The Register-Guard

August 29, 2007

Fullerton coach in Ducks' sights

Oregon's search for a baseball coach has centered for the moment on Cal State Fullerton's George Horton, who led that school to the 2004 national championship.

Oregon athletic director Pat Kilkenny confirmed Tuesday night that the Ducks have had discussions with Horton and "are interested in him strongly."

Considering that Oregon has already been turned down by Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin and UC Irvine coach Dave Serrano, it's not believed that Horton is the only coach on Oregon's radar right now, but he seems to have emerged as the latest leading candidate.

Horton, 53, completed his 11th season with the Titans at the College World Series in June, where they were eliminated by Serrano's Anteaters with a 5-4 loss in 13 innings that was the longest game in CWS history. Fullerton's other loss was to two-time champion Oregon State.

CSF finished 38-25 in 2007 after making the school's 15th trip to Omaha for the CWS. Horton's career record is 490-212-1.

A 1978 graduate of Cal State-Fullerton who earned his master's degree from Cal Lutheran in 1980, Horton played on the first Titan team to reach the College World Series in 1975. He began his coaching career at Cerritos College in Norwalk, Calif., where he took the Falcons to three junior college state titles in six seasons.

Horton and his wife, Francie, have four daughters and two granddaughters.