "Facilities - University of Tampa Athletics". University of Tampa Athletics. Retrieved April 27, 2017.
  3. University of Tampa Brand Guidelines (PDF). Retrieved April 1, 2017.
  4. "Urso Joe - University of Tampa Athletics". University of Tampa Athletics. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  5. "Tampa Spartans MLB Draft Selections". University of Tampa Athletics. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  6. "No. 1 Spartans Defeat MLB's Philadelphia Phillies". University of Tampa Athletics. March 1, 2015. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  7. Stoovelaar, Marco (February 28, 2006). "Baseball Recap Netherlands vs. Univ. of Tampa". Grand Slam Netherlands. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  8. "Ranking History". University of Tampa Athletics. Retrieved October 19, 2024.