Danny Price
Baseball Head Coach

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ead coach Danny Price has become an institution at FIU, firmly establishing his FIU Baseball program as one of the elite programs in the nation. Over the past 10 years, his Golden Panthers have won 403 games, which ranks them 22nd in all of Division 1.

As the dean of all South Florida intercollegiate head baseball coaches, Price has compiled a career mark of 921-467, ranking him among the winningest active coaches in Division I baseball today. He was also one of only seven Division I coaches at the time to reach the 500-win milestone by the age of 41. After his 900th career win, he was featured in the Sports Illustrated Faces in the Crowd Section. Now in his 24th season at the helm of the Golden Panthers, Price looks to shoot his team to even further heights.

Though his team may have fallen short of pre-season expectations last year, Price may have done his best coaching job ever, guiding a squad marred by injuries and defections into an NCAA Regional for a school record sixth-straight year. As has become par for the course, Price returns a stable of good talent, and with it, expectations for success.

An innovator and program builder, Price oversaw the planning and construction of the University Park Stadium through its first and second stages. Because of his efforts, more than $100,000 in cash and gifts were raised for the completion of all-weather batting cages within the stadium complex. Now, both FIU baseball and women's softball players can practice day or night, regardless of the weather outside. Afterwards, he was honored with University Employee of the Year recognition by the Alumni Association and was co-recipient of FIU Employee of the Year Award three years ago.

For the past 23 years, Price and his coaching staff have accepted any and all speaking engagements, conducted clinics and camps (many free of charge to local area youth groups), sold advertisements and sponsorships, concessions, even Christmas trees. He spends countless hours on the telephone with potential boosters and will shake the hand of anyone willing to listen about FIU baseball.

Price became the head coach of the Golden Panthers in 1980 and experienced immediate success. He led FIU to a 41-14 record that season, including the school's first-ever trip to the NCAA Division II World Series. The Florida Diamond Club named him its Coach of the Year, and the City of Miami Commission honored him and his team with a Proclamation of Excellence.

That was only the beginning. He won 92 games over the next two seasons, including a school record 51 victories in 1982. That record-setting performance earned a No. 5 national ranking in the final Collegiate Baseball Division II coaches' poll.

In 1983, the FIU program made the jump to Division I but it made no difference to the tradition of excellence Price had begun to establish. The Golden Panthers finished their first Division I schedule with a 35-22 record, including wins over Auburn and Seton Hall.

Throughout the late 80's, Price continued to build a program that was on the verge of national prominence. After winning at least 39 games each year from 1987 to 1990, the Golden Panthers headed to the Trans America Athletic Conference in 1991. Price led FIU to a 43-23 record in its inaugural season in the TAAC, won the conference tournament and advanced to the NCAA Division I Tournament for the first time in school history. For his efforts, Price was named the 1991 Trans America Athletic Conference Coach of the Year.

In 1995, the Golden Panthers amassed a school-record 49 regular-season victories (including a record 21-game win streak), captured the Trans America Athletic Conference championship, reached a No. 9 national ranking then finished fourth at the NCAA Atlantic II Regional tournament. Following the season, not only did the TAAC name Price its Coach of the Year, but also the South Florida entertainment weekly New Times picked Price its overall Collegiate Coach of the Year.

Price can truly say he’s helped build the program since it inception. In 1973, as a member of Florida International's first intercollegiate baseball squad, Price led the team with 79 base hits, a school record that stood for the next six years. In recognition of his offensive accomplishments, Price was named MVP and voted co-captain of the following year's squad.

After earning his bachelor's degree in 1974, Price joined the staff at Miami Central High School where he was an assistant coach in baseball and football. After practices, he would attend night school and work toward a master's degree in Health Education that he received from FIU in 1976.

Two years later, Price was given his opportunity to coach at the college level. Then-FIU Coach Tom H. Wonderling sought a batting instructor and help with recruiting. Price was offered the position of assistant, strictly on a volunteer basis. He readily accepted. During that next spring, FIU went on to break or tie 36 offensive records en route to a team batting average of .318.
When Wonderling departed the program in 1980, the University elevated Price to the position of head baseball coach, where he's been ever since.

Price is married to the former Linda Hechtman and has three children: Sandy, Kacey and Danny. Recently, Price became a grandfather for the first time when daughter Sandy gave birth to Taylor Danielle Hall.