Carl Iwasaki
Biographical details
Born(1961-10-30)October 30, 1961
Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.
DiedFebruary 7, 2024(2024-02-07) (aged 62)
Playing career
1981–1984Northern Colorado
Position(s)Catcher
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2003Saddleback CC (asst.)
2004Austin (asst.)
2005–2010Austin
2011–2022Northern Colorado
Head coaching record
Overall321–515
TournamentsWAC: 2–8
NCAA: 0–0
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Awards
  • Great West Coach of the Year (2013)

Carl Keiji Iwasaki (October 30, 1961 – February 7, 2024) was an American baseball coach and catcher.[1] He played college baseball at Northern Colorado for coach Tom Petroff from 1981 to 1984. He then served as the head of the Austin Kangaroos (2005–2010) and the Northern Colorado Bears (2011–2022).

Early life

Iwasaki graduated from Punahou School in 1980, then played four seasons at Northern Colorado from 1981 through 1984, graduating in 1985.

Coaching career

Iwasaki spent five years coaching the Bakersfield Braves select team and three years with Hawaii Winter Baseball. He then served as an assistant coach for two seasons with the Saddleback Gauchos junior college team in Mission Viejo, California.

Next, he worked two seasons at Division III before being elevated to the top job for five seasons. He made the rare jump from Division III to newly Division I Northern Colorado in the summer of 2010.[2][3][4][5][6]

In first three seasons with the Bears, he led the team to a Great West Conference title and the championship game of the 2011 Great West Conference baseball tournament. Iwasaki earned GWC Coach of the Year honors in 2013. The Bears joined the Western Athletic Conference for the 2014 season.[1] Iwasaki retired from coaching following the 2022 season.[7]

Death

Iwasaki died on February 7, 2024, at the age of 62.[8]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Austin Kangaroos (American Southwest Conference) (2005–2006)
2005 Austin 10–25 5–16 8th (East)[9]
2006 Austin 19–22 9–12 T–5th (East)[9]
Austin Kangaroos (Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference) (2007–2010)
2007 Austin 22–25 9–6 2nd (Western)[10] NCAA D-III Regional
2008 Austin 18–24 7–9 4th (Western)[11]
2009 Austin 15–24 5–15 5th (Western)[12]
2010 Austin 19–20 9–11 3rd (Western)[13]
Austin: 103–140 44–69
Northern Colorado Bears (Great West Conference) (2011–2013)
2011 Northern Colorado 24–32 19–7 2nd Great West Tournament
2012 Northern Colorado 27–33 15–13 4th Great West Tournament
2013 Northern Colorado 33–24 20–7 1st Great West Tournament
Northern Colorado Bears (Western Athletic Conference) (2014–2021)
2014 Northern Colorado 10–43 4–23 10th
2015 Northern Colorado 16–32 12–14 7th WAC Tournament
2016 Northern Colorado 16–34 11–12 6th WAC Tournament
2017 Northern Colorado 24–30 10–14 6th WAC Tournament
2018 Northern Colorado 29–24 11–13 5th WAC Tournament
2019 Northern Colorado 12–35 8–19 T-8th
2020 Northern Colorado 4–13 0–0 Season canceled due to COVID-19
2021 Northern Colorado 11–36 7–24 9th WAC Tournament
Northern Colorado Bears (Summit League) (2022)
2022 Northern Colorado 12–39 8–16 6th
Northern Colorado: 218–375 125–161
Total: 321–515

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

  1. ^ a b "Carl Iwasaki". Northern Colorado Bears. Archived from the original on January 2, 2014. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  2. ^ "Iwasaki Set to Take Division I Job". Austin College. August 4, 2010. Archived from the original on January 1, 2014. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  3. ^ "Iwasaki Named Head Coach at Northern Colorado". College Baseball Insider. August 5, 2010. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  4. ^ "Austin College baseball coach leaving for Northern Colorado". KXII. August 3, 2010. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  5. ^ "UNC selects baseball coach". Denver Post. August 5, 2010. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  6. ^ "Carl Iwaski to be named Head Coach at Northern Colorado". College Baseball Daily. August 4, 2010. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  7. ^ Jadyn Watson-Fischer (May 22, 2022). "Northern Colorado baseball coach announces departure from program". www.greeleytribune.com. Greeley Tribune. Retrieved May 28, 2022.
  8. ^ Delaney, Anne. "Former Northern Colorado baseball coach, player Carl Iwasaki remembered in death". The Denver Post. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  9. ^ a b "ASC_BB_All-Time_Standings (PDF) - American Southwest Conference" (PDF).
  10. ^ "2007 SCAC Baseball - Standings & Leaders".
  11. ^ "2008 SCAC Baseball - Standings & Leaders".
  12. ^ "Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference - Standings & Leaders".
  13. ^ "2010 SCAC Baseball - Standings & Leaders".

External links

Northern Colorado Bears head baseball coaches
Categories