LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV baseball program will honor former head coach Tim Chambers Sunday prior to its nonconference series finale against the Creighton Bluejays at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.
Chambers' wife Kimberlie and his two daughters, McKenzie and Chase, will be on hand to throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the game, which is scheduled for 1:05 pm.
The Rebel baseball program has dedicated a red bench in Chambers' name that will sit outside the Anthony and Lyndy Marnell III Baseball Clubhouse.
Chambers, who passed away last October, became the sixth head coach in UNLV baseball history on June 11, 2010. In five seasons at the helm (2011-15), he compiled an overall mark of 157-132 and posted 25 or more wins each year. He led the program to a 37-win campaign in 2013.
"What Tim did for this program will never be forgotten," said Rebel head coach
Stan Stolte, who served as Chambers associate head coach. "It will be great to honor him by having Kim, McKenzie and Chase throw out the first pitch. They also were a big part of this program."
In 2014, Chambers guided the Scarlet & Gray to a Mountain West regular-season title with a 20-10 conference mark en route to an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament. The Rebels finished the year 36-25.
Under his watch, Chambers had 14 players drafted by Major League Baseball teams, including right-handed pitcher Erick Fedde, who was the third first-round draft pick in program history when he was selected 18th overall in the 2014 MLB First-Year Player Draft by the Washington Nationals.
Chambers, a native of Claremore, Oklahoma, had strong ties to the Las Vegas community after serving as the head coach at Bishop Gorman High School (1991-99) and at the College of Southern Nevada (2000-10).
At Bishop Gorman, Chambers led the Gaels to six consecutive Sunset Division championships (1992-97) and one state runner-up finish in 1997. He garnered NIAA High School Baseball Coach of the Year honors twice over (1993 and '94).
Chambers built CSN into a national power on the junior college circuit, winning seven conference championships, three region titles, two district crowns and the 2003 JUCO World Series Championship. The 2010 squad, led by top MLB draft pick Bryce Harper, was ranked second in the nation and finished the year 52-16 overall after it reached the national semifinals.
As a player, Chambers earned All-America honors in 1984 while playing at Dixie College, and was named all-conference at three different schools. He earned his bachelor's degree from Southern Utah University in 1989.
UP NEXT: UNLV, which defeated Creighton Friday 6-4 , continues its series Saturday at 2:05 pm. The three-game set concludes Sunday at 1:05 pm.
