September 24, 2007

Trapasso interviews at Irvine

Star-Bulletin staff

Former USC baseball coach Mike Gillespie is considered the front-runner for the vacant UC Irvine job.

Mike Trapasso of Hawaii was among four other coaches who interviewed for the position, according to an article in the Orange County Register last week.

Trapasso declined comment when contacted by the Star-Bulletin yesterday. Trapasso -- who has led the Rainbows to a string of five winning records after his first season at Manoa in 2002 -- is in the midst of a five-year contract he signed in 2004.

UCI coach Dave Serrano left for Cal State Fullerton after leading the Anteaters to a 47-17-1 record and a berth in the College World Series last year.

Gillespie is now manager of the New York Mets' minor league Staten Island team.

He is one of only two men (Arizona's Jerry Kindall was the other) to play for and coach an NCAA championship baseball team. He was the left fielder for USC's 1961 national championship squad and coached the 1998 team to the school's 12th and latest title.

Gillespie posted a 763-471-2 (.618) record in 20 years at the helm of the Trojans.