On Thursday night, another UCLA baseball assistant coach was given the head coach job at a Division I school.
In June 2011, it was former UCLA assistant coach Rick Vanderhook being hired by Cal State Fullerton. On Thursday, it was current UCLA assistant coach and infield coach T.J. Bruce being hired by the University of Nevada. Bruce served as the Bruins’ infield coach, recruiting coordinator and fielding coach during his five seasons at UCLA.
Bruce has made a quick rise in the collegiate coaching ranks since he ended his collegiate playing career in 2004. In that year, he was part of a Long Beach State team that reached the NCAA Super Regional. A year later, he was an undergraduate assistant coach for the Dirtbags, and would eventually groom several players for the major leagues. Two of those players ended up being MLB All-Stars: Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria.
In 2011, Bruce took over as an assistant coach for UCLA baseball, helping the Bruins win their first-ever baseball championship in 2013 and also their first-ever No. 1 overall NCAA Tournament seed this past season.
Now at Nevada, Bruce will inherit a team that went 41-15 this past season, winning its regular season conference title. The coach Bruce replaces, Jay Johnson, recently took the head coach job at the University of Arizona.
Compiled by Matthew Joye, Bruin Sports senior staff.