Jason Hawkins was hired as part of Andrew Checketts’ inaugural staff prior to the 2011 season. The UCSB offense has taken significant strides under Hawkins’s tutelage. In 2013, the Gauchos ranked in the top-three in the conference for batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, runs, hits, runs batted in, home runs, total bases, hit by pitches, sacrifice bunts, and stolen bases in conference play. Five Gaucho hitters received All-Conference recognition at the end of the year, including Robby Nesovic – conference Freshman Player of the Year and Freshman All-American – and Brandon Trinkwon, who became UCSB’s highest position player draftee when he was taken in the seventh round of the 2013 draft by the Dodgers. Hawkins’s work with the offense played a part in them reaching the NCAA Regionals for the first time since 2002, ending the second longest postseason drought in program history. During the staff’s first season, the Gauchos went 28-28 and established themselves as a force to be reckoned with on both sides of the ball. Jason’s offense ranked in the top-four amongst Big West teams in almost every major statistical category. In 2012, the Gauchos ranked first in stolen bases, second in batting average, runs, hits, and triples, third in doubles, and fourth in home runs. UCSB had the conference leader in batting average and on-base percentage, and had three lineup regulars hit .347 or higher. He joined UCSB after serving as the head coach at Occidental for the previous three seasons. While heading the Tigers’ program, Hawkins helped rebuild the program as Occidental enjoyed its most successful three-year run since 1991-94.
