In his combined 28 seasons as a collegiate head baseball coach, George Horton amassed a career record 1,091-546-2 (.666). Horton is known for guiding national power Cal State Fullerton to the 2004 National Championship and for resurrecting a dormant University of Oregon baseball program and bringing it to national prominence.
Horton spent 11 seasons at the helm of his alma mater Cal State Fullerton from 1997-2007, leading the Titans to seven conference titles, seven College World Series appearances and the 2004 NCAA Championship. Horton posted a record of 490-212-1 (.697) with the Titans. Following his squad’s title run in 2004, Horton received National Coach of the Year honors from the ABCA/Diamond Sports and Collegiate Baseball. He was also named National Coach of the Year by Baseball America in 2003 and was a five time Big West Conference Coach of the Year.
Horton was hired as Oregon’s 12th baseball coach in school history in September 2007, the program’s first since it was discontinued following the 1981 season and spent the 2008 season building the program. In 11 seasons with the Ducks, Horton carried a 375-281-1 (.571) record and led Oregon to five NCAA Regional tournaments, including four in a row from 2012-15. The Ducks advanced to the Super Regionals in 2012 and won a school-record 48 games in 2013.
Before taking the reins at Fullerton, Horton worked for six years as an assistant coach for the Titans under legendary college baseball coach Augie Garrido, helping lead the team to three CWS appearances and a national title in 1995. Horton served six years as the head coach at Cerritos College from 1985-90, compiling a junior college record of 226-53 (.810) and capturing three California state baseball championships (1985, 1987, 1989).
Horton earned the USA Baseball Rod Dedeaux Coach of the Year Award after serving as the head coach for the 2016 Collegiate National Team and was also a member of the U.S. coaching staff in 2012.
As a player, Horton spent two seasons at Cerritos College before joining Garrido at Cal State Fullerton. Horton earned All-PCAA honors as both a junior and a senior and was on the first Fullerton team to go to the College World Series in 1975. Horton is one of 17 men to have appeared in Omaha as a player and a head coach.
Horton has been inducted to several Halls of Fame, including the California Community College Baseball Coaches Association and Cal State Fullerton as part of the 1995 team before being inducted in 2017 as an individual.
