April 19, 2011

Saddleback College's Jack Hodges to Retire at Season's End

MISSION VIEJO, CA - Saddleback College head baseball coach Jack Hodges has announced that he will be retiring at the end of the season, ending a 22-year run as head coach of the Gauchos and over 40 years of coaching baseball in Southern California.

Hodges started his coaching career at Rowland High School (Rowland Heights, CA) in 1971 and moved to south Orange County in 1980 when he began coaching at Laguna Hills High School.  He took over as head coach at Saddleback College prior to the 1990 season and has guided that program for 22 years.  He was the fifth head baseball coach in Saddleback history, coaching longer than the previous four coaches combined (21 years). 

Hodges currently has 576 victories at Saddleback (576-363-4) and over 900 victories in his entire coaching career (916-523-6).  He has led Saddleback to 13 post-season playoff appearances including two state runner-up seasons (1998, 2003) and one state championship season (2004).

“Coach Hodges has developed Saddleback College baseball into a highly regarded program.  Not only from the standpoint of being very competitive athletically, but also in the expected behavior of his student-athletes.  We have often been commended by the respect and courtesy that our teams have shown when they are off-campus representing Saddleback,” said Athletic Director Tony Lipold.  “Jack has given his heart and soul to our baseball program.  His leadership and guidance of our student-athletes will always be remembered and appreciated.  It will be hard to replace him.”

Hodges will coach his final game at Saddleback on Thursday, April 28, when the Gauchos host Santa Ana College in the Orange Empire Conference finale.  Game time is 2:00 p.m.

Assistant coach Sommer McCartney will take over as head coach of the Saddleback baseball program when Hodges retires.  McCartney has served as an assistant coach under Hodges for nine seasons, including the past five as a full-time instructor on campus.  McCartney served as the head coach at Aliso Niguel High School (Aliso Viejo, CA) from 2001 through 2005.