Manny Mantrana (September 28, 1964 – April 21, 2021) was an American college baseball coach, formally serving as the UTRGV Vaqueros baseball head coach. He held that position since prior to the 2009 season, when the program was known as the Texas–Pan American Broncs and represented the University of Texas–Pan American (UTPA).[1][2][3][4]

Manny Mantrana
Mantrana with the Columbia Mets c. 1988
Current position
TitleHead coach
Biographical details
Born(1964-09-28)September 28, 1964
Miami, FL
DiedApril 21, 2021(2021-04-21) (aged 56)
Miami, FL
Playing career
1982Miami Dade
1983Middle Georgia
1984–1985LSU
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1996Miami Dade (Asst.)
1997–2008St. Thomas
2009–2017UTPA/UTRGV

In 2015, UTRGV entered into operation after the merger of UTPA with the nearby University of Texas at Brownsville. The UTPA athletic program was inherited by UTRGV, and Mantrana kept his position through the merger. He then became the women's golf temporary head coach for UTRGV in the fall of 2017. On May 24, 2017, he announced that he was stepping down as coach, with Mantrana being tapped to serve as a special assistant to the director of athletics.[5][6]

He died on April 21, 2021, following a battle with cancer.[7]

Playing career

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After graduating from Miami Jackson High School, Mantrana attended Miami Dade for one season. He then transferred to Middle Georgia, where he helped the Warriors to the 1983 NJCAA World Series. He earned was named to the All-Tournament team and was MVP of the regional tournament while Middle Georgia finished second in the tournament. He then played two seasons at LSU for Skip Bertman. Although Mantrana had been drafted several times previously (after high school and three times during junior college), he was not drafted at the end of his collegiate career. He signed a professional contract with the Detroit Tigers. He played three seasons in Class A in the Tigers and New York Mets organizations before ending his playing career.[4]

Coaching career

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Mantrana began his coaching career at Miami Jackson High School, where he served for four seasons before moving to Miami Dade as an assistant. After one year, he earned the head coaching job at St. Thomas. In his twelve seasons with the NAIA Bobcats, the team appeared in the postseason nine times and earned three NAIA World Series berths. Over 95% of his players earned their degrees, and at least 25 went on to play professionally. He compiled a record of 434–193–1. He was honored as Southeasat Coach of the Year and Florida Sun Conference Coach of the Year three times each.[4]

He became head coach at Texas–Pan American for the 2009 season, and led them into the Great West Conference, going 52–58 in conference play in four seasons. With the dissolution of that league, the Broncs moved to the Western Athletic Conference, remaining in that league through the merger that created UTRGV. In four seasons with the WAC, he went 40–61–1 in conference play. [1]

Head coaching record

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Texas–Pan American Broncs (Independent) (2009)
2009 Texas–Pan American 14–41
Texas–Pan American (Great West Conference) (2010–2013)
2010 Texas–Pan American 22–33 9–18 6th (8) GWC Tournament[a]
2011 Texas–Pan American 21–32 10–18 6th (8) GWC Tournament
2012 Texas–Pan American 30–22 16–12 2nd (8) GWC Tournament
2013 Texas–Pan American 28–30 17–10 3rd (8) GWC Tournament
Texas–Pan American Broncs/UTRGV Vaqueros (Western Athletic Conference) (2014–2017)
2014 Texas–Pan American 27–30 17–10 3rd WAC Tournament
2015 Texas–Pan American 21–30–1 6–20–1 10th
2016 UTRGV 21–28 10–14 8th
2017 UTRGV 26–28 7–17 8th
Total: 210–274–1

      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

  1. ^ For each of the four Great West Tournaments, all eight teams played in the tournament

References

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  1. ^ a b Reynaldo Leal (July 25, 2012). "The long way: Mantrana on faith, family and baseball". Panorama Magazine. Retrieved April 26, 2014.
  2. ^ Peter Rasmussen (September 8, 2008). "Mantrana officially announced as new baseball coach". The Monitor. Retrieved April 26, 2014.
  3. ^ Donald J. Boyles (August 28, 2008). "Mantrana hired by UTPA". College Baseball Daily. Retrieved April 26, 2014.
  4. ^ a b c "Manny Mantrana". St. Thomas. Retrieved April 26, 2014.
  5. ^ "Manny Mantrana - Special Assistant to the Director of Athletics - Baseball Coaches".
  6. ^ "Mantrana stepping down as UTRGV baseball coach after nine seasons | Sports | themonitor.com". www.themonitor.com. Archived from the original on 2017-07-12.
  7. ^ Rabalais, Scott (29 April 2021). "Manny Mantrana, outfielder on Skip Bertman's first two LSU teams, dies at 57". The Advocate. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
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