Baseball - Our Coaching Staff
Head Coach - Rob Willson
The 2008 season will be Rob Willson’s sixth season as Head Coach of the Sierra College baseball program. He feels extremely fortunate to have what he considers the best job in the country. He credits the faculty, support staff, administration, location and his assistant coaches for making this such a great job. Rob also serves as the Assistant Athletic Director under John Volek.
In 2007, Sierra reached the Elite 8 in California despite being a very young and inexperienced squad. The Wolverines finished 2nd in the highly competitive Big 7 Conference. Of the seven teams in the conference, five made the state playoffs and all five advanced to the Nor-Cal Super Regional. The ’07 Wolverines tied a school record for wins in a season with 35, which was set by the 2006 team. Highlights from ’07 include three players signing National Letters of Intent with College World Series teams. Also, for the fourth straight season, ALL sophomores on the 2007 roster transferred to 4-year universities, with many of them receiving scholarships.
In 2006, the Wolverine baseball team reached new heights with wins and earned a trip to the state Final Four. The previous school record of 27 wins was shattered as this group totaled 35 victories and advanced farther than any previous Sierra College team by reaching California’s State Championships. Graduating from this team was sophomore centerfielder Chris Hopkins who went on to Oregon State in 2007. They captured the College World Series Title with Chris as their starting centerfielder and leadoff hitter.
Coach Willson came to Sierra College from Diablo Valley College, where he served as the Associate Head Coach for the 2001 and 2002 seasons. Prior to arriving at DVC, Coach Willson led his alma mater, Laney College of Oakland, to a Bay Valley Conference Championship in 1997, his first season at Laney, after they finished in last place the previous year. He also guided the Eagles to back-to-back 31 win seasons in 1999 and 2000. Laney made the 16 team state playoff field in three of the four years he was there.
The five years prior to coaching at Laney College, he was the head coach at City College of San Francisco. After 29 straight years with a winning percentage well under .500, the CCSF program enjoyed a championship season in 1995. The 1995 team was a very special team in winning 35 games, losing 9, and finishing 6th in the state of California. This accomplishment was even more impressive considering that CCSF does not have its own field. They play at Balboa Park in San Francisco, which does not have dugouts, bullpens, batting cages, outfield fences or a scoreboard. Even more impressive was the fact that all the sophomores transfered to a four-year university and five players from that ’95 team were selected in the Major League Baseball amateur draft. Coach Willson continues to commend the players who attended CCSF in spite of the bleak facilities and horrible baseball weather.
Coach Willson was voted the 1995 California Community College Coach of the Year by Cal-Hi Sports Magazine. The 1996 season at CCSF was also a winning season. The Rams finished second in the tough Coast Conference and were a feisty opponent for the #1 seed College of the Sequoias in the state playoffs. In 1996, the California Coaches Association again honored Coach Willson as the California Community College Coach of the Year.
The 1996 team also produced a Major League pitcher in Doug Davis. Davis was drafted in the 10th round out of CCSF and signed a contract with the Texas Rangers. Davis made his major league debut in 1998. In 2004, ’05, ’06 and ‘07 Doug Davis won 12 games for the Milwaukee Brewers and Arizona Diamondbacks and was ranked in the top 15 in the major leagues in ERA and strikeouts. In December 2006, he signed a three-year $24 million contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Coach Willson credits his one year he spent at Loyola Marymount University as an assistant coach in 1991 as his most valuable learning year in baseball. The Lions were ranked as high as #10 in the country at the Division I level and possessed 6 players who would eventually make a major league roster. Chris Smith was the 31 year-old head coach at Loyola and Coach Willson says he was one of the best coaches in Division I baseball, and a major influence in his coaching career. Smith is now a professional baseball scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
As a player, Coach Willson played firstbase, outfield and pitched at Albany High School and firstbase at Laney College in Oakland. He feels his experience at Laney College and his Head Coach Tom Pearse changed his baseball career. He still stays in touch with many of his teammates and Coach Pearse. That was a very close team with people from all different backgrounds and they came together like family. In both years Rob played at Laney, they were fortunate enough to win the Golden Gate Conference Championship and participate in the state Final Four, finishing third in California both years.
