Georgia Coaching Staff Perno earned SEC Coach of the Year honors for the second time. In 2008, Georgia became the first school in SEC history to sweep the annual league honors as voted on by the coaches. A Bulldog earned SEC Player, Pitcher, Scholar-Athlete and Coach of the Year accolades. Head Coach In only his third season at the helm, Perno, an Athens native and Georgia alumnus was honored as the 2004 College Coach of the Year by Baseball 9th Season America. Perno guided the Bulldogs to a third place finish at the 2004 CWS, 14th Year at UGA a share of the SEC title and a final national ranking of fourth. The Bulldogs went 45-23 in 2004, setting school records with a 12-game SEC winning (Georgia ’91) streak, 28 games televised and the highest total attendance and per game average in Foley Field history. CWS: 1990, ’01, ’04, ’06, ’08 Perno was also recognized by his colleagues as the 2004 American Baseball Coaches Assocation/Diamond South Regional Coach of the Year, SEC Champions: 2001, ’04, ’08 the 2004 SEC Coach of the Year (along with Arkansas’ Dave Van Horn) and the 2004 National Coach of the Year by College Baseball Insider.com. Georgia’s recruiting class for 2004 was ranked 10th best nationally by Baseball America. In 2006, the Bulldogs showcased another sizzling second half performance that featured a 13-game winning streak, going 23-7 over their final 30 games. In the SEC, they went 15-5 in their last 20 games to finish second In eight seasons at the University of Georgia, David Perno has guided in the Eastern Division and third overall. Georgia earned one of the 16 host the Bulldogs to five postseason appearances, more than any other coach sites for NCAA Regional play and eventually one of the eight Super Regional in program history. He has taken three Georgia teams to college baseball’s sites. Georgia eliminated Florida State to win a regional and South Carolina ultimate destination, the College World Series (CWS). Most recently, Perno to capture a super regional to punch another ticket to Omaha. The Bulldogs led Georgia to the NCAA Tournament in 2008 and 2009, the school’s first concluded the year 47-23 and ranked sixth nationally. The 47 wins tied for back-to-back trips to the postseason since 2001-02. He also led the 2008 the second most in school history and led the SEC. squad to the College World Series Finals, another Southeastern ConferIn 2007, the Bulldogs played the second most games against ranked ence (SEC) title, a consensus No. 2 final national ranking and the second opponents of any SEC school despite having one of the youngest teams in best finish in school history. He is one of only 12 men in NCAA history to the league. Georgia freshmen pitchers made 86 appearances, and Bulldog take three teams to to the CWS in his first seven years as a head coach. freshmen hitters tallied 703 at bats, and these totals ranked among the top Perno, 42, begins his 14th year with the Bulldogs including the ninth three of any SEC team. as head coach. Under Perno, Georgia has shown a standard of excellence Perno has spearheaded numerous improvements to Foley Field including on and off the field. He has led the Bulldogs to the CWS in 2004, 2006 and a new professional playing surface and installation of a drainage system, new 2008. Perno has the distinction of going to the CWS with the Bulldogs as a and additional chair back seating for the fans and upgrading and renovaplayer (1990 national champions), assistant coach (2001) and three times tion of the Bulldog locker room, athletic training room and players lounge. as a head coach. In school history, the Bulldogs have made only nine NCAA In 2006, the Foley Field upgrades included new lights and a state-of-the-art Regionals, and five of those trips have been during Perno’s tenure. scoreboard/videoboard and sound system. Player development is another highlight in the Perno era. A total of 34 On July 21, 2001, Perno became the 24th baseball coach in school Bulldogs have had the opportunity to play professional baseball after comhistory. He had just completed his fifth year on the Georgia staff including ing to Georgia as a non-drafted player. Also, 12 Bulldogs have improved his second under Ron Polk. Perno’s recruiting efforts have helped build the their draft status the next time they were selected. In 2009, Georgia led the program back to a force in the SEC. Perno’s initial charge as head coach nation with 11 players drafted including seven that were not selected comwas to sustain the momentum created by the 2001 Bulldogs that captured ing out of high school. Rich Poythress, a second round pick, headlined the the SEC title and advanced to the CWS. After the professional draft and 2009 contingent as the first baseman earned All-America honors and was graduation claimed Georgia’s entire starting infield, pitching rotation and two a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy. catchers, Perno guided a youthful squad to the 2002 NCAA Atlanta Regional Under Perno, student-athletes have made the annual SEC Academic final and a record of 32-29. It marked the only time in school history that Honor Roll 87 times including a record 15 in 2008. A total of 42 Bulldogs Georgia had made back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament. Georgia’s have signed professional contracts. 2002 schedule ranked among the toughest in the country, featuring 32 road Since 2006, Georgia has had five players drafted in the first three games. rounds including a pair of first-rounders, shortstop Gordon Beckham and In 2003, the Bulldogs won eight of their last 12 games to finish 29-26. pitcher Joshua Fields in 2008. The All-American Beckham was a second The final part of the schedule featured nine games against opponents ranked team Academic All-American, a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award, the Dick in the top 20 and Georgia went 5-4 including a series sweep of Georgia Tech Howser Trophy and the Brooks Wallace Award. Fields earned the National for the first time since 1986. Freshmen played a major role especially in the Stopper of the Year Award as the nation’s best closer, was a finalist for the pitching staff. They combined for a 14-9 mark and accounted for 42 percent Clemens Award and a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes. of the innings pitched. The 14 In 2009, Perno guided Georgia to a 14-0 start, breaking the Georgia Accomplishments Under Perno wins by the 2003 rookie class tied a school mark. The 2004 season 98-year old record for the best start NCAA College World Series: was the second most successful in school history and the program’s 2004, 2006, 2008 campaign in school history until first No. 1 ranking in the regular the 2008 squad finished second. In NCAA Appearances: season. The Bulldogs led the SEC 2005, Georgia narrowly missed the with a school record 109 home 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009 postseason, going 30-25 and falling runs and for the second straight SEC Titles: 2004, 2008 a half-game short of qualifying for year under Perno, Georgia set MLB Draftees: 39 the SEC Tournament. Georgia tied school records for total attendance a school record with six Bulldogs Free Agent Signees: 9 at Foley Field. selected in the annual MLB draft With the 2008 SEC title, the All-SEC Recipients: 16 including five pitchers. In 2006, second under Perno, Georgia SEC Academic Honorees: 87 Georgia returned again to the earned a national seed and served Freshman All-Americans: 8 CWS. as a host for an NCAA Regional Before coming back to ABCA All-Region: 9 and Super Regional. The Bulldogs Georgia, Perno was an assistant went 45-25-1 overall in reaching USA Baseball Team: 1 under Robert Sapp at Middle the CWS Finals and set a school NCAA All-Tournament: 22 Georgia Junior College. In 1996, record with a 20-9-1 league mark.
David Perno
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6 SEC Titles: 1933, 1953, 1954, 2001, 2004, 2008