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California head baseball coach David Esquer represents the best in college baseball - first as a player, then as an assistant coach, and finally as the leader of the Golden Bears. As a player, Esquer was the starting shortstop on Stanford's 1987 national championship squad. As an assistant coach, he helped produce six NCAA postseason teams and one World Series participant with Stanford and Pepperdine. As Cal's head coach, Esquer led the Bears to the program's ninth NCAA Regional in 2001 while being named Pac-10 Coach of the Year in only his second season at the helm.
Entering his ninth year, Esquers' 2008 Bears, featuring two preseason All-Americans and three Wallace Award candidates, are looking to join in on their coaches' winning legacy. In the last five years, Esquer's recruiting classes have been among the nation's best, which is the key to developing a successful program. Beyond these recruiting accomplishments and on-field accomplishments, the Cal mentor has also been instrumental in securing several improvements at Evans Diamond, including the Carl Van Heuit Training Center that provides the Bears with new indoor batting cages, bullpens and workout facilities.
At age 42, Esquer has amassed a career record of 230-215 (.517), including leading the Bears to the above mentioned 2001 NCAA Regional and 2001 Pac-10 Coach of the Year honor. During the 2001 season, Cal finished 34-25 overall, but more importantly the Bears advanced to a NCAA Regional for the first time since 1995. Cal's 34 wins in 2001 and 2005 (when the Bears arguably deserved to make an NCAA Regional as well) were the most single season victories since 1992 when the Bears placed seventh at the College World Series.
In Esquer's tenure, Cal has had 39 players sign professional contracts, including right-hander Brandon Morrow, who in 2006 became the highest draft pick in Bear history when he was the fifth pick overall by the Seattle Mariners. Esquer also helped develop Conor Jackson, who in 2003 was drafted in the first round by the Arizona Diamondbacks - the Bears' third, first round pick in school history. In Esquer's tenure, Cal has had four players earn All-America honors (sophomore infielder/outfielder Jeff Kobernus in 2007, senior second baseman Josh Satin in 2005, Jackson in 2003, Xavier Nady in 2000), 11 players named All-Pac-10 - including junior right-hander Tyson Ross and junior first baseman David Cooper - and numerous others listed as Pac-10 honorable mention. Academically, the Bears had an impressive 12 players selected to the 2004 Pac-10 All-Academic Team, and last season four Bears were Pac-10 All-Academic, with infielder Brett Munster being named to ESPN The Magazine's District 8 All-Academic.
Esquer has an outstanding coaching staff, which also boasts an impressive resume of baseball accomplishments. Combined with pitching coach Dan Hubbs, a standout pitcher at USC, and hitting coach Jon Zuber, a Cal baseball Hall of Famer, the threesome have been involved in a total of 17 NCAA Regionals, four College World Series and a National Championship as either players or coaches.
Esquer became only the 10th coach in Cal baseball history when he was named head coach of the Bears on June 10, 1999, replacing longtime Cal mentor Bob Milano. Esquer came to Berkeley after serving as the top assistant at Pepperdine from 1996-99. Prior to working at Pepperdine, he was the No. 2 assistant coach at Stanford from 1991-96.
At Pepperdine Esquer was the program's chief recruiting coordinator as well as the team's hitting instructor, infield coach and handler of the third base coaching duties. During his three seasons with the Waves, Pepperdine compiled a cumulative record of 112-63 (.640). Esquer has also tutored some of the nation's top fielding teams. Cal's 2000 squad was one of the nation's best with a .974 team fielding percentage and Pepperdine was ranked in the Top 10 in fielding percentage his three seasons there. During Esquer's six-year coaching stint at Stanford the Cardinal compiled a 222-142 (.610) record and advanced to the NCAA Tournament five times, including a trip to the College World Series in 1995.
A shortstop at Stanford from 1984-87, Esquer was a starter on the Cardinal's 1987 College World Series championship team. He earned all-tournament honors after hitting .350 with six RBI in Omaha. He also earned All-Pac-10 Southern Division honors as a senior, batting .318 with 41 RBI and 16 stolen bases. Esquer went on to play professional baseball for four seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, California Angels and Milwaukee Brewers organizations.
Esquer was a three-sport star and class valedictorian at Palma High School in Salinas, Calif. He was tabbed the "Athlete of the Year" at Palma High School after being named team captain and MVP in baseball, football and basketball.
Esquer earned a bachelor's degree in economics and a master's degree in sociology from Stanford in 1987. His wife, Lynn, is a former professor at Pepperdine in the graduate school of education and psychology, and a former assistant clinical professor in psychology at Cal. The Esquers reside in Moraga with their daughter, Gabrielle, born July 3, 2002, and son, Xavier, born December 22, 2003.
Esquer's Career Record at Cal 2000 25-28 2001 34-25 2002 29-27 2003 28-27 2004 25-31 2005 34-23 2006 26-28 2007 29-26 Total 230-215 (.517)
