The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Volunteer Assistant Coach Rob Penders
02.25.2005 | Baseball
Full Name: Rob Penders
Date of Birth: February 14, 1974
Hometown: Vernon, Connecticut
High School: East Catholic High School
College: Wake Forest University (1996)
Graduate School: University of Texas (2000)
Family: Wife: Christie
No stranger to The University of Texas baseball program and college baseball in the state of Texas, Rob Penders begins his third year as a volunteer assistant coach with the Longhorns in 2006 after a five-year departure from that post when he served as an assistant coach in the junior college ranks.
As he did from 1999-2000 with the Horns, Penders will be responsible for working with the Texas outfielders and serving as the squad's first base coach.
A four-year letterwinner at Wake Forest, Penders was the Demon Deacons co-captain during both his junior and senior seasons (1995 & 1996) while playing primarily at third base and then switching to first in 1996. He was also used as a relief pitcher by the Demon Deacons and hit a total of 30 home runs over his collegiate career. Penders also played in the Cape Cod League for the Hyannis Mets during the summer of 1995.
After graduating from Wake Forest with a degree in communications and a minor in journalism in 1996, Penders played one year of professional baseball with the Richmond Roosters (Ind.) of the Independent Frontier League before becoming the head baseball coach at Bishop McGuinness High School in Winston-Salem, N.C. He then made his way to Austin and joined head coach Augie Garrido's staff as a volunteer manager in 1997 and volunteer assistant coach in 1999, while pursuing his master's degree in sport management from UT.
Following the 2000 season, Penders accepted the assistant coach position at Galveston College. After one year with the Whitecaps, he then became the assistant coach at San Jacinto College where he was in charge of recruiting, infield play and offense. Over his four seasons with the Gators, he not only helped the club in making three Junior College World Series appearances, in which San Jacinto finished second twice (2003 & 2004) and third in 2002, but also aided the club in setting school team records for doubles in 2002 and home runs in 2003.
Prior to college, Penders was a two-time All-State shortstop for his father, Jim, who was the National High School Coach of the Year in 1996, at East Catholic High School in Manchester, Conn. Notably, his brother, Jim, is currently the head baseball coach at the University of Connecticut, where his father and uncle, Tom, were members of the Huskies 1965 College World Series team.
Penders and his wife Christie reside in Austin.
