Former Northridge Head Coach Named Pitching Coach…

Steve Rousey

“We are happy to have attracted one of the premier pitching coaches in the country to our university, in Steve Rousey,” said head coach Mike Batesole. “Steve has played for and coached for, some of the most respected coaches in Division I baseball history. He pitched on the 1984 National Championship team at Cal State Fullerton for former Bulldog Augie Garrido and later was the pitching coach at Long Beach State under Dave Snow. This has us very excited to see him in a Bulldog uniform.”

Rousey will serve as the Bulldogs pitching coach and work with the catchers. He will also assist with recruiting and team travel.

“It is a truly a privilege to have the opportunity to work for Coach Batesole and Fresno State,” said Rousey. “It took no longer than one day on the job to experience the integrity of Bulldog Athletics, University operations, and all the people contributing. So many Fresno community members have gone out of their way to welcome our family. It’s humbling for our family to be blessed with so much unsolicited care and concern. Every day in Bulldog Baseball promises to be better than the next. It is an exciting opportunity to contribute to further building the success and winning ways of Bulldog Baseball!”

Rousey finished his eighth season as head coach of the Cal State Northridge Matadors with a 29-27 overall record and going 9-15 mark in the Big West. After successfully recruiting his second top-40 class in as many seasons, Rousey finished the 2010 season with the program’s first winning season since the 2002 campaign.

Rousey had six players, Ryan Pineda, Dominic D’Anna, Billy Ott, Brian Longpre, Brad Decater and Drew Muren, from the 2010 sqaud, who were drafted or signed by a Major League Baseball organization. He also had four student-athletes ear All-Big West honors in Pineda, D’Anna, CJ Belanger and Jimmy Jolicoeur.

The top assistant coach at Northridge for the 2001 and 2002 seasons, Rousey helped lead Northridge to a two-year record of 75-39 and the Matadors claimed the Big West title in 2002. Working primarily with the pitchers, Rousey saw his staff finish the 2002 season with 41 wins, 13 saves and 478 strikeouts.

Northridge pitchers ended 2001 second in the Big West in strikeouts and third in earned runs allowed. In 2001, Rousey’s pitching staff included current Milwaukie Brewers pitcher Kameron Loe and former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Bill Murphy. The Matadors saw two pitchers earn all-conference honors and one pitcher, Murphy, named to the All-West Region team.

In Rousey’s first season with the Matadors he guided the pitching staff to a 4.60 earned run average and 459 strikeouts in 492.2 innings during the 2001 season. The Matadors ranked second in the Big West Conference in strikeouts, fourth in ERA and gave up the third-fewest earned runs in the conference.

Before coaching at Cal State Northridge, Rousey’s 12-year coaching career included stints at Long Beach State and Los Angeles City College.

As the head coach at Los Angeles City College (`95-’00), Rousey compiled a 24-18 record in his first year after taking over a team that had no players after being cut and then reinstated. His teams compiled 50 wins over his last two seasons while 56 of Rousey’s players went on to play at the university or professional level.

Before taking the helm of Los Angeles City College, Rousey was the pitching coach at Long Beach State (`93-’95). While with the 49ers, the team claimed two Big West titles while making three regional appearances. His staff helped Long Beach State make it to the College World Series semifinals in 1993. During his stay, the 49ers had three pitchers earn All-American honors and one named the National Pitcher of the Year Daniel Choi, ’93.

The 1994 staff posted a 3.47 earned run average, which ranks third all-time on the Long Beach State Career List, while the 1993 pitching staff finished with a 3.55 team earned run average, which ranks fourth all-time. His 1993 pitching staff finished the season third all-time in saves with 19, fifth in fewest runs per nine innings with 4.6 and third in strikeouts with 495. His 1995 squad is first in saves with 21 and second in total strikeouts with 528.

Rousey has also coached with several summer collegiate teams, including as the pitching coach for the Alaska Goldpanners (`98-’99) and as the head coach for the Brewster Whitecaps of the prestigious Cape Cod League (`95).

Before his career as a coach, Rousey was a top pitcher at Cal State Fullerton. In three seasons with the Titans, he compiled an impressive 15-5 record with 120 strikeouts. Rousey played in the College World Series twice (`82 and `84), helping the team to the national championship in ’84 while compiling an 8-3 record with a 3.47 earned run average.

A fourth-round pick by the Seattle Mariners in 1984, he spent five years playing professionally in the Mariners and Montreal Expos organization.

(FSU Release)