Bruce Elliott Named Assistant Baseball Coach

STORRS, Conn. (Sept. 23, 2005) - Bruce Elliott, an assistant baseball coach for Palomar College in San Marcos, Calif., for the past three years, has been named as an assistant coach at the University of Connecticut. As the assistant coach for Palomar, he helped to lead the team to the 2004 California State Regional playoffs and to the 2003 Pacific Coast Conference Championship. Elliott's focus at UConn will be to work with the outfielders.

"He adds another dimension to our program," said head UConn baseball coach Jim Penders. "He brings a wealth of experience to our program, and I feel we will benefit greatly."
 

With Elliott at the helm, Palomar College became the first San Diego County baseball team to reach the State Community College championship game in 31 years by winning its first two games in the 2005 State Final Four. Palomar was also the 2005 Pacific Coast Conference Champions.

In addition to being a coach, Elliott has served as a professional hitting instructor at the San Diego School of Baseball since 2002. The San Diego School of Baseball is the largest summer and winter baseball camp in San Diego County.

Elliott began his career in coaching at the high school level. Most recently, he served as the head baseball coach at San Dieguito Academy High School from 1998-2002. The original San Dieguito high school had been closed in 1996, and Elliott helped to resurrect the baseball program that had been lost and also served as a teacher in the Business/Technology department. The school earned a California Interscholasic Federation (CIF) playoff regional bid in 2002, the first in school history. Elliott also served as the head junior varsity coach and assistant varsity coach at Orange Glen High School in the mid-1990s. His team competed in the Palomar League, one of the most competitive high school conferences in the United States. He helped to advance the team to a third place finish in the league.

As a player, Elliott was an outfielder for Mt. San Antonio Community College. His team was a member of the South Coast Conference and reached the state playoffs in two consecutive years.

"He is a dedicated man," said Penders. "He has incredible motivation and a passion for the program and for the game itself."

Elliott is a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association, and a certified teacher. He holds a Master's Degree in physical education from Azusa Pacific University and is a 1992 graduate of California State Polytechnic University, at which he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. Elliott and his wife Cindy have a son, Wyatt, and a daughter, Ainsley.