Bio

Former Spartan All-American Joe Urso, the most accomplished active head coach in all of college baseball, is in his 24th season as head baseball coach of the University of Tampa. During his tenure, he has won more national championships than any college baseball coach. Reaching the pinnacle of success, his program is widely regarded as a collegiate baseball powerhouse under the leadership of a staff that garners respect from MLB teams for the character and talent within the program.

He has compiled a 1,007-287-1 record as the winningest coach in program history. He has also directed the winningest program among all NCAA ranks in the 2000s, with his teams capturing five national championships since 2006. His success coaching MLB draft selections along with highly publicized wins over the Philadelphia Phillies and the Netherlands National Team make him one of the most respected coaches in all of college baseball.

In his time as Spartan head coach, Urso has led Tampa to 17 Sunshine State Conference titles and 12 NCAA South Regional championships. He also has coached the program to six national championships, coming in 2006, 2007, 2013, 2015, 2019 and 2024. He also led UT to a second-place finish in the 2003 National Championship Series.

UT’s all-time winningest baseball coach, Urso has led the Spartans to 40-plus victories in 18 of his 24 seasons at the helm. He is also the lone UT coach to guide his team to 50-plus victories in a season, as he did in 2006, 2007, 2014 and 2024. In 2006 and 2014, Tampa won a program-record 54 games under Urso’s leadership.

The program has been recognized on the national level as 74 Spartans have been selected in the Major League Baseball Draft since 2001, including a school-record nine in the 2010 MLB Draft. With nine selections, the Spartans ranked sixth among all colleges in players chosen in 2010.

Urso captured the program's ninth national championship in 2024, marking the sixth of his career at the helm. The 2024 Spartans finished with a 52-8 overall record, also capturing the SSC crown. His team clicked in all areas, hitting 317 as a team and posting a +389 run differential as his Spartans defeated their opponents by an average of 5.3 runs per game. Pitcher Skylar Gonzalez was honored as the National Pitcher of the Year as the team would finish second nationally in team ERA.

After clinching the program’s 23rd SSC regular season title, the Spartans moved into the postseason where standout, Drew Ehrhard, became the University of Tampa and Sunshine State Conference all-time hits leader with 352. The team would conclude the 2023 campaign at the NCAA South Regional Championship finishing with an overall record of 43-11. Several Spartans earned All-SSC and All-South Region recognition including Jordan Lala and E.J. Cumbo, who received ABCA/Rawlings and NCBWA All-American accolades. Cumbo was also named as the SSC Player of the Year alongside Alex Canney, who was selected as the SSC Pitcher of the Year. 

Guiding the program to its eighth national title in 2019, Urso's squad was a perfect 9-0 in postseason play, including extra-inning victories in both the South Regional and Super Regional clinching games over Nova Southeastern and Delta State. The 2019 season also marked the sixth time in his tenure that he was honored as the ABCA National Coach of the Year. His team then used a combination of excellent hitting and shutdown pitching in the NCAA Championship Series in Cary, outscoring its opponents 26-5 in the four games. The magical run concluded with a 3-1 win over top-seed Colorado Mesa to capture Urso's fifth championship at the helm of the Spartans. The 2019 season also included a milestone 800th career win for Urso, becoming the fastest coach in NCAA history to the mark.

His national championship run in 2015 came from the rare underdog tag, as his Spartans entered the postseason as the No. 3 seed in the NCAA South Region. His team would go a perfect 8-0 in tournament action, with a 3-1 victory over Catawba College in the national championship. In 2015, Urso's Spartans also became the fourth NCAA team to defeat a Major League Baseball opponent as UT defeated the Philadelphia Phillies by a 6-2 score in an exhibition game at Brighthouse Field.

Tampa set the NCAA Division II record for regular-season winning percentage in 2014, going 47-2 with a .959 regular-season mark. Additionally, Tampa's .931 winning percentage in 2014 also set an NCAA II record. The Spartans won the SSC and NCAA South Regional titles in 2014, while advancing all the way to the national semifinals. Urso also led UT to 16 straight weeks at the No. 1 spot, marking a new school record for consecutive weeks at the top of the rankings.

Urso returned to Tampa following a four-year stint as coach and manager in the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim organization. Most recently, Urso was manager of the Angels' minor league affiliate in Butte, Mont. Prior to that, he was manager of the Angels' Instructional League team and assistant coach with the Lake Elsinore (Calif.) Storm and Boise (Idaho) Hawks since 1997.

