George Horton Biography

Since George Horton, named the 2003 National Coach of the Year by Baseball America, took over for Augie Garrido (after six years as Garrido's associate head coach), the Cal State Fullerton Titans have posted a 309-132-1 record, celebrated a Big West Conference title five times and made three trips to the College World Series. They have consistently been ranked in the NCAA Division I Top 25 polls and occasionally held the top spot in the polls, three out of the last five seasons.

Horton's .700 winning percentage is fifth among active Division I coaches (minimum five years). Of the 24 teams, many of which are nationally prominent, Horton has faced five or more times, only two (Stanford and Wichita State) have managed winning records against Fullerton. A recent study by Boyd's World, a web site devoted to the statistical analysis of college baseball, found Fullerton to have the second-best standard of success over the past five seasons.

Horton led the Titans to one of their best starts in program history (15-1) and guided them to Cal State's best ever record of 31-3 at home. After sweeping through the regionals the Titans beat Arizona State, the top offensive team in the country, in a super regional to advance to Omaha for the 12th time in their history. Cal State quickly shot out to a 2-0 record in Omaha before Stanford knocked them off twice en route to the championship series. The Titans finished as the consensus No. 3 team in the nation for the second time in the past three years.

The two-time Big West Conference Coach of the Year, Horton is one of only nine men to have appeared in Omaha as a player and a head coach. During his tenure he has seen 46 Titans selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft including nine in 2001 and 11 in 2003.

Nine former Titans who played for Coach Horton have ascended to the Major Leagues, including Chad Cordero, who has pitched exceptionally well in relief for Montreal this past season, just two months after leading the Titans in the College World Series.

Horton fulfilled a lifelong dream of being a Division I head coach when he was promoted to replace Garrido, who left to take over the program at the University of Texas. A 1978 CSF graduate, Horton had returned to the campus in 1991 when Garrido came back after a three-year stint at Illinois. In the next six years the Titans posted a 264-99 record and made three trips to the CWS, winning the 1995 crown with a phenomenal 57-9 season.

Horton had input on virtually every aspect of the Fullerton program with his primary concern being the development of the pitching staff. His organizational skills, patience as a teacher and his attention to detail provided the backbone of the Titan coaching staff.

During the years Horton was responsible for the Titans pitching staff, nine pitchers received All-America honors. Dan Naulty became the first Titan pitcher under Horton's guidance to reach the major leagues when he made the 1996 opening-day roster for the Minnesota Twins. He later earned a World Series ring in 1999 with the Yankees.

Eleven more of Horton's former pupils, both pitchers and position players, have ascended to the Major League ranks over the last few years. Horton also worked with Phil Nevin (San Diego Padres), who in 1992 was the Golden Spikes Award winner, Baseball America player of the year, baseball's No. 1 draft pick (by Houston) and the College World Series MVP. Nevin has gone on to a successful pro career.

Included in this group are former Horton pupils Mark Kotsay (San Diego Padres) and Jeremy Giambi (Boston Red Sox). Kotsay and Nevin along with Brian Loyd and Jason Moler, all tutored in part by Horton, were Olympians and Kotsay was chosen the college player of the decade by Baseball America.

Horton began his head coaching career at Cerritos College in Norwalk, where he guided the Falcons to three junior college state championships in six years. He compiled a 226-53 record and was selected National Junior College Coach of the Year three times. His best season was 1987 when the Falcons went 46-5. He had a South Coast Conference record of 102-28 (.785) and was a four-time South Coast Conference Coach of the Year.

He was also the head coach of four California Community College State Championship squads and was named National Community College Coach of the Year four times. His teams won 10 conference championships. In 1994, Horton was inducted into the California Community College Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the Downey High School Hall of Fame in May of 2002.

George graduated from Cal State Fullerton in 1978 and received his Master's Degree from California Lutheran University in 1980.

The Yorba Linda resident and his wife, Francie, have four daughters and two grandaughters.

Some of his accomplishments are:

Named the 2003 National Coach of the Year by Baseball America
Coached the Cal State Fullerton Titans to a 309-132 record
Big West Conference title winner five times
Three trips to the NCAA College World Series
Consistently ranked in the NCAA Division I Top 25 polls
.700 winning percentage is fifth among active Division I coaches
Boyd's World found Fullerton to have the second-best standard of success over the past five seasons
Coached Cal State to its best ever record of 31-3 at home
Two-time Big West Conference Coach of the Year
One of only nine men to have appeared in the College World Series as a player and a head coach
Had 46 Titans selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft
Coached nine former Titans who have ascended to the Major Leagues
Helped coach the Titans who won the 1995 College World Series with a phenomenal 57-9 season
Coached nine pitchers who received All-America honors
Coached 4 Olympians
Coached the college player of the decade chosen by Baseball America
National Junior College Coach of the Year three times
Four-time South Coast Conference Coach of the Year
Head coach of four California Community College State Championship squads
Named National Community College Coach of the Year four times
His teams won 10 conference championships
Inducted into the California Community College Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame
Inducted into the Downey High School Hall of Fame
Bachelor's Degree from Cal State Fullerton
Master's Degree from California Lutheran University