Baseball
- Title:
- Head Coach
- E-Mail:
- broncobaseball@boisestate.edu
- Phone:
- 426-5435
Gary Van Tol was named the head coach of Boise State University baseball, November 28, 2017. He is the first skipper for the Broncos since the sport was discontinued in 1980, and will lead Boise State back into competition beginning with 2020 season.
Van Tol spent 10 seasons in the Chicago Cubs organization, working as a minor league manager or coach in the Short Season A Northwest League.  During his time with the Boise Hawks and Eugene Emeralds, he worked with current big leaguers Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber, Willson Contreras, Ian Happ, Albert Almora, Jr., Paul Blackburn, Zack Godley and others, helping develop players and staff in the championship culture of the Chicago Cubs. He also managed local minor league players Andrew Ely (Eagle HS) and Joey Martarano (Fruitland HS).
Under his guidance, the Hawks came within one victory of capturing the Northwest League title in 2013 and reached the semifinals in 2014. He has also given back to the local baseball community as the owner and president of the Idaho Cubs, a developmental baseball program for youth baseball players in Idaho.
Van Tol has extensive coaching experience at the Division I collegiate level, having worked as an assistant coach at Gonzaga from 2005-08, his second stint at the university after coaching there from 1991-93. During his time in Spokane, Van Tol worked with Mike Redmond, former World Series champion and manager for the Miami Marlins, and current bench coach for the Colorado Rockies with former Madison High School graduate Clayton Mortensen. He also helped in the recruitment of eventual major leaguers Steve Ames, Cody Martin and Tyler Olson.
Prior to his time at Gonzaga, he was an assistant coach at Portland from 2002-05. While with the Pilots, Van Tol worked with the pitchers, hitters, infielders and coached third base. He was also the recruiting coordinator; worked on player evaluations, scheduling and the strength and conditioning programs; ran camps and clinics; and coordinated alumni and fundraising events. During his time in Portland he coached Kory Casto, who went on to make the big leagues with the Washington Nationals. He also recruited eventual major league players Blaine Hardy, Rocky Gale and Austin Bibens-Dirkx, who currently resides in Meridian.
Van Tol was the head coach at Treasure Valley Community College in Ontario, Ore., from 1996-2001, where he was elevated to the position after spending the 1995-96 season as the associate head coach. During his time at the helm, the Chukars made four NJCAA Regional appearances and 90 percent of his players moved on to four-year colleges or the professional ranks. Among those include 2002 NCAA home run champion Nate Gold, Rick Bauer, a seven-year MLB veteran and former Centennial High School graduate, and current Kansas City Royals pitcher and former World Series champion with the Chicago Cubs, Jason Hammel. Van Tol's first head coaching position came at Centralia College in Centralia, Wash., where he led the Trailblazers during the 1995 season.
Van Tol has an extensive resume playing the sport, as he was a two-year letterwinner at Gonzaga (1989-90), where he earned All-Pac-10 First Team honors and third-team Academic All-America accolades in 1990. He was the first Bulldog to earn Academic All-America honors in program history. Van Tol came to Gonzaga after earning Region 18 Second Team honors at Treasure Valley Community College from 1986-88.
Van Tol also boasts international baseball experience both as a player and a coach, and as a native of Pincher Creek, Alberta, was a member of the Canadian National Team from 1989-91, competing in the 1991 Pan American Games, the 1990 Goodwill Games and World Championships, and the 1989 Presidential Cup. He also won the 1993 Dutch Championship and European Cup Championship as a member of Levis Neptunus in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Then in 1996, he joined the Great Britain National Team as an assistant coach, working with Major League Baseball International.
Van Tol earned his bachelor's degree in communications from Gonzaga in 1992 and his Master of Arts in administration of physical education and athletics from Gonzaga in 1994. He and his wife Christina have four children - Gehrig, Amaia, Peyton and Gibson.
Van Tol Coaching History
2008-2017 Minor League Coach/Manager -- Short Season `A' Northwest League (Boise Hawks/Eugene Emeralds)
2005-2008 Assistant Coach -- Gonzaga University
2002-2005 Assistant Coach -- University of Portland
1996-2001 Head Baseball Coach -- Treasure Valley Community College
1995-1996 Associate Head Baseball Coach -- Treasure Valley Community College
1994-1995 Head Baseball Coach -- Centralia College
1991-1993 Assistant Baseball Coach -- Gonzaga University