National Championships (6): 2006, 2007, 2013, 2015, 2019, 2024

NCAA South Regional Championships (12): 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2024

SSC Championships (14): 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2023, 2024

Division II Player of the Year (1): 2006 - Lee Cruz (OF)

Division II Pitcher of the Year (1): 2018 - David Lebron (ABCA/Rawlings)

First Team All-Americans (19): 2023 - E.J. Cumbo, 2022 - Haden Erbe, Braydon Nelson; 2021 - Jordan Leasure; 2018 - David Lebron; 2017 - J.D. Osborne; 2013 - Mike Adams; 2010 - Mike Schwartz; 2009 - Mike Schwartz; 2008 - Anthony Perez; 2007 - Craig Corrado;  2006 - Lee Cruz, Orlando Rosales, Sergio Perez; 2005 - Lee Cruz; 2003 - Eric Beattie; 2002 - Adrian Goas; 2001 - Kris Sutton, Tom Carrow

South Region Player of the Year (3): 2019 - Yorvis Torrealba; 2014 - Stephen Dezzi; 2006 - Lee Cruz 

South Region Pitcher of the Year (9): 2022 - Haden Erbe; 2018 - David Lebron; 2017 - David Lebron; 2014 - Preston Packrall; 2013 - Mike Adams; 2012 - Sean Bierman; 2007 - Kevin Ferguson; 2006 - Sergio Perez; 2001 - Kris Sutton 

SSC Player of the Year (5): 2023 - E.J. Cumbo, 2019 - Yorvis Torrealba; 2010 - Mike Schwartz; 2006 - Lee Cruz; 2001 - Tom Carrow

SSC Pitcher of the Year (11): 2023 - Alex Canney, 2021 - Jordan Leasure, 2018 - David Lebron, 2017 - David Lebron, 2014 - Preston Packrall, 2013 - Mike Adams, 2012 - Sean Bierman, 2007 - Kevin Ferguson, 2006 - Sergio Perez, 2003 - Eric Beattie, 2001 - Charlie Manning 

National Gold Glove (11): 2022 - Jordan Lala (OF), 2018 - Drew Ehrhard (2B), 2015 - Casey Scoggins (OF), 2013 - Connor Obrochta (OF), Michael Danner (OF), 2012 - Damon Elder (3B), Andrew Jones (OF), 2009 - Tyler Cox (OF),  2008 - Scott Chapman (P), 2007 - Kevin Ferguson (P), Ryan Kennedy (2B)

Academic All-Americans  (4): 2017 - Vin Cosenzo (first team), 2016 - Vin Cosenzo (first team), 2014 - Preston Packrall (second team), 2007 - Chris Rosenbaum (first team)

ABCA/Diamond National Coach of the Year (6): 2006, 2007, 2013, 2015, 2019, 2024

South Region Coach of the Year (10): 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2024

SSC Coach of the Year (14): 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2024

The 1992 UT business management graduate was the 49th-round draft pick by the Los Angeles Angels in the 1992 MLB Draft. Urso played four years in the Angels system.

As a Spartan, Urso ranks as one of the University's most popular players. Urso was a four-year starter at second base and was twice named second-team All-American, first-team all-South and first-team all-Sunshine State Conference in 1991 and '92. He was a career .332 hitter, who held the NCAA career record for runs (258). He owned the school mark for runs in a season (76) and still holds school records in walks for a season (54) and career (176). He ranks fourth on the all-time school list for games played (223), is second in career doubles (63) and sixth in stolen bases (70).

Highlighting his achievements as a senior, Urso hit .377 and was a perfect 11 for 11 in stolen base attempts in 15 games against NCAA Division I competition, including Florida, Clemson, Michigan, Alabama and Miami.

Among the top players to lead UT to the NCAA II National Championship Series in 1990, he was voted MVP of the Spartans' national championship in '92. In 1997, Urso was named to the NCAA II NCS all-time team as the best second baseman. In two tournaments, he played in eight games, hitting .469 with one home run and 10 RBI. He was named to the Sunshine State Conference Silver Anniversary team.

A Tampa native, Urso was a member of Plant High School's 1988 state championship team, where he was a two-time first team all-area, all-county and all-conference honoree and second-team all-state.

Within the Angels organization, Urso's number was retired in Lake Elsinore in 1997; he was team MVP and league all-star for the California League champions in '96; recognized by an award in his name which is presented to the Lake Elsinore fans' favorite player since '95; received three fans' favorite player awards (1994-96) and was the Palm Springs Angels fans' favorite player award winner in 1993. His community outreach efforts earned him the moniker "Mayor" of Lake Elsinore by the Angels' staff.

Urso is a 2006 inductee to the University of Tampa Athletics Hall of Fame, as his No. 7 has also been retired by the University. In 2018, Urso was inducted to the Sports Club of Tampa Bay, joining local legends in the city's longest-standing and historic sports club. He is married to Julie and they have two sons, J.D., and Preston.

1 - at Lynn (10-5), 1/26/2001
100 - Abilene Christian (3-0), 3/7/2003
200 - Florida Gulf Coast (9-7), 4/9/2005
279 - Barry (10-6), 3/3/2007#
300 - at Florida Tech (5-0), 4/21/2007
400 - Stillman (21-8), 5/15/2009
500 - Florida Tech (6-3), 3/17/2012*
600 - Palm Beach Atlantic (7-6), 4/4/2014*
700 - Palm Beach Atlantic (3-0), 4/30/2016
800 - at Albany State (5-2), 3/9/2019*
900 - Barry (3-2), 4/14/2022
1,000 - Lee (13-1, NCAA South Regional), 5/20/2024

*Fastest coach to reach milestone
#Became UT's all-time winningest coach