Nino Giarratano
Giarratano with San Francisco in 2009
Current position
Record623–638–1 (.494)
Biographical details
Born (1962-06-02) June 2, 1962 (age 61)
Pueblo, Colorado, U.S.
Alma materWilliam Jewell College
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1989–1994Trinidad State JC
1995–1996Yavapai
1997–1998Arizona State (asst.)
1999–2022San Francisco
Head coaching record
Overall623–638–1 (.494)
TournamentsNCAA: 3–6 (.333)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
  • 2× WCC regular season (2006, 2011)
Awards
  • 3× WCC Coach of the Year (2005, 2006, 2011)

Anthony "Nino" Giarratano (born June 2, 1962) is a former American college baseball coach, who served as head coach of the San Francisco Dons baseball team from 1999 to 2022.[1][2][3][4]

In March of 2022, Giarratano was fired from USF due to a class-action lawsuit that three former players targeted towards him which stated that Giarratano had inappropriate sexual conduct allegations.[5]

Early life and education

Born in Pueblo, Colorado,[6] Giarratano attended Pueblo South High School and graduated in 1980.[7] He then attended William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri, earning a degree in physical education in 1985. He later added a master's degree from Adams State College in Alamosa, Colorado.

Coaching career

In 1989, he began his coaching career at Trinidad State, a junior college in Trinidad, Colorado. In six seasons with the Trojans, Giarratano led teams to five NJCAA World Series. In 1994, Giarratano managed the Bourne Braves, a collegiate summer baseball team in the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League.[citation needed] His Bourne team featured future major leaguers Jeremy Giambi and Mark Kotsay. He then spent two seasons at Yavapai College in Prescott, Arizona. He sent 25 of his players to professional contracts before becoming an assistant at Arizona State in 1997. Giarratano served as hitting instructor, offensive coordinator, and third base coach and helped lead the team to the 1998 College World Series final.[1]

Giarratano moved to San Francisco to become head coach in 1999. In his time with the Dons, he has led teams to three NCAA Regionals, their only appearances in the Tournament in program history. The Dons have also claimed a pair of West Coast Conference championships and earned Giarratano WCC Coach of the Year honors three times. Giarratano is the program's all-time leader in wins.[1]

Sexual conduct scandal

On March 11, 2022, ESPN released an article titled Ex-San Francisco Dons baseball players sue Nino Giarratano, Troy Nakamura and others over alleged behavior alleging that head coach Giarratano and former assistant, Troy Nakamura oversaw an environment that "included persistent psychological abuse and repeated inappropriate sexual conduct."

Three former USF players, filed a class-action lawsuit against Giarratano and Troy Nakamura. Going by the alias "John Doe", the former players described varying forms of abuse. They described a culture in which "it was 'normal' to see [Nakamura] naked on the field or in a window, swinging his penis in a helicopter fashion while the entire team -- and [Giarratano] -- watched."[8] "John Doe 1" alleged that Giarratano referred to him using several expletives and repeatedly berated him in an attempt to pressure him to leave the program (he had a significant four-year guaranteed scholarship). He entered the transfer portal in January. "John Doe 2" outlined a pattern of verbal and emotional abuse that resulted in five emergency room visits in the fall of 2021, contributing to his decision to leave the program. "John Doe 3" said Giarratano told him he was a waste of space, that none of his teammates or coaches liked him, and said, "I wish I could take my bat and hit your head as hard as I can, and maybe I can get your brain to work," according to the lawsuit. Another former USF baseball player, Tyler Imbach described having suicidal thoughts in a public Instagram post in September of 2021 and told the San Francisco Chronicle this week: "The USF thing definitely compounded my mental health issues. USF was a rough experience, just the way I was treated by the coaching staff. It kind of sent me over the edge."[9]

On March 13, 2022, Giarratano was fired immediately from USF.[10] University of San Francisco Athletic Director, Joan McDermott stated, "When the university first became aware of the complaints by students and families about the environment and behavior of coaches in the baseball program, we immediately conducted an internal investigation that led to the firing of Troy Nakamura and an official reprimand of Nino Giarratano."[11]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
San Francisco Dons (West Coast Conference) (1999–2022)
1999 San Francisco 21–34–1 11–18 4th (Coast)
2000 San Francisco 26–33 10–20 4th (Coast)
2001 San Francisco 28–26 14–16 3rd (Coast)
2002 San Francisco 18–38 9–21 4th (West)
2003 San Francisco 25–31 17–13 2nd (West)
2004 San Francisco 27–32 14–16 3rd (West)
2005 San Francisco 38–18 20–11 2nd (West)
2006 San Francisco 39–23 15–6 T–1st NCAA Regional
2007 San Francisco 27–28 9–12 4th
2008 San Francisco 31–26 12–9 4th
2009 San Francisco 28–28 12–9 4th
2010 San Francisco 28–28 10–11 4th
2011 San Francisco 32–25 16–5 1st NCAA Regional
2012 San Francisco 29–30 14–10 5th
2013 San Francisco 35–24 15–9 T–2nd NCAA Regional
2014 San Francisco 25–29 11–16 8th
2015 San Francisco 23–31 15–12 5th
2016 San Francisco 22–34 14–13 5th
2017 San Francisco 29–28 11–16 6th
2018 San Francisco 28–30 15–12 T–3rd
2019 San Francisco 30–26 15–12 T–4th
2020 San Francisco 9–8 0–0 Season canceled due to COVID-19
2021 San Francisco 25–28 16–11 3rd
2022 San Francisco 10–7 0–0 (fired)
San Francisco: 623–638–1 (.494) 295–278 (.515)
Total: 623–638–1 (.494)

      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 c "Nino Giarratano". University of San Francisco. 2021. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  2. ^ Tim Keown (August 3, 2011). "The gift that keeps on living". ESPN. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  3. ^ Brian Foley (October 19, 2011). "USF'S Nino Giarratano gets 6 year Extension". College Baseball Daily. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  4. ^ Sarah Kuta (August 4, 2011). "Former Trinidad State baseball coach Nino Giarratano donates kidney to father". Denver, CO: Denver Post. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  5. ^ "University of San Francisco fires baseball coach Nino Giarratano after lawsuit". ESPN. March 13, 2022. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
  6. ^ "Pueblo native takes reins at San Francisco". Pueblo Chieftain. June 23, 1998. Retrieved March 15, 2016.
  7. ^ Barker, John Jr. "Pueblo Greater Sports Hall of Fame - Anthony "Nino" Giarratano". www.pueblogshof.com.
  8. ^ Bonagura, Kyle (March 11, 2022). "Ex-San Francisco Dons baseball players sue Nino Giarratano, Troy Nakamura, and others over alleged behavior". ESPN. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
  9. ^ Bonagura, Kyle (March 11, 2022). "Ex-San Francisco Dons baseball players sue Nino Giarratano, Troy Nakamura and others over alleged behavior". ESPN. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
  10. ^ Flores, Jessica (March 13, 2022). "USF baseball coach fired after ex-players' lawsuit alleges 'intolerable sexualized environment'". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
  11. ^ Bonagura, Kyle (March 13, 2022). "University of San Francisco fires baseball coach Nino Giarratano after lawsuit". ESPN. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
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