COACHING STAFF

Thomari Story-Harden

Thomari Story-Harden is the CEO / Director of Team Avenue Baseball, a student/athlete baseball developmental program. Thomari has partnered with Major League Baseball to form the new Central Valley RBI program. Thomari is also a Mentor and Coach to the players of Worldwide Baseball Prospects recruitment planning program

A local standout at El Cerrito High, the 6 '7 - 270lb Story-Harden starred in football and baseball before getting drafted in the 8th Round of the 1998 Amatuer Draft by the LA Dodgers. He played with the LA Dodgers organization for 6 years. Thomari then made the move to the East Coast playing 3 years of Independent Baseball in which he made the Frontier League All Star Team in 2005.

Once his pro career ended, Thomari re-focused his commitment to giving back to the youth of the Central Valley (California) area by starting the Team Avenue Baseball Academy and Avenue Outreach, a non-profit baseball school. On top of tutoring players on the field, Story-Harden assisted in placing youth in college at all levels of play. His philosophy when working with young adults is to stress academics and family before athletics.

"I truly believe the statement made by Tommy Lasorda the, "The Road to Success comes through the Avenue of Hard work."

Story-Harden is the manager of the Goodwill Series SSK Team that travels to Australia. While in Australia he and other scouts are able to evaluate player talent over an extended period of time while providing hands on training to development talent.

Thomari has been able to learn form the guru of exposure tournaments, Mr. Bob Williams. As a former player of the Area Code games and Goodwill Series, Story-Harden was able to create his Avenue of Success. "It is now time to give back to the Central Valley and help lead our student-athletes down a path of their own."

Bob Bennett

Bob Bennett concluded one of the most illustrious careers in college baseball in 2002. Bennett wrapped up his career with a 1,302-759 record all-time, which ranks him seventh all-time in NCAA Division I history. He joined Larry Hays of Texas Tech as becoming only the seventh coach in NCAA history to reach 1,300 wins. With a 32-27 record in his final season, Bennett closed out his career with 26 consecutive winning seasons. In his 34 years Bennett had just two losing seasons.

In 2002, Bennett's squad captured its 12th Pepsi/Johnny Quik Classic title as well as reeling off 15 straight home wins, the most since 1988 when Fresno State won 27 in a row.

In the 2001 season he guided FS to its 25th consecutive winning season earning a third WAC Coach of the Year award, while making his 21st NCAA regional appearance. During the 2000 season he became only the 10th coach in NCAA baseball history to reach the 1,200-win plateau.

Considered a leader on the collegiate baseball front, Bennett is a former president of the American Baseball Coaches Association. He serves on the Hall of Fame and All-America committees within the ABCA and is a member of the ABCA Board.

The 69-year-old Bennett has also been heavily involved in baseball at the international level, serving as head coach of the U.S. National Team in 1983 and 1986 and as a member of the national team's coaching staff in 1977 and 1979. Bennett is a member of the Fresno State Hall of Fame, the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame and the Roosevelt High School Hall of Fame as a charter member.
Bennett informed athletics director Dr. Al Bohl of his decision to retire after the 2002 season as Fresno State prepared to enter the 2001 NCAA tournament. "It is my personal desire to retire at the end of the 2002 season," Bennett said. "I am making this decision after lengthy deliberations and discussions with my family. After 45 years of coaching, included 33 years as head baseball coach at Fresno State, I feel strongly that I have done almost all of the things I have wanted to do in coaching. While I look forward to one more season with our program and seeing the fresh talent on this year's team mature to even greater heights, I want to move on with my life, spend more time with my family and pursue other goals of writing, lecturing and conducting clinics."

"Fresno State has been very fortunate to have Bob Bennett as its head baseball coach for 33 years," Bohl said. "His record is outstanding and his accomplishments as a coach will likely never be surpassed in school history. The university and all of the baseball fans of the Valley owe a great deal of gratitude to Coach Bennett. The 2002 season will be very special for Fresno State and Bob Bennett."

Some of Coach Bennett’s accomplishments are:

  • Member of the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame
  • Member of the Fresno State Hall of Fame
  • Member of the Roosevelt High School Hall of Fame as a charter member
  • Seventh all-time in wins in NCAA Division I baseball history
  • Only the seventh coach in NCAA baseball history to reach 1,300 wins
  • 26 consecutive winning seasons
  • 3 time WAC Coach of the Year
  • 21 NCAA regional appearances
  • Only the 10th coach in NCAA baseball history to reach 1,200 wins
  • First coach or player in Fresno State history to have his number retired
  • Averaged more than 40 wins a season since 1979
  • 17 conference championships - 7 in a row
  • 21 NCAA Tournament berths
  • Coached 65 players who earned first-team all-conference honors
  • Coached 32 All-Americans
  • Coached nine first-round MLB draft picks
  • Coached two College World Series teams
  • Coached more than 100 players who have gone on to careers in professional baseball
  • Coached 35 players that have played in the Major Leagues
  • Earned conference Coach of the Year honors 14 times
  • Named 1988 NCAA Coach of the Year by The Sporting News
  • Earned the prestigious Lefty Gomez Award in January 2000
  • 4 year letterman as a catcher at Fresno State
  • Twice named California Collegiate Athletic Association All-Conference
  • Played on teams that won CCAA titles in 1954 and 1955
  • Set a school record for fielding percentage by a catcher when he went errorless in 224 total chances 53' season
  • Graduated from Fresno State in 1956 with a degree in physical education
  • Former president of the American Baseball Coaches Association
  • Serves on the Hall of Fame and All-America committees within the ABCA and is a member of the ABCA Board
  • Served as head coach of the U.S. National Team in 1983 and 1986
  • Served as a member of the national team’s coaching staff in 1977 and 1979