Prado Emerges As Top Candidate For USF Baseball Jo

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Prado Emerges As Top Candidate For USF Baseball Job

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By ADAM ADKINS and BRETT McMURPHY The Tampa Tribune

Published: Jun 15, 2006

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TAMPA - Louisville coach Lelo Prado has emerged as the leading candidate to replace Eddie Cardieri as the baseball coach at the University of South Florida.

Prado met Wednesday in Atlanta with USF athletic director Doug Woolard and senior associate athletic director Barbara Sparks-McGlinchy about becoming the Bulls' next coach, Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich said.

"Lelo did a fabulous job at Louisville, and I'll always be indebted to what he did for this program," Jurich said. "I love his family. I certainly understand USF's interest in him. If going to USF is the right decision, I support him 100 percent."

Prado is Louisville's all-time winningest coach, going 320-302-1 in the past 11 years, and guided the program to its only NCAA Tournament appearance in 2002. Prior to taking over the Cardinals' program, Prado spent seven seasons at the University of Tampa, guiding the Spartans to a 278-124-1 record and back-to-back Division II national championships in 1992-93.

Prado, a 1981 Tampa Catholic graduate, also coached the USA National Team in 2002.

"I had a great conversation with Doug and Barbara, and we'll see what happens," Prado said.

Woolard was unavailable for comment.

Prado has one year remaining on his contract that pays him $92,500 annually. Cardieri made $64,000 last season.

During Prado's tenure at Louisville, the Cardinals' baseball program raised $15 million, which helped fund a new $8 million stadium that opened in 2005.

[Kyle]

I think there are better candidates in the pool...but if it's Prado they want, it'll be Prado we get.

[Joe]

Prado has done a good job at a program that was extremely underfunded and in an area where it's cold until March. If he is selected by the Bulls he will do a good job.

[Paisa el Toro]

Louisville, underfunded? They have a ton more money than we have. They also Papa Johns in their backyard willing to throw money at them all kinds of endeavors.

When do you think Outback or Checkers is going to want to plop down some money for naming rights? Our program is the one that is seriously underfunded.

[Joe]

paisa,

No offense, but you couldn't be more wrong. For years they didn't have a regular homefield and often played on high school fields. In 1998 they were moved to the old AAA ballpark, there they were playing their games at a wooden stadium that was built in 1930 until 2005 when they finally got an on campus baseball facility that would help them compete for better players.

Prado's program raised a lot of the money for the new ballpark.

[Jewbull]

I just do not understand 320-302, he is barely over .500, how many super regionals has this guy been to. Why wouldnt we hire a coach who has consistantly won, the only place Prado has won is a D 2 program, completely different from the Big East.

Lousiville has money and facilities, they get plenty of kids from the state of Florida (See football squad) and he still did not win. Why not go after the LSU guy or an assistant from FSU, UF, and especially Miami (Is 9 College World Series in the last 12 yrs, not good enough for USF??)

Someone please explain this??

[Joe]

Jew,

They have had facilites for TWO seasons (this was their second season playing in a nice ballpark).

Also, it's a NORTHERN city. Name all of the Northern/cold cities that have teams in the CWS...I'll do you one better in the Super regionals.

Northern baseball is very very hard to win with.

[Jewbull]

Joe,

Lets take your theory that Northern City's are difficult to win with, then the only thing this guy has proven is he could win at the D2 level, he has not proven anything at the DI level, let alone Big East competition. So what makes you think he will win @ USF with no facilities.

Why not go after a guy who has a proven track record, or atleast knows what it takes to win at the Big East Level.

I feel like we are settling for 2nd place and imo USF doesn't deserve or need to settle for second best.

[Joe]

If it were my decision I would take Shouppe or O'Conner. However, it is not, and you have to trust the AD to make the best decision.

I think he'll do fine, he's from the area, has recruited Florida well for Louisville and been a coach for the National Team. It was also partly his fund raising that helped build Patterson Park at Louisville.

For the number of people that were on the Joe Urso bandwagon, this guy has done just as much as he has. I think it would be a good hire.

[Rabbi Bull]

marc you also forget that i believe it was lousiville who was playing against notre dame for the big east championship in baseball this season.