USF coach among six finalists for UNLV baseball job

Victoria Sun

Friday, June 22, 2001 | 10:25 a.m.

Nino Giarratano says he has dreamed of becoming UNLV's baseball coach since he was the head coach at Trinidad State (Colo.) Junior College from 1989-94.

The University of San Francisco head coach may finally get his wish.

Giarratano is one of six finalists being considered for the UNLV baseball opening that resulted when UNLV coach Rod Soesbe was fired May 21.

According to sources close to the search, Louisiana State assistant Dan Canevari, Oklahoma State assistant John Farrell, UCLA assistant Vince Beringhele and former Green Valley and Valley High School coach Rodger Fairless are others being considered for the job.

"There are a lot of things that interest me in coming to UNLV," Giarratano said. "Probably the most exciting part is an opportunity to run a program that has every facet necessary to be a top 20 contender, a region participant and to get to the College World Series.

"It is a great school, a wonderful city to recruit kids to and the facility that they have is one of top 20 in the country with the way it has been upgraded. It's an advantage that as your recruiting base you've got 22 high schools, you're four hours from Los Angeles and close to Arizona."

Giarratano, a three-time collegiate baseball National Junior College Coach of the Year, will be in Las Vegas to meet with UNLV athletic director Charlie Cavagnaro on Tuesday.

During his seven years as a junior college coach, 97 percent of the players Giarratano recruited have graduated.

Prior to becoming head coach of the Dons in 1999, Giarratano was an assistant at Arizona State for two years, where he served as recruiting coordinator, hitting instructor and offensive coordinator.

This season, USF was 28-26 overall and 14-16 in the West Coast Conference.

Giarratano is confident the right person can convert UNLV's baseball program into a winner.

"I think the school is one of the hidden jewels of college baseball," he said. "The community can be tapped and everything can be worked out.

"The community is a great resource to make the program go in the right direction. I think whoever is lucky enough to get the job gets one of the best jobs in college baseball."

The other candidates also have impressive resumes.

Canevari was named an assistant coach at LSU in June 1997 after four seasons as administrative assistant. Canevari, a former pitcher at the University of Miami, is LSU's pitching coach and guided the team to the best ERA (4.39) in the Southeastern Conference in 1998.

Beringhele is a top recruiter who has been on the Bruins' staff for 12 seasons. The hitting coach has worked with Troy Glaus and major league prospects including Ryan McGuire, Eric Byrnes and Chris Pritchett, who were all drafted in the first five rounds.

Farrell returned to his alma mater in 1997 to become the Cowboys' pitching coach and recruiting coordinator. Farrell's 2000 class was ranked 10th in the nation by Collegiate Baseball.

Fairless, the most successful coach in state history, coached Greg Maddux at Valley High School and has won 12 state titles.

"We've narrowed it down to the candidates we're going to bring in," UNLV associate athletics director Jerry Koloskie said. "We're going to start the interview process the first of next week.

"The last one will probably be the first of July. There are six candidates. We have a pool of more than six. We don't want to eliminate anybody yet because some guys are candidates for other positions."