SAN DIEGO – Kevin Vance, fresh off an NCAA Men’s College World Series berth as an assistant coach at the University of Arizona, was named head coach of the San Diego State baseball program, as announced Tuesday by SDSU Director of Athletics John David Wicker.
A former two-way prep star at Torrey Pines High School in San Diego, Vance arrives back home in “America’s Finest City” after spending two successful seasons on the Wildcats’ coaching staff in 2024 and 2025.
Vance emerged from a national search that received valuable input from all-time Aztec greats Bud Black, Stephen Strasburg and Tony Gwynn Jr.
“I’m very excited to welcome Kevin Vance to The Mesa as our seventh baseball head coach,” Wicker said. “Kevin has a proven track record from his time as an All-American baseball player at the University of Connecticut followed by a coaching career that has seen him continue to find increasing success, including a trip to the College World Series this year with the University of Arizona. As a San Diego native, Kevin is very familiar with SDSU and our baseball program and is ready to lead our program back to the NCAA tournament.”
“This job means the world to me,” Vance said. “I’m coming back home and I’m excited to get to work and be a part of this San Diego and San Diego State community. I plan on winning and winning fast. We’re going to coach the guys hard and we’re going to prepare them for life. I can’t wait to get over there and get to work.”
In his two seasons with the Wildcats, UA went 80-44 (.645) with three conference titles (one regular season and two tournaments).
After capturing the 2024 regular-season and tournament championships in its final year of the Pac-12, Arizona went 44-21 (.677) this past season in its first year of the Big 12. The Wildcats went 3-0 in the conference tournament, downing 12th-seeded Brigham Young, 4-1, top-seeded West Virginia, 12-1, and third-seeded TCU, 2-1, in 10 innings en route to the tourney championship. UA then went 3-0 in the Eugene NCAA Regional and claimed the NCAA Super Regional series at No. 5 overall seed North Carolina, 2-1. Arizona ended its season at the Men's College Series in Omaha, Nebraska.
During his tenure in Tucson, Vance oversaw the development of star reliever Tony Pluta, who was named the 2025 Stopper of the Year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, helping Arizona secure its 19th College World Series appearance, which is tied for eighth nationally.
Not to be outdone, Vance helped direct one of the nation’s greatest pitching turnarounds in his first year at Arizona, as the Wildcats lowered their team ERA from 5.97 in 2023 to 4.46 ERA in 2024, which marked the 20th-best ERA improvement in the country that season and ranked fifth best among Power 5 programs.
All three of Arizona’s weekend starters—Cam Walty, Clark Candiotti and Jackson Kent—received all-Pac-12 recognition under Vance’s guidance in 2024 as the rotation finished the year with a collective 3.83 ERA, which ranked 13th nationally.
Following the 2024 campaign, four of Vance’s pitchers were selected in the MLB Draft, including Walty, Candiotti, Kent and bullpen ace Anthony Susec, which marked the Wildcats’ highest number of arms chosen since 2013.
Prior to accepting the Arizona position, Vance spent two seasons at Boston College where he helped the Eagles compile a program-record 37 victories in 2023, capped an NCAA regional appearance, the program’s first since 2016. In addition, BC finished with its best team ERA since 2019.
Following the 2022 campaign, three Eagle pitchers mentored under Vance—Mason Pelio, Joe Mancini and Max Gieg—were selected in the MLB Draft.
Before his move to Boston, Vance worked five years at the University of Rhode Island, the last four of which he served as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. He was elevated into the role after one year as the Rams’ volunteer assistant coach.
During Vance’s stint on the Kingston campus, URI ranked among top four in the Atlantic 10 Conference in ERA in all five seasons, highlighted by a 3.65 mark in 2017 which topped the league and ranked 31st nationally. In five seasons with the Rams, Vance coached one All-American, two all-A10 selections, and three conference Pitchers of the Week.
Prior to entering the coaching ranks, Vance enjoyed a successful playing career at the collegiate and professional levels. As a two-way star at UConn, he received second-team NCBWA All-America recognition as a junior in 2011 and was a first-team ABCA All-Northeast Region honoree after collecting 13 saves, which ranks fifth in school history. A two-time all-Big East performer, Vance finished with 21 career saves, which is slotted second on the program’s all-time charts.
Following his collegiate career, Vance was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 19th round of the 2011 MLB Draft. The former pitcher played five seasons of organized baseball, reaching as high as the Triple-A level with the Reno Aces in 2015. He posted a 20-14 record during his minor league career with a 3.81 ERA, 365 strikeouts and 15 saves in 177 games.
Vance received his undergraduate degree in coaching and sport administration from Connecticut in 2012 before earning his master’s degree in sports leadership from Northeastern in 2016.
A heavily decorated prep player at Torrey Pines High, Vance garnered first-team all-CIF San Diego Section accolades as a senior in 2008 and was named Palomar League Player of the Year before earning a spot on the Southern California All-Star team. That season, he led the Falcons in batting average (.452), hits (38), runs scored (35), home runs (8) and walks (23) while posting 91 strikeouts.
What they are saying:
Stephen Strasburg (2007-09 at San Diego State, three-time MLB All-Star, World Series MVP (2019))
“It’s a great day to be an Aztec! I’m excited to see Kevin take SDSU baseball to new heights. I believe that we will win!”
Bud Black (1978-79 at San Diego State, 18-year MLB Manager, NL Manager of the Year (2010), 15-year MLB player)
“Kevin is a passionate, hard-working, and innovative baseball coach. He brings a broad background in college coaching and with his local ties, a strong relationship will be built within the community which will enhance recruiting. We are all confident Kevin will create the standards and culture that define Aztec Athletics.”
The Kevin Vance File
Coaching Experience
Head Coach: San Diego State, 2025-
Assistant Coach: Arizona, 2023-25
Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator: Boston College, 2022-23
Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator: Rhode Island, 2018-21
Volunteer Assistant Coach: Rhode Island, 2017
Undergraduate Assistant Coach: Connecticut, 2012
Playing Experience
Team Philippines, 2016
New Britain Bees (independent Atlantic League), 2016
Long Island Ducks (independent Atlantic League), 2016
Reno Aces (Triple-A), 2015
Mobile Bay Bears (Double-A), 2015
Visalia Rawhide (Advanced-A), 2015
Birmingham Barons (Double-A), 2013-14
Winston-Salem Dash (Advanced-A), 2013-14
Kannapolis Intimidators (Single-A), 2012
Great Falls Voyagers (Rookie), 2012
Connecticut Huskies (NCAA), 2009-11