Marc Wanaka was brought on as a volunteer assistant coach for the Arizona baseball program on July 28, 2015. He joined the Wildcats after spending two seasons at Nevada with current UA head coach Jay Johnson. Marc recently finished his fifth season with Arizona in March 2020.
With the Wildcats
Wildcats position players have thrived under the tutelage of Wanaka since his arrival in 2016. Across the last five seasons, Wanaka and the Cats have produced nine All-American position players and 15 MLB Draft picks, nine of which were selected within the first 10 rounds.
His work growing the offense culminated in 2019, when the Wildcats posted one of their best offensive seasons in program history. The 2019 Cats finished the year with the nation's No. 2 ranked scoring offense, averaging 9.8 runs per game. When it was all said and done, Arizona ranked third among all Division I teams with a .326 batting average and placed second nationally with a .533 slugging percentage and a .432 on-base percentage. Infielder Cameron Cannon and Nick Quintana were both selected to the Pac-12 All-Conference team and earned national acclaim with a combined All-America nods. Catcher Austin Wells was tabbed as the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, while he and teammate Dayton Dooney both earned Freshmen All-America nods from multiple outlets.
The Wildcats offense was again potent during a shortened 2020 season, in which they hit .288 and averaged 7.5 runs per game over a 15-game schedule that was cut shrot due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Arizona's 2020 offense led the Pac-12 in runs per game, on-base percentage (.417), walks per game (6.5), and doubles per game (2.0) while ranking among the top three in nearly every offensive category.
Arizona has never posted a season batting average lower than .285 with Wanaka on staff and has combined for 1,923Â runs in five seasons, coming out to an average of 7.4 runs per game.
Before Arizona
Wanaka served as a volunteer assistant coach during the 2014 campaign, while he was then promoted to assistant coach and helped lead Nevada to one of the best seasons in school history. In 2015, Nevada posted a 41-15 record and captured the school’s first-ever Mountain West title with a 22-6 mark in league play. The Wolf Pack was ranked in the top 25 for much of the season and totaled a 13-1 record in series of at least three games. The 41 overall wins ranked second in program history.
Prior to his arrival at Nevada, Wanaka served as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at San Diego Mesa College for four seasons. In his four years there, the team’s ERA dropped from 5.66 to 3.72 under Wanaka’s direction. SDMS was the 2012 co-champions of the Pacific Coast Conference.
Wanaka also served as the associate head coach and pitching coach at El Paso Community College from 2007-09. The 2008 squad advanced to the Region 5 playoffs.
Prior to El Paso Community College, he served as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Shasta College in Redding, Calif. from 2003-07. The 2004 and 2005 teams competed in the Northern California State playoffs.
During the 2002-03 campaign he coached at Point Loma Nazarene University (Calif.), where he worked with the pitchers and catchers. The Sea Lions finished second in the Golden State Athletic Conference.
He got his coaching start at New Mexico Highlands where he worked with the pitchers and catchers from 2000-2002.Â
Wanaka earned his Bachelor's degree in science in sport science from Trinity College and University in 2008.
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Marc Wanaka Coaching History
Arizona Volunteer Assistant Coach (2015-present)
Nevada Volunteer Assistant Coach/Assistant Coach (2014-2015)
San Diego Mesa College Pitching Coach and Recruiting Coordinator (2010-2014)
El Paso Community College Associate Head Coach (2007-2009)
Shasta College Pitching Coach and Recruiting Coordinator (2003-2007)
Point Loma Nazarene Assistant Coach (2003)
New Mexico Highlands Assistant Coach (2000-2002)
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Coaching Highlights
- Helped produce the nation's No. 2 ranked scoring offense in 2019, which averaged 9.8 runs per game
- Led two different Arizona teams (2017, 2019) to team batting averages over .300
- Coached nine Wildcat All-Americans including JJ Matijevic, Zach Gibbons, Cody Ramer, Alfonso Rivas, Jared Oliva, Nick Quintana, Cameron Cannon, Austin Wells, and Dayton Dooney
- Worked with 15 Arizona position players who went on to be selected in the Major League Baseball Draft, including nine who were drafted within the first 10 rounds
