Savannah State University Men's Baseball

Hardy enters his tenth season as the Savannah State Tigers head baseball coach.  In 2013, Hardy led the Tigers to its first-ever Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Championship and NCAA Regional Appearance. SSU was also crowned Co-MEAC regular season champions with  a 33-23 overall and 17-7 MEAC record. Hardy was named the 2013 MEAC Coach of the Year, garnered 2013 MEAC Tounament Outstanding Coach honors and the won the Georgia Dugout Club's Division I Coach of the Year award. In 2007, he guided the Tigers to its 10th consecutive season above .500 with a 31-23 record. In his first year as head coach, SSU finished 30-19 including one of the biggest wins in SSU baseball history, a 10-2 victory over Florida State. Since being named Head Coach in 2006, Hardy has continued the winning tradition of SSU Tiger baseball team.  Hardy came to SSU after spending six seasons as the head baseball coach at Olivet College, a Division III institution and a member of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association. While at Olivet, he compiled a record of 105-123 from 1999 to 2005.  Hardy, a native of Los Angeles, California, has been credited with revamping Olivets baseball program. In 2002, he led the Comets to a .500 finish with an 18-18 record, the first time since 1995. The following season, the team recorded a 23-17 overall record and a second place conference finish with a 12-6 mark. Hardy also held the position of assistant football coach for six seasons at Olivet.  Prior to coaching at Olivet, Hardy served as the head baseball coach at Talladega College, a NAIA institution, from 1998 to 1999. By his second season, the team finished 34-18 and held the distinction of having the most wins in school history. That same year he led Talladega to the NAIA sectional tournament. Hardy was the runner-up for Coach of the Year in the Midwest Region.  A three-year letterman in baseball from 1989-91 at Grambling State University, he received his Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems in December of 1993. While at Grambling, he was a First Team All Conference performer in 1990 and 1991. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies as a free agent in 1991, and played for one season. Hardy also received his Master of Science in Sports Administration from Grambling in 1995.   

Florentino "Tino" Burgos begins his second season as the head baseball coach at Savannah State University in 2026.  In his first season with the Tigers, Burgos led the squad to a 32-14 overall record, a 24-9 record against SIAC competition, and the program's third consecutive appearance in the SIAC Championship Game. The 2025 Tigers also finished third in the final Black College Nines' Small College Division Top 10 Poll. Burgos also mentored six players that earned All-SIAC postseason honors, including the SIAC Pitcher of the Year in Brayden Thomas, and Freshman of the Year in Reginald Tuggle, III.  Burgos came to "The Marsh" with a wealth of experience as a head coach, previously serving at Florida Memorial University, where he spent eight seasons, leading the Lions to their most successful era of baseball in program history.   During Burgos' tenure at the Miami Gardens, Florida based institution, the FMU baseball program developed into one of the best baseball teams among Historically Black Colleges and University's (HBCU's) and grew to be a highly competitive program in The Sun Conference, often referred to be the toughest baseball conference in the NAIA.   In 2023, Burgos' Lions won the Black College World Series championship, defeating fellow SIAC school Albany State 5-4 in the title game.   Burgos takes over a Savannah State team that finished 2024 with an impressive 31-17 overall record, and represented the SIAC at the 2024 NCAA Division II Baseball Tournament.   In addition to the many FMU players selected for the Sun Conferences' All-Conference Team since 2018, more than 10 FMU players have received the Sun Conferences' All-Academic Team honors each year, demonstrating the culture of academic excellence that Burgos has established.   In 2019, FMU Baseball achieved a No. 1 ranking in the Black College Nines National HBCU Baseball Poll for the first time in their history and Burgos was named HBCU Coach of the Year by Black College Nines. That year, FMU finished the season tied for third in the Sun Conference and reached the Sun Conference Tournament for the first time in over 15 years.   Since 2018, the Lions have consistently been ranked in the top 10 of the Black College Nines Small School Division. In 2021, FMU was chosen to compete in the HBCU World Series in Alabama.    In 2019, Nick Herfordt of PG College Ball stated, "the FMU Lions might be the best HBCU baseball team, regardless of division," which is a statement to the growth of FMU Baseball under Burgos' leadership.   Burgos attended high school and playing baseball at Dade Christian School, where he was a three-time all-conference player, a two-time First Team All-Dade County player, a Second Team All-County and a two-time All-State. In 1997, Coach Burgos finished in the top three for Florida Gatorade Player of the Year. Burgos played his freshman year at perennial junior college baseball powerhouse, Seminole State College in Oklahoma, and his sophomore year at perennial baseball powerhouse Miami Dade College playing under Hall of Fame coaches Lloyd "Zero" Simmons and Steve Hertz respectfully. Burgos finished his last two years of collegiate baseball at Florida International University, playing under Coach Danny Price. The Panthers would make two regional trips and one super regional bid during Burgos' time as a Panther. In 2001 Burgos was an All- Tournament team selection in the Coral Gables Regional and he would also be a key contributor in the FIU's 2002 run, which included an upset of No. 1 seed Notre Dame at the South Bend, IN regional.   Burgos went on to sign professionally and played a couple of injury-plagued seasons of independent league baseball in the Frontier League. In 2003, Burgos would have his best season in professional baseball, making the Frontier League All- Star team. After being released and signing to play with the Portland Kings in Oregon, Burgos hung up his cleats and came home to begin teaching at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, where he was named Teacher of the Year in his second year. A year later, he took an opportunity to be the head baseball coach at North Miami Beach Senior High School. Two years later, Coach Burgos was chosen to start a baseball program at a new school – Hialeah Gardens Senior High School. In addition to coaching and teaching, he served as the Chair of the Social Science Department for eight years. As a high school coach, Coach Burgos won Coach of the Year honors, three district titles, and two regional bids. Numerous players moved on to play collegiate baseball, with two signing to play professionally.   Burgos is a native of South Florida and is the youngest of three to father William Sr. and mother Paula Burgos, both of whom were born in Puerto Rico. Burgos has been married to Jessica Garcia Burgos for 14 years.