Serra names Stockton native Mat Keplinger as new baseball coach

“I think it’s just about the type of person that he is,” Serra athletic director Justin Ferdinand said. “We really look at the whole person. We look at not only what they can do in terms of coaching baseball, but what they can do in terms of building ... student-athletes into responsible young men.”

A graduate of University of Nevada-Reno, Keplinger went on to play professional baseball in Germany before returning home to coach on the community college circuit at San Joaquin Delta College-Stockton for seven years before coaching at University of San Francisco for three years from 2019-21, including serving as the interim head coach in replacing Nino Giarratano in 2021. He served as an assistant coach at San Jose State in 2022.

While at Delta, he coached several Serra graduates, including current New York Yankees bullpen catcher Collin Theroux and the late Calvin Reilly.

While coaching at USF, Keplinger — serving as the Dons’ recruiting coordinator and pitching coach — was on staff with former Serra baseball manager Craig Gianinno, who was the director of player development there for three years until relocating to Sparta, New Jersey in 2021.

“I think his belief in himself and the confidence he had in his domain as a pitching coach, recruiting coordinator and just a baseball coach stood out,” Gianinno said. “And immediately guys gravitated to him.”

Gianinno listed a litany of qualities that he said Keplinger will bring to the Serra dugout.

“Just his passion, his energy, his interest in player development, his competitiveness, his maturity at a young age, his passion for greatness in individuals in how it relates to team was evident,” Gianinno said. “Infectious energy. He’s a motivator that gets the best out of his guys.”

Keplinger replaces Chris Houle, who served six seasons as the Padres’ manager before stepping down in July. Houle posted an all-time record of 97-55, including a 37-27 record in West Catholic Athletic League play. Serra finished under the .500 mark in WCAL in each of his last two seasons, the first time the program has done so since 1973 and ’74.

Serra began interviewing for Houle’s replacement several weeks ago. Ferdinand interviewed “quite a few” applicants, he said.

Three finalists advanced in the interview process before Serra hired Keplinger on Wednesday.

“Just the combination of baseball acumen and his level of coaching experience, coupled with who he is as a person and what his vision for the program is just fit the mission of our athletic department and was kind of exactly what we were looking for,” Ferdinand said.

Keplinger will be an on-campus coach. He was hired as the associate dean of students, and will work on the staff of dean of students Ray Baldonado. Keplinger’s start date for role his assistant dean is Sept. 18.