Photo by: Arizona Athletics
Lopez to be Inducted into ABCA Hall of Fame in 2018
07/18/2017 | Baseball
TUCSON, Ariz. – Andy Lopez, who won 490 games over 14 seasons as coach of the Arizona Wildcats, will be induced into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in January, the ABCA announced Tuesday.
Lopez is part of the 11-man class, which will be formally inducted into the Hall of Fame on Jan. 5 at the ABCA Convention in Indianapolis.
The former Arizona coach guided to the Wildcats to the 2012 national championship, two College World Series appearances and eight NCAA Tournament bids in his 14 seasons at the helm in Tucson. Lopez and the Wildcats captured the 2012 title, going 48-17 overall and a perfect 10-0 in the postseason, eventually sweeping South Carolina in the CWS Finals to win Arizona's first national championship since 1986.
The championship marked the second of Lopez's career. He coached Pepperdine to the national championship in 1992. When the Wildcats won the championship in 2012, Lopez became just the second NCAA Division I head coach to win a title at two schools. He is also one of only three coaches to lead three different schools (Pepperdine, Florida and Arizona) to the College World Series. Further, he is one of four coaches to take two schools to Omaha on multiple occasions (Arizona, Florida).
Lopez began his collegiate coaching career at Cal State Dominguez Hills in 1983. His teams won league titles in 1986 and `87, and the latter went on to the Division II College World Series. Three different times he was named the conference coach of the year at Dominguez Hills and his 168-152-2 (.525) record in six seasons caught the eye of Southern California neighbor Pepperdine.
Pepperdine hired Lopez to lead the baseball team in 1989. Over six seasons, he tallied a record of 241-107-3 (.691), including the 1992 campaign when Lopez was named consensus national coach of the year for leading the Waves to their first and only national championship.
In 1995, Lopez began a seven-year stint at the University of Florida, turning the Gators into a top 25 program and a national championship contender with two trips to the College World Series. He won his second national coach of the year honor in 1996.
Lopez's longest coaching stop became his last here in the Old Pueblo. He won 490 games from 2002-15 with the Wildcats, bringing his career total to 1,174 victories. He earned ABCA Coach of the Year honors in 2012, along with Pac-12 Coach of the Year, guiding the Wildcats to the league championship.
Lopez retired after the 2015 season.
Lopez is part of the 11-man class, which will be formally inducted into the Hall of Fame on Jan. 5 at the ABCA Convention in Indianapolis.
The former Arizona coach guided to the Wildcats to the 2012 national championship, two College World Series appearances and eight NCAA Tournament bids in his 14 seasons at the helm in Tucson. Lopez and the Wildcats captured the 2012 title, going 48-17 overall and a perfect 10-0 in the postseason, eventually sweeping South Carolina in the CWS Finals to win Arizona's first national championship since 1986.
The championship marked the second of Lopez's career. He coached Pepperdine to the national championship in 1992. When the Wildcats won the championship in 2012, Lopez became just the second NCAA Division I head coach to win a title at two schools. He is also one of only three coaches to lead three different schools (Pepperdine, Florida and Arizona) to the College World Series. Further, he is one of four coaches to take two schools to Omaha on multiple occasions (Arizona, Florida).
Lopez began his collegiate coaching career at Cal State Dominguez Hills in 1983. His teams won league titles in 1986 and `87, and the latter went on to the Division II College World Series. Three different times he was named the conference coach of the year at Dominguez Hills and his 168-152-2 (.525) record in six seasons caught the eye of Southern California neighbor Pepperdine.
Pepperdine hired Lopez to lead the baseball team in 1989. Over six seasons, he tallied a record of 241-107-3 (.691), including the 1992 campaign when Lopez was named consensus national coach of the year for leading the Waves to their first and only national championship.
In 1995, Lopez began a seven-year stint at the University of Florida, turning the Gators into a top 25 program and a national championship contender with two trips to the College World Series. He won his second national coach of the year honor in 1996.
Lopez's longest coaching stop became his last here in the Old Pueblo. He won 490 games from 2002-15 with the Wildcats, bringing his career total to 1,174 victories. He earned ABCA Coach of the Year honors in 2012, along with Pac-12 Coach of the Year, guiding the Wildcats to the league championship.
Lopez retired after the 2015 season.
Friday, August 14
Wednesday, May 06
Wednesday, April 29
Thursday, April 23
