Penders was hired as a graduate assistant baseball coach before being named a full assistant in 1999 . He was promoted to head coach in 2003 after Andy Baylock left the program . Penders won the Big East Coach of the Year honors in 2006 , 2010 and 2011 , taking the Huskies to the NCAA Tournament in each of those three seasons . In 2011 , Penders led the Huskies to their first Super Regional . They were eliminated by South Carolina , two games to none . On March 27 , 2012 , Penders earned his 300th career victory , all at Connecticut , with a win over in-state rival Hartford . The 8th-seeded Huskies won the 2013 Big East Conference Baseball Tournament in the league 's final year before the split
2013 Big East Conference Baseball Tournament
2013 Big East Conference Baseball Tournament
Jim Penders