August 22, 2007

UO focuses on Serrano's college degree

BRIAN MEEHAN
The Oregonian Staff

The University of Oregon has delayed a follow-up interview with Dave Serrano, the award-winning University of California Irvine baseball coach, amid reports that Serrano obtained his bachelor's degree from a Spanish school that awards degrees but does not require students to attend class.

Oregon, which is restoring baseball after a 26-year hiatus, has listed a bachelor's degree as a requirement for the baseball coaching job. The university dropped the degree requirement when it hired Pat Kilkenny as athletic director in February.

Kilkenny left the University of Oregon short of graduation before a successful career in the insurance industry in which he accumulated a net worth of more than $100 million. The Oregon athletics booster now serves as athletic director on a token salary.

Kilkenny did not return calls to The Oregonian. He told The (Eugene) Register-Guard that the delay in interviewing Serrano was caused by logistics. But Kilkenny acknowledged the school was reviewing Serrano's degree from The Trinity College and University, a school in Malaga, Spain, that awards degrees "based on previous life experiences."

Renee Baumgartner, a senior associate athletic director at Oregon, said the university was concerned about Serrano's degree.

Serrano lists his degree on Irvine's baseball Web site and Irvine administrators reviewed the diploma before hiring him. The Trinity College and University's Web site says it charges $240 for a bachelor's degree; $290 for a bachelor's with honors, and $375 for a master's.

This spring, Serrano capped his third year at Irvine by leading the Anteaters to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. Serrano is highly respected by his peers and was named national coach of the year by Baseball America.

"He is a great guy and is a very good coach," said UCLA coach John Savage, who preceded Serrano at Irvine. "Dave would be a great coach for Oregon. He has all the abilities."

Portland State athletic director Torre Chisholm came to the Park Blocks from Irvine. As an associate athletic director, Chisholm served on the search committee that interviewed Serrano. Chisholm said Serrano's degree was scrutinized.

"At the time he was at Irvine, it was reviewed, and the university had determined that the degree he had was acceptable," Chisholm said.

"I think there's been more scrutiny of some of the schools that are being accused of being diploma mills, I guess, for lack of a better term," Chisholm said. "But at the time when Irvine looked at it, everybody was comfortable with the degree and the university he had received it from."

Chisholm said Serrano quickly achieved a reputation as a coach who valued academics.

"He wanted to coach athletes who understood and learned how to play the game and would be as effective using their mind and their approach to their game as their physical skills," Chisholm said.

"Irvine is a UC school and it takes a lot of pride in its academic standards," Chisholm added. "It wasn't an issue for them where his degree was. He's an unbelievable coach, so it probably shouldn't be a deterrent to him having a chance to secure a great position."

Before taking the Irvine job, Serrano was an assistant coach for eight years at Cal State Fullerton, where he helped win a national championship. He also coached at Tennessee. Several weeks ago, Kilkenny flew to California and interviewed Serrano.

Rachel Bachman of The Oregonian staff contributed to this report. Brian Meehan, 503-221-4341; brianmeehan@news.oregonian.com