Dec. 17, 2008

Fullerton, Calif. - Cal State Fullerton Athletic Hall of Famer Phil Nevin has been named manager of the 2009 Orange County Flyers, an independent league baseball team that plays its home games at Fullerton's Goodwin Field.

Nevin, 37, is set to replace Major League Hall of Famer Gary Carter, who led the Flyers to their first Golden Baseball League championship in 2008 and earned the GBL's Manager of the Year Award. Carter will manage the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic Coast Independent League in 2009.

This is Nevin's first year as a coach after a 12-year major league career and stint as a broadcaster for the San Diego Padres and ESPN.

A local product of El Dorado High School, Nevin, became arguably the most successful two-sport athlete in Cal State Fullerton history. Nevin was named a 1989 freshman All-American by The Sporting News as a place kicker and later developed into an outstanding punter for the Titans' football team.

On the diamond, Nevin was Baseball America's National Player of the Year and USA Baseball's Golden Spikes winner in 1992, and was also the College World Series' Most Outstanding Player. He was a 1992 Olympian and the first player chosen in the 1992 MLB draft by the Houston Astros.

Nevin was a career .346 hitter for Cal State Fullerton and blasted 39 home runs and drove in 184 RBI. Nevin played in six games at Goodwin Field (Formerly Titan Field) where the Titans went 5-1 in the brand new park's first games at the end of the 1992 season. Previously, Cal State Fullerton played its games down the road at Amerige Park.

The San Diego resident played for seven big league teams (Houston, Detroit, Anaheim, San Diego, Texas, Chicago Cubs, and Minnesota) over 12 seasons and finished with a career .270 batting average, 208 home runs and 743 RBI.

Nevin begins his duties immediately putting together a coaching staff for the upcoming season as well as preparing for tryouts, and being on hand for promotions and community relation ventures.

For more information visit orangecountyflyers.com.