After Laney, Rob transferred to Sonoma State University. Rob cherished both years there and helped turn a program around that had a 7-42 record the year before his arrival into a 30 game winner in his second year. He loved playing for head coach John Goelz and is still very close with Coach Goelz. In 2004, Rob was selected as a member of the Sonoma State University Athletic Department Hall of Fame. After two years at Sonoma State, Rob was drafted by the San Francisco Giants and played one season in their minor league system in Everett Washington where the Giants won the Northwest League Division Championship.
Coach Willson has been very fortunate to have had many outstanding assistant coaches who have played a major role in his success as a head coach and appreciates all of their very hard work. He also credits his parents Bob and Frances Willson for raising him and allowing him to play baseball his entire life. The Willson family vacations always took place well after baseball season ended to ensure Rob and his brother would not miss a game. His dad would throw batting practice to him and his friends on a daily basis after a long day at work. He will never forget those days at Memorial park.
Two other major influences growing up were John Whitman, longtime Head Baseball Coach at Antioch High school and Jeff O’Donnell, Rob’s 15 year old coach who guided the Mets to the TOC Championship. Rob’s brother Cary is a physical education teacher and Head Basketball Coach at California High School in San Ramon.
Rob and his wife Christina live in Rocklin with their three children, Marisa 11, Briana 9 and Anthony (TJ) 5.
(916) 781-0580. E-mail: rwillson@sierracollege.edu
Assistant Coach - Ryan Evangelho
Ryan Evangelho begins his sixth season as an Assistant Baseball Coach at Sierra College. He spends his mornings and afternoons teaching baseball classes at Sierra College. Ryan has passed on the reins of coaching the catchers to Tom Nilles.
In 2008 Ryan will prepare one of the most talented outfields Sierra has ever fielded. He will continue working with the Wolverine hitters and is also in charge of running our offense. In 2007, Sierra again proved to be a powerful offense led by coach Evo; The ‘07 wolverine offense also ranked first in HR’s with 23. Sierra College has finished in the top 25 or higher in California for team batting average five of the six years Ryan has been here. The unselfish ability of the Wolverine hitters has led to the consistency of Sierra's potent offense. His outstanding knowledge and coaching ability helped led the 2006 Sierra College offense to a #1 ranking among Big 7 conference foes with a team batting average of .302.
Ryan played baseball at Aragon High School in San Mateo where he was a key part of three consecutive baseball league championships. He also played two years of varsity football and in his senior year, the Dons compiled a record of 13-0 and were California State Champions. Ryan was voted All-league as an offensive tackle. He then attended College of San Mateo where he played baseball one year under legendary coach John Noce. He also played one year under current head coach Doug Williams. After earning his AA degree at CSM, Ryan continued his college baseball career by receiving a scholarship to play baseball at the Division I level for the University of San Francisco. While playing baseball at USF, he earned a BA degree in Communications.
Ryan’s first coaching stint was with Belmont Joe DiMaggio. He coached with long time DiMaggio coach Ken Ray for 2 years. He then accepted his first head coaching job at his alma mater, Aragon High School. Ryan led the JV team to a 2nd place finish. That summer Ryan coached a 16-year-old AAU team that traveled to play in the World Championships in Arizona. He then moved to Sacramento to coach varsity baseball at River City High School, where in his two years there, River City won a league championship and had a section runner up finish. Ryan Evangelho and Scott Seffens were named "coaches of the year."
In the summer of 2001 he took a coaching job with the Danville Dan’s summer wood bat collegiate league in Illinois where his team won a league championship with a strong mix of players from Division I schools such as LSU, Florida State, Mississippi State and Long Beach State. The Dan’s coaching staff was also selected to coach the All-Star game. Ryan is also an associate scout with the Atlanta Braves.
During the summer Ryan is hard at work recruiting the best high school baseball players in our local area. He is also the director of the Sierra College Baseball Camps. Ryan is pursuing his Masters degree in sports coaching from the United States Sports Academy.
Ryan and his wife Jaclyn and one year old daughter Marren reside in Antelope.
