Michael Luna was approved this week as the new San Benito High
baseball coach.
Hollister – The job is officially his now.
Michael Luna was approved this week as the new San Benito High baseball coach.
Luna was selected from the four candidates to apply for the job. All four coached at either the high school or college level last year, said San Benito Athletic Director Tod Thatcher.
“Coach Luna is well respected throughout the Northern California baseball community and brings many years of coaching experience at the high school, junior college and collegiate levels to our program,” Thatcher said. “Coach Luna’s teams are always well coached and have had great success on and off the field.”
Luna coached his Leigh High team to a 25-4 record and Central Coast Section championship in 2000.
The school district didn’t receive any applications for the job from in-house candidates, who would have had priority for the job, Thatcher said.
Luna was initially selected as the coach last year, but the job went to Derek Barnes because of his teaching connections at the high school.
Barnes resigned at the end of the year to spend more time with his family and persue his master’s degree. He led his team into the Central Coast Section playoffs last season.
There is a possibility that Luna, who has math teaching credentials, could remain as an off-campus coach, Thatcher said. But Thatcher said would like for him to teach as he does with all the coaches.
Luna did not return phone calls at press time.
