Oregon’s Jay Uhlman hired as Tulane baseball assistant coach

NEW ORLEANS, La. – A veteran with over 20 years of experience as both an assistant and head coach, Tulane head baseball coach Travis Jewett announced Monday the hiring of Jay Uhlman as the Green Wave’s new assistant coach.

Uhlman joins Tulane after spending the previous nine seasons as a member of the University of Oregon staff where he was the associate head coach for the last three seasons.

“It is with great excitement that we welcome Jay Uhlman and his family to Tulane baseball. Jay brings a wealth of experience as a coach and a recruiter, and is highly respected in the coaching community,” Jewett said. “His personality and passion are amazing, and I am not only excited for our players but for our fans as well. Please help us in welcoming Jay to Tulane University!”

A native of Redondo Beach, California, Uhlman has spent time coaching in the junior college ranks while also having stints in the Western Athletic Conference, Pac 12 and Big 12 conferences. During his career, Uhlman has coached and recruited 85 all-conference honorees, 22 All-Americans and seven league players of the year.

Uhlman has had 109 players go on to play professionally, with 21 reaching the Major League Baseball ranks.

“My family and I are excited about immersing ourselves in the proud tradition of Tulane baseball. We are deeply appreciative of the opportunity to become a part of coach Jewett’s staff,” Uhlman said. “I can’t wait to get to work with the talented student-athletes and staff at Tulane. I am looking forward to recruiting players and their families to the world-class education Tulane has to offer. Roll Wave!”

As the assistant, and then associate head coach at Oregon, Uhlman served as the team’s recruiting coordinator, while also coaching hitting, working with the infielders, baserunning, opponent scouting and coaching in-game at third base. He would also assist with team travel, scheduling, developed the practice schedule and assisted as a liaison with the compliance and academic departments on campus.

During his last nine years with the Ducks, Uhlman was a part of a program that won 60 percent of their games, including a three-year stretch with 40-plus victories from 2012-14. In 2013, Oregon won a program-record 48 games and finished second in the league with a 22-8 record, as the Ducks qualified for the NCAA Tournament for four consecutive years, twice being selected as an overall national seed and hosting an NCAA Super Regional in 2012.

In six of the last seven seasons with Oregon, Uhlman’s classes were consistently ranked in the top 40 by Perfect Game, including bringing in a host of players that went on to earn All-America and All-Pac 12 honors. During that time Oregon had a player named as a finalist for the NCBWA Stopper of the Year three times, two semifinalists for the Dick Howser Trophy and three semifinalists for the Golden Spikes Award.

50 of Uhlman’s Oregon players went on to play professionally, with two being first round picks in the MLB Draft. Seven of those players went on to play in the majors.

For one season in 2011, Uhlman served as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Kansas, helping pull in a class that Perfect Game ranked 32nd nationally. He served as the Jayhawks’ hitting coach and worked on the offense, as four players earned All-Big 12 honors and six were Big 12 All-Academic picks.

Uhlman began his tenure at Oregon in 2009 as he served as the Ducks’ volunteer assistant coach, working with the hitters and being the head of on-campus recruiting efforts. In the team’s second year as a varsity sport after being dormant for 28 years, Oregon tied the NCAA record for turnaround wins in a season, going from 14 in that first year back in 2009, to 40 in 2010. Oregon also went from winning four games in conference to 13, qualifying for the NCAA Storrs Regional at UConn.

Prior to moving to Eugene, Uhlman returned to his alma mater as the assistant coach at Nevada beginning in 2001 as the team’s hitting and infield coach, helping drive recruiting efforts and overseeing the Wolf Pack’s camps and clinics. Nevada qualified for the WAC Tournament from 2006-2009, finishing second in the league three times.

Forty-two Wolf Pack players were All-WAC selections, with three players earning WAC Freshman of the Year honors and one player earning WAC Player of the Year honors. During his stint, 42 players went on to play professionally, with 12 being called up to Major League Baseball.

Uhlman earned his bachelor’s degree from Nevada in 1998, going on to serve as a graduate assistant for the Wolf Pack for a season. He then moved on to be the assistant coach at L.A. Harbor Junior College. In 1999 he became the head coach for two seasons at LAHC, eventually finishing with an overall record of 61-22-2 and 35-15 in the South Coast Conference.

In 2001 Uhlman’s Seahawks went 33-6-1 on the season and 20-4 in the SCC to claim the league and regional championship, as he was named the conference’s coach of the year. 24 total players were named All-SCC, including having the conference pitcher of the year among six All-California Community College Athletic Association picks and two NCJAA All-Americans.

An All-CIF performer at Redondo Union High School, Uhlman culminated his prep career by being drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays. Uhlman moved on to LAHC where he was a two-time all-conference and All-Southern California shortstop.

He then finished his collegiate career playing at Nevada in 1995 and 1997. Uhlman was an honorable mention All-Big West Conference selection as a shortstop in 1997. The Wolf Pack led the NCAA in double plays and double plays per game during Uhlman’s senior season advancing to the Lubbock Regional before the NCAA tournament expanded to 64 teams.

Uhlman and his wife Emily have a daughter, Zoey, and two sons, Kai and Sawyer.