(916) 789-2716. E-mail: revangelho@sierracollege.edu
Assistant Coach
- Josh Morton
Josh Morton, a Fair Oaks native, begins his sixth year as the pitching coach at Sierra College under Head Coach Rob Willson. Besides working with the pitchers, his duties include, recruiting, working camps, and running the strength and conditioning program. Along with his coaching duties, Josh is also a part-time physical education instructor at Sierra College.
While earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Kinesiology from Cal Poly from 1997-2001, Josh was a standout left-handed pitcher for the Mustangs, setting the school career record for appearances at 87. With that mark he is also fifth on the list for career appearances in Big West Conference history. After graduating, Josh played in the Canadian Professional Baseball League, where he was the closer for the Kelowna Heat in British Columbia.
Josh is a proud graduate of Del Campo High School in Fair Oaks. His most memorable event was helping to lead the Cougars to a 1995 Sac-Joaquin Section Championship. Josh was a three-year letterman in baseball and football, earning All-League and All-Metro honors, and was elected to the Optimist Game in both sports. Josh was the Co-M.V.P. of the Capital Athletic League in 1996 before heading off to San Luis Obispo.
Josh’s coaching credentials include serving as the pitching coach at Del Campo High School in 2002 and helping the Cougars to a Capital Athletic League title. In the summer of 2002, Josh coached the Kelowna Falcons of the Pacific International League, compiled of college baseball players from all over the United States and Canada. In the summer of 2004, Josh served as the head coach of the National Baseball Institute, finishing with a 23-5 record and earning second place in the Sacramento Semi-professional Baseball League. The entire team was compiled of Sierra College baseball players, many of them on the 2005 roster. During the past two summers, Josh coached the EDH Vipers, an elite group of local talented high school players along with fellow assistant coaches Tom Nilles and Ryan Evangelho. Many of the Viper players are currently Sierra College Wolverines. While coaching the Vipers, Josh also got the opportunity to coach his younger brother Jake, who graduated from Jesuit High School and is currently on scholarship as a pitcher for the Anteaters at U.C. Irvine.
Josh resides in Auburn along with his wife Kim. Along with continuing his education, Josh plans to finish his degree and become a head coach of his own program someday.
jmorton@sierracollege.edu............ 916-789-2716
Assistant Coach - Tom Nilles
Tom Nilles is entering his first year as an assistant coach with the Sierra College Baseball Team. Tom’s principle responsibility will be infield defense but will play a critical role in aiding Ryan Evangelho with catchers and hitting, as well as assisting Josh Morton with the strength and conditioning program. Tom recently graduated from St. Mary’s College, in Moraga CA, with a Master Degree in Kinesiology, and is teaching part time in the Physical Education, Health and Athletics department.
Tom is a graduate of Berkeley High School, where he helped lead the Yellow Jackets to the NCS for the first time in 5 years during his senior season. Tom is reuniting with Head Coach Rob Willson, whom he played for at Laney College in Oakland, where he was a stand out catcher for the Eagles Elite 8 team during the 2000 season. In Tom’s two seasons with the Eagles, he helped lead them to two consecutive 30+ win seasons clinching births in the State Playoffs. After earning his AA degree, Tom received a Bachelors Degree in Sports Psychology from the University of California at Davis, where he had the opportunity to play for Hall of Fame coach Phil Swimley.
Tom’s first coaching experience was with the Oakland Oaks, a premier AAU team located in the Bay Area. Tom lead the Oaks to two top three finishes in National tournaments during his three years with the Oaks, one in the East Cobb 18-year-old World Series and the other in the Arizona 16-year-old World Series. In 2003, Tom accepted the Head Assistant job at his alma mater, Laney College. While at Laney, he guided the Eagles through a rebuilding phase, increasing the Eagles win total in each of his two years. Tom then moved to Diablo Valley College for the 2006 season, where he was the hitting and catching coach, as well as heading up the strength and conditioning program. Tom is currently single and resides in Roseville, and plans to be a head coach someday.
916-789-2716. E-mail: tnilles@sierracollege.edu
Page last updated:
April 18, 2008
