7/27/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
July 27, 2007
LAS VEGAS - UNLV baseball head coach Buddy Gouldsmith has hired two assistant coaches to fill out his staff heading into the 2007-08 academic year, the athletics department announced on Friday.
Mike Kirby and David Martinez are the two new assistants and both come from a pair of highly successful West Coast programs.
Kirby is making a return to collegiate coaching after spending the past nine years working with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Prior to that Kirby was an assistant at Cal State Fullerton for eight years from 1991-1999 and was a part of the Titans' squad that won the College World Series Championship in 1995. Overall the Titans made six College World Series appearances in Kirby's eight years on the staff and he coached 22 student-athletes who earned All-American honors.
"I am very excited about the opportunity to work with coach Gouldsmith and be a part of the Rebel Baseball staff," Kirby said. "I am eager to share my experience and build on the successes of UNLV Baseball."
Kirby earned his bachelor of arts degree from Cal State Fullerton in 1994. Kirby and wife Melissa have two daughters, Payten and Lauren.
"I am excited to welcome Mike and his family to the Rebel staff," Gouldsmith said. "His wealth of success with the Angels, as well as with the Titans, will prove valuable in developing our student-athletes."
Martinez is a former Rebel who comes to UNLV after spending the past two years coaching at Riverside Community College in Riverside, Calif., where he helped lead the Tigers to the 2007 California State Championship. Martinez also served as an assistant at Purdue during 2005 and at Cal State San Bernardino in 2004. He also worked as an associate scout for the Baltimore Orioles for two seasons.
"After spending some time here as a player and living in the city of Las Vegas, UNLV has always held a special place in my heart," Martinez said. "I look forward to building on the tradition of UNLV Baseball and I am grateful for the opportunity."
Martinez spent the fall of 1997 with the UNLV baseball program as a player. He earned his bachelor's degree in kinesiology from Cal State San Bernardino in 2004.
"Dave is an energetic and ambitious young coach with strong Southern California recruiting ties," Gouldsmith said. "His evaluating experience with the Baltimore Orioles and his recent tenure under Dennis Rogers at Riverside Community College have given him a proven history in both identifying and developing student-athletes."
