The 2008 season will be the 12th as head coach of the California baseball team for Mike Conte. He led the Vulcans to four-straight 30-win seasons, including the 2004 PSAC championship squad. It was the team's first PSAC crown since 1979 and just the second 30-win season in team history.
In 2007, the Vulcans posted a 36-17 overall record and won its third-straight PSAC West crown with a 15-5 mark. The Vulcans broke the school single-season wins record, played in the PSAC Championship Game for the second time in four years and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1983.
He was named the PSAC West Coach of the Year for the second-straight year and fifth time in his career. Cal's 7-2 win over Slippery Rock in the PSAC Tournament semifinals, just hours after upsetting the No. 1 team in the country (4-3 win over Kutztown), was the 300th in Conte's career at Cal.
In Conte's first 11 seasons, his Vulcans have made the PSAC postseason eight times, including the last seven seasons, the longest current streak in the conference. The Vulcans' success in league play has been remarkable, compiling a 139-80-1 record (63.4%) with five PSAC West Championships (2001, '02, '05, '06 and '07). In his 11 seasons, Conte has compiled a 300-219-4 overall record (57.7%) and has been PSAC Coach of the Year five times.
Originally from Brownsville, Pa., Conte attended Virginia Tech, where he played outfield for the Hokies. As a freshman, Conte led the team in hitting, and by his junior year received an offer from the Baltimore Orioles, which he turned down. After his senior year, he was named Virginia Tech's Outstanding Hokie (MVP) and Division I Player of the Year in the state of Virginia. He left finished fifth on the all-time career home-run list with 43.
In 1989, he was drafted by the Oakland Athletics and finished among the leading hitters his first professional season. He also received Oakland A's Team Player Award that same year.
During the 1990 season, he went back to school for independent studies, and get his degree in Pre-Law. Then in January of 1994, he was an assistant coach at Cal for two years, while getting his Master's Degree in Geography and Regional Planning.
In his spare time Conte enjoys reading novels, weightlifting, and being with his wife Jamie and four children Louden, Payton, Jessie and Nina. Conte recently authored a children's book entitled "My Buddy God."
| Year |
Overall
Record |
Win Pct. |
PSAC West
Record |
Win Pct. |
Post-Season |
1997
|
27-16
|
.628 |
14-6
|
.700 |
PSAC Tournament
|
| 1998 |
17-25-1
|
.407 |
10-10
|
.500
|
|
1999
|
12-26-1
|
.321 |
7-13
|
.350 |
|
| 2000 |
29-20
|
.592 |
6-14
|
.300 |
|
| 2001 |
29-17 |
.630 |
16-4 |
.800 |
PSAC Tournament
|
| 2002 |
28-16-1 |
.633 |
16-3-1 |
.825 |
PSAC Tournament
|
| 2003 |
27-23 |
.540 |
12-8 |
.600 |
PSAC Tournament
|
| 2004 |
32-21-1 |
.602 |
14-6 |
.700 |
** PSAC Champions **
|
| 2005 |
30-20 |
.600 |
12-8 |
.600 |
PSAC Tournament
|
| 2006 |
33-18 |
.647 |
17-3 |
.850 |
PSAC Tournament
|
| 2007 |
36-17 |
.679 |
15-5 |
.750 |
PSAC Tournament
NCAA Tournament
|
| TOTALS |
300-219-4 |
.577 |
139-80-1 |
.634 |
|
