University of Nebraska at Omaha Athletics

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The 2009 Diamond Club Banquet will honor former UNO Maverick Baseball Head Coach, Bob Gates.  Coach Gates took over for the “Father of UNO Baseball”, Virgil Yelkin in 1977 and led the Mavericks to 464 victories, two NCC titles and two NCAA Regional Appearances in his 23 years as head coach of the Mavericks. Gates retired in 1999.

This year’s banquet will be held Sunday, Feb. 8 at the Millard Plaza Ballroom.  Social hour will be from 5-6 p.m. with dinner beginning at 6 p.m.

The Diamond Club and the UNO Baseball coaches and players are looking forward to welcoming back many of Coach Gates’ former players.  
 
Those interested in attending and being part of honoring Coach Gates can do so by downloading a registration form or by giving Geri Backora in the UNO Athletic Department a call at 554-2506.

The 2008 University of Nebraska at Omaha baseball team, which advanced to the NCAA II Tournament for the fourth-straight season, finished the year ranked No. 8 in the final Collegiate Baseball Newspaper NCAA Division II Top 30 Coaches Poll.

The No. 8 ranking was the highest-ever final ranking for a UNO baseball team. The Mavericks finished at No. 10 in the final 2007 poll, after advancing to the school's first-ever Division II World Series.

After a slow start, the Mavericks won 33 of the final 37 games, as Head Coach Bob Herold guided UNO to a 45-13 overall record and a 22-1 North Central Conference mark. The Mavericks captured the final NCC regular season and tournament titles as Herold was named the 2008 NCC Coach of the Year. Senior Bryan Frew was named the 2008 NCC Player of the Year and Chris Kessinger was named the NCC Pitcher of the Year.

The Mavericks finished second at the NCAA II Central Regional, which was held on May 15-18 in Emporia, Kan. Nebraska-Omaha fell to Central Missouri in the championship game. The Mules wound up at No. 4 in the final poll.