Tulane Fall Focus: At Tulane, Jay Uhlman Continues to Give Back to the Game

The second in a series of features on the Tulane Baseball team as the group is in the midst of fall camp.

By Jake Eig
Tulane Strategic Communications

Jay Uhlman was a slick fielding shortstop drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992 from Redondo Union High School in California. He chose to play baseball at Los Angeles Harbor College for two years before transferring to the University of Nevada. Shortly after he played his final game for the Wolf Pack in 1997, Uhlman realized he wanted to be a coach.

"I felt like baseball had given me so much in terms of growing up, relationships, competitive spirit, a sense of belonging and being accountable for not only yourself but for team members," Uhlman said. "The game was so good to me, and I wanted to give back."

Uhlman served as an unpaid graduate assistant with the Wolf Pack for the 1998 season before he joined Los Angeles Harbor College. Within a year at LAHC, Uhlman went from an unpaid assistant coach to being named head coach. In his second year at the helm, Uhlman's LAHC finished 33-6-1 and 20-4 in the South Coast Conference to win the league and a regional championship. Uhlman was named the conference's coach of the year, but it wasn't easy.

"At the junior college level, you are a jack of all trades. You cut the grass, you water the grass, you sand and seed it," Uhlman said. "You had to do everything. I went into debt at Home Depot because I used a lot of my own money to fix the aesthetics of the field."

The following season Uhlman went back to the University of Nevada, serving as the hitting and infield coach. He had always aspired to coach Division I baseball, and at Nevada he would also be recruiting players. His team qualified for the WAC Tournament from 2006-2009.

In 2010, Uhlman joined an Oregon baseball program that had been inactive for 28 years. After one season as a volunteer assistant coach, he was hired away by the University of Kansas. In his one year there, he brought in a class that Perfect Game ranked 32^nd nationally.

Uhlman was snapped up by Oregon in 2012, this time as the hitting and infield coach with a focus on recruiting. In his first year back, Oregon got within one game of the College World Series. Uhlman remained with the Ducks until 2019, serving his final three years as associate head coach. During his tenure, the Ducks qualified for the NCAA Tournament for four consecutive years and won over 60 percent of their games. In six of the last seven years, Uhlman's recruiting classes were ranked in the top 40 by Perfect Game.

Recruiting is about more than simply finding talent. Uhlman wants the full picture.

"Anybody you can talk to that gives you a better picture of who they are, you have a better chance of getting it right."

Uhlman has always been dedicated to helping people achieve success.

"If I wasn't coaching baseball, I'd probably be a family or child counselor," he said. "I feel like my strength is reading people and being able to help."

Uhlman has helped 109 players play professionally along the way. Coach Travis Jewett has wanted to work with Uhlman for years. Uhlman said the decision to join the Green Wave was "a no-brainer" for him and his family.

He is excited to come to a school where "the expectations are to graduate, win conference championships and put yourself into position to go to Omaha."

Uhlman will work with hitters, infielders and coach third base. He will recruit talent, and help those players grow.

"Growth as a player and as a person often have a symbiotic relationship," he said.

Throughout a coaching career spanning over 20 years, Jay Uhlman has grown with his players. He's ready to put his experience to work, and to watch his team win baseball games.

Tulane Fall Focus: At Tulane, Jay Uhlman Continues to Give Back to the Game

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