Serrano has no regrets

Former UC Irvine baseball coach Dave Serrano said Sunday he had no regrets about his decision to take over the Cal State Fullerton program, nor about making comments before his departure that he had no interest in the Fullerton job.

Serrano earlier deflected interest from Oregon by stating he wanted to remain at UCI.

He said Aug. 31, after George Horton left Fullerton to take the Oregon job, that he had no interest in returning to Fullerton, where he pitched one season and was an assistant under Horton for eight seasons before coming to Irvine before the 2005 campaign.

“I have no regrets,” said Serrano, who cited long-term stability, better facilities and a major advantage in tradition as reasons why he chose Fullerton over UCI.

Serrano also said lucrative shoe and apparel sponsorship contracts at Fullerton will allow him to make more money than he did at UCI.

Serrano said the lack of an athletic director at UCI — Paula Smith became interim A.D. after Bob Chichester resigned in June — was absolutely a factor in his leaving.

He said his decision to leave, announced to Anteaters players at a tearful meeting Friday afternoon, was the second toughest thing he has had to swallow in his life, after the death of his mom.

“I’ve heard words like betrayal, lies and deceit about my leaving UCI,” Serrano said. “But, at the end of the day, when I put my head on the pillow, I feel good about my decision. To the public, I may look like I was a liar and I was deceitful. But I know in my heart and I know people close to me know that the statement I made [about not having interest in the Fullerton job] was made out of loyalty and the friendship that I have with Rick [Vanderhook, a longtime Fullerton assistant who was passed over by Titans Athletic Director Brian Quinn in favor of Serrano].”

Serrano said Quinn told him when he left Fullerton after the Titans won the 2004 national championship that Serrano would be the next coach at Fullerton, if Horton ever left. Serrano said Quinn reiterated that to him on the field before the Anteaters played the Titans in the College World Series in June.

Serrano, named 2007 National Coach of the Year by Baseball America after leading the Anteaters to Omaha in his third season, said he cried like a baby when he informed the Irvine players, many of whom were also crying, of his decision to leave.

Serrano said former UCI assistant coach Chad Bergeron has agreed to join him at Fullerton. Serrano said he expects to learn today whether former UCI assistant Sergio Brown will also join him. Brown planned to speak with UCI officials today about his chances of getting the job at UCI, Serrano said.

UCI officials have indicated they will have a nationwide search for the new coach and Serrano said Brown is considered a longshot, due to his limited experience.

Serrano said former Tennessee coach Rod Delmonico, who was fired after 18 seasons at the school in June, called Serrano Sunday to discuss his interest in the UCI vacancy.

Serrano was the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Tennessee in 1995, when the Volunteers made the first of their three College World Series appearances under Delmonico, who was named National Coach of the Year that season by Baseball America.

Serrano said he urged UCI players not to follow him to Fullerton, though any recruits who have made only verbal commitments to UCI, should make their own decisions on whether or not they would go to Fullerton.

Serrano will be formally introduced at Cal State Fullerton today at a 2 p.m. news conference.