The program was founded prior to the 1970 season and initially played as an independent school in the NCAA College Division, made up of small-school athletic programs.[1] Under head coach Gary Adams, the team qualified for the College Division Tournament in 1970, 1971, and 1972. In 1973, the team ended the regular season with a twelve-game winning streak and again qualified for the tournament. After advancing to the College Division Championship, it defeated Missouri-St. Louis, Eastern Illinois, and Ithaca twice to win a national championship.[2]
In August 1973, the NCAA reorganized its divisions. Prior to then, the NCAA had competed in two divisions, a large-school University Division and a small-school College Division. Following the reorganization, the University Division became Division I, while the College Division split into Division II and Division III. UC Irvine, formerly a independent in the College Division, became a Division II Independent.[1]
In the first season of Division II, the team again won its regional tournament to advance to the Division II Championship. There, the program defeated New Orleans to win its second consecutive national championship.[2] Following the 1974 season, Gary Adams left UC Irvine to become the head coach at UCLA.[3]
UC Irvine continued playing in Division II until following the 1977 season, though it did not qualify for another NCAA Tournament.[2]
When Steve Hertz returned to Gonzaga following the 1980 season, Mike Gerakos became the program's head coach.[2][8] The team continued to play in the SCBA, though it finished no higher than third until the conference disbanded following the 1984 season. UC Irvine then became members of the Pacific Coast Athletic Association, which was renamed the Big West Conference prior to the 1987 season. UC Irvine had a winning conference record only twice in eight PCAA/Big West seasons through the end of the 1992 season.[2]
Following the 1992 season, state budget cuts caused the university to cut several sports programs, including baseball. At the time it was discontinued, the program had a 643-565-17 record.[9][10][11]
In 2000, the university announced plans to revive the varsity baseball program and build a multimillion dollar on-campus venue for the program.[11] Following the 2000 college baseball season, the school hired USC assistant John Savage as the program's new head coach.[12] The team began play in 2002. Its first game, also the opening of the newly built Anteater Ballpark, was an 8-5 loss to San Diego on January 25, 2002.[2]
Following the 2004 season, John Savage left the program to become the head coach at UCLA.[14] UC Irvine hired Cal State Fullerton assistant coach Dave Serrano to replace him.[15] In 2006, Serrano's second season, the team qualified for the NCAA Tournament. In 2007, the team again qualified for the tournament. After defeating Texas in the Round Rock Regional finals, the Anteaters defeated Wichita State in the Super Regionals to advance to the 2007 College World Series. At the World Series, the team went 2-2 and was eliminated by eventual national champion Oregon State.[2]
Following the 2007 season, Dave Serrano returned to Cal State Fullerton to become the team's head coach.[16] He was replaced by former USC head coach Mike Gillespie.[17] The team qualified for the NCAA Tournament in each of Gillespie's first four seasons (2008-2011). In 2008, the team was eliminated by LSU in the Super Regional round.[2] In the team's 2009 season, the Anteaters won the Big West Championship with a 22-2 conference record and qualified for the NCAA Tournament as the #6 National Seed. It hosted an NCAA Regional at Anteater Ballpark but was eliminated in the Regional by Virginia.[18][19]
Following the 2009 season, Anteater Ballpark was renamed Cicerone Field for former UC Irvine chancellor Ralph J. Cicerone.[20]
In 2010, the team qualified for the NCAA Tournament but was eliminated in the regional round.[21] In 2011, the team won the Los Angeles Regional to advance to its second super regional under Gillespie. In the super regional, the Anteaters lost to Virginia 2 games to 1.[22]
Cicerone Field has been the program's home venue since it opened in 2002, also the year in which UC Irvine sponsored varsity baseball for the first season since 1992. The venue was known as Anteater Ballpark from 2002-2009, before it was renamed for former university chancellor Ralph J. Cicerone.[23] It has a capacity of 2,900 spectators.[24]
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
^ abLiska, Jerry (7 August 1973). "NCAA Splits Into Three Divisions". The Portsmouth Times. Portsmouth, Ohio, USA. The Associated Press. p. 8. Archived from the original on 2012-08-12. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
^Stephens, Eric (2 July 2004). "Bruins Hire Irvine Coach". Articles.LATimes.com. The Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2012-08-14. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
^Stephens, Eric (12 July 2004). "Irvine Hires Titan Aide". The Los Angeles Times. p. D13. Archived from the original on 2012-08-14. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
^"Coaching Staff". UCIrvineSports.com. UC Irvine Sports Information. Archived from the original on 2012-08-13. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
^Faulkner, Barry (19 July 2012). "Bibona Returns to UCI:". Articles.DailyPilot.com. The Daily Pilot. Archived from the original on 2012-08-13. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
