LOS ANGELES - Following a standout season for LMU Lions baseball that landed the team its first NCAA Tournament spot since 2000, Loyola Marymount University Assistant Coach Nathan Choate has been tapped to lead the team next year, Athletic Director Craig Pintens has announced.
 
"Nate is a tremendous leader and mentor of student-athletes," Pintens said. "He has an outstanding reputation in recruiting and developing talent. He was instrumental in our success this past season, and his experience within the WCC will allow us to continue to compete for championships. We are excited for him to lead our baseball program."
 
Choate joined the Lions as assistant coach in the summer of 2018, focusing on the pitching staff and recruiting. Under his leadership, senior Codie Paiva was named WCC Pitcher of the Year after posting an 8-5 record with a 1.91 ERA and a 90:18 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Paiva's complete-game, 11-strikeout outing in the 2019 WCC Championships helped the Lions defeat the top-seeded BYU Cougars to start their magical run resulting in a WCC Tournament title for the first time since the format changed in 2013. Paiva was drafted in the 22^nd round by the Marlins following his All-WCC First Team and ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I West All-Region Second Team senior campaign.
 
Choate's pitching staff boasted the West Coast Conference's best ERA, allowing 3.50 earned runs per game, which currently ranks 14^thin the nation. The Lions also finished the year as the WCC's leader and 12^thin the country in WHIP at 1.24. The 7.88 hits per nine innings also ranks at the top of the conference.
 
Under Choate in 2019, both the starting rotation and bullpen significantly improved their ERAs from the prior season. The starters lowered their ERA from 4.99 in 2018 to 3.66 in 2019, and the bullpen improved by nearly two earned runs per game from 5.25 to 3.33.
 
"To be able to build upon what we started this year and to keep working with these players is very exciting for me, and I am eager to get started in my new role," Choate said. "I am grateful for the opportunity to continue LMU's tradition of excellence and make our alumni proud."
 
Prior to his time at LMU, Choate spent two years as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of San Diego. Choate helped guide the Toreros to a combined 58-50-1 record. Through his two seasons, five Torero pitchers were selected in the MLB Draft. In his first season with San Diego in 2017, Choate's staff struck out 9.7 batters per nine innings to record the sixth-best rate in the nation and lead the WCC. Torero ace Nick Sprengel went 9-1 to tie a program record for win percentage and was named to the All-WCC First team. Additionally, Chris Murphy was named to the Freshmen All-American team after striking out 11.61 batters per nine innings — the fifth-best rate in a single season in program history.
 
Choate also served as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Grand Canyon University, where he helped lead the 'Lopes to a D-II World Series appearance and a WAC Championship while the school was transitioning to D-I. Considered one of the top recruiters in the nation, Choate also spearheaded a top-35 ranked recruiting class in 2015.
 
Choate also excelled at UC Riverside, where he served as the Highlanders' pitching coach and recruiting coordinator. He began his coaching career at UC Irvine.
 
Choate pitched collegiately at Cal Poly for two seasons, where he was twice awarded the Jim Newkirk Fireman's Award, given to the team's best relief pitcher. He also pitched two seasons at Santa Ana Junior College, helping the Dons to a third-place national finish in 1999.
 
Choate and his wife have four children.