OMAHA. Neb. (NCBWA) – After his team was scheduled to be discontinued after the 2011 season, California head coach David Esquer led the Golden Bears to the program's first appearance at the NCAA College World Series since 1992, while earning him the National Coach of the Year Award presented by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

This year's award winner, which was voted on by the NCBWA Board of Directors, was selected from a list that included all Division I Conference Coaches of the Year and the coaches of the 16 NCAA Super Regional teams. Esquer received the honor this morning at TD Ameritrade Park.

The Golden Bears program has avoided the chopping block through fund-raising efforts on the way to their sixth appearance in the CWS. Esquer led Cal out of the loser's bracket in the Houston Regional and beat Dallas Baptist in the Super Regional to advance to Omaha. The Golden Bears are 37-22 heading into Tuesday afternoon's game against Texas A&M. Cal lost its opening round game to No. 1 seed Virginia, 4-1, on Sunday afternoon. Cal's 37 wins this season is the most victories since the 1991 squad went 37-27 and advanced to the final of the 1991 NCAA Wichita State Regional.

Cal entered the 2011 NCAA Tournament with an at-large bid out of the Pacific-10 Conference and was sent to the Houston Regional. After a 6-4 loss to Baylor in the opening game, Esquer's team got past Alcorn State, 10-6, and No. 13 Rice, 6-3, to face Baylor for the regional championship. Cal forced the if-necessary game with an 8-0 shutout behind the strong pitching performance of freshman left-hander Kyle Porter (three hits, no runs, no walks and a career-high nine strikeouts). First baseman Devon Rodriguez earned Most Outstanding Player of the Houston Regional honors with a twoout, two-run single in the bottom of the ninth to lead Cal's dramatic come-from-behind 9-8 victory over Baylor to advance to the Super Regional against Dallas Baptist.

The Bears, led by Pac-10 Player of the Year Tony Renda, swept Dallas Baptist, 7-0 and 6-2, in Santa Clara to advance. Entering the 2011 NCAA College World series, Esquer has posted a 353-311-2 career record over 12 seasons as a head coach of the Golden Bears. It is the fourth appearance by Cal in the NCAA Tournament in Esquer's tenure.

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Related link:
• NCBWA Coach of the Year