Cal State San Marcos Athletics

Jose Garcia became the third head coach of the Cal State San Marcos baseball team on Aug. 1, 2022.

In 2025, Garcia's team made its second consecutive CCAA Tournament appearance after finishing sixth in the conference standings at 20-18 while recording an overall record of 25-23. The Cougars won three games against ranked opponents, including No. 1 and eventual NCAA Division II National Champion Tampa. Nolan Long was named to the All-CCAA second team and was an NCBWA All-West Region second team while Jack Clark and Fisher Pyatt were named All-CCAA honorable mentions.

Garcia was named the CCAA Coach of the Year in 2024 after the Cougars finished second in the CCAA standings with a 26-13 conference record and a 27-21 overall record - its best season in the program's NCAA Division II era (2016-present). CSUSM earned its first-ever appearances in the NCAA Division II West Regional and CCAA Tournament. Garrett Teunissen was named the CCAA Player of the Year and was joined by Preston Kelly, Luke Reece and Phoenix Sommay on the first team. Ethan Rivera was named a second-team honoree and Cameron Mahaffy was an honorable mention.

In his first season with the program in 2023, Garcia's Cougars finished 20-25 overall with a 14-21 CCAA record to finish ninth in the conference standings. Luke Reece and Nick Schnopp earned All-CCAA second-team honors while Preston Kelly and Josiah Torres were named honorable mentions.

Garcia came to CSUSM from fellow CCAA member Chico State where he was the top assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Wildcats. Joining Chico's staff as a student assistant in Fall 2012, Garcia helped the Wildcats notch 286 victories, seven postseason appearances, two CCAA Championships, one NCAA West Region Championship and one College World Series appearance in 10 years with the program.

Serving as Chico's primary hitting and infield coach, Garcia coached the Wildcats' offense to a conference-record .344 team batting average while assisting the team to a 34-15 overall record in 2022 despite only returning seven players from the COVID-shortened 2020 season. In 2017, Garcia helped Chico to another CCAA record with a win-loss total of 34-4 in conference play while also helping the team to an NCAA Division II-best .983 fielding percentage.

In 2020, Garcia was selected to serve as Chico's representative on the CCAA Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee where he represented the Wildcats from the lens of a first-generation Mexican American.

Before becoming a student and coach at Chico, Garcia wrapped up his playing career at College of the Desert in Palm Desert. He was an All-Foothill Conference honorable mention as a freshman and was named the team's Offensive Player of the Year in 2011. Prior to college, Garcia was a prep standout at Rancho Verde High School in Moreno Valley where was named the Gatorade Freshman Player of the Year and took home All-Southwestern League honors.

Garcia is a graduate of Chico State and earned his bachelor's degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in coaching. He later earned his master's degree in School and Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Positive Coaching from the University of Missouri in 2017.
 

Head Coaching Record Team Year Record Playoffs/Honors/Notes Cal State San Marcos 2023 20-25 Cal State San Marcos 2024 27-21 CCAA Coach of the Year; CCAA Tournament Appearance; NCAA West Regional Appearance Cal State San Marcos 2025 25-23 CCAA Tournament Appearance Total 3 Seasons  72-69 (.511)