Rebel coach: Winning begins at home

Spencer Patterson

Wednesday, July 11, 2001 | 9:49 a.m.

New UNLV baseball coach Jim Schlossnagle hasn't been in town long, but he already knows enough about Southern Nevada to recognize the area for the recruiting gold mine it has become in recent years.

"I want to make UNLV the best possible option for the best high school players in town, as well as those at the community college in town," Schlossnagle said Tuesday at a press conference officially welcoming the former Tulane assistant to the school.

"I've said it before, the high school and youth league coaches are going to get tired of seeing me."

The same could not be said for Scholssnagle's predecessor, Rod Soesbe, whose program often drew criticism from area coaches for failing to keep local talent at UNLV.

"Soesbe was a good friend and a supporter of our program, but in 15 years of high school coaching, I probably saw the UNLV coaching staff out there only a handful of times," Durango coach Mike Gomez said. "There wasn't that presence, and I don't think local kids have dreamed of being a UNLV Rebel."

The 30-year-old Schlossnagle, who served as Tulane's recruiting coordinator during the final five of his eight seasons at the school, already has some experience with Southern Nevada's high school scene, having successfully recruited former Durango outfielder James Burgess in 1999.

Schlossnagle also has an existing relationship with Community College of Southern Nevada coach Tim Chambers, having recruited several of Chambers' players, both at CCSN and at Bishop Gorman High School. Both coaches agreed that a solid working relationship between the two schools can only help UNLV as it attempts to return to national prominence in the sport.

"If you're a Division I program in a community like this with good baseball, you need to keep the best athletes home, not only to win but also to get the community behind you," Chambers said.

"Also, if our players go to UNLV that would help UNLV cut their costs down with in-state tuitions and millennium scholarships. And that would leave them some more scholarship money for out-of-state guys."

Agreed Schlossnagle, "With such a great (junior college) program in town, UNLV should be able to benefit."

With no newcomers signed for the 2002 season, Schlossnagle immediately hit the recruiting trail, traveling to Arizona last weekend after Friday's official announcement that he had been selected from a field of six final candidates. He said he would likely turn his immediate attention toward junior college players or four-year transfers, since most top prep players have already made college commitments.

"Right now, I'm trying to evaluate what our needs are," Schlossnagle said. "We'll try to get the best available players we can before the fall."

Schlossnagle said he will also work quickly to complete his staff. Assistants from the 2001 squad have not been retained.

One of the nation's top 10 most promising assistant coaches according to Baseball America, Schlossnagle served as the Green Waves' pitching coach for eight years. He helped Tulane to a 56-13 record -- the nation's best in 2001.

Schlossnagle comes to town with his wife, Kami, 2-year-old son Jackson Lambert, and newborn daughter Kathleen Grace.