Coaches
Anthony Ferro
Head Baseball Coach
Coach Ferro returns for his seventh season as the head coach for the Butte College Baseball Team after coming off a productive 26-18 season. Coach Ferro’s first six years at the helm have proved successful, as Ferro’s teams have compiled an 137-111-1 record, been ranked as high as 7th in the state rankings, and spent the entire 2009 campaign ranked in the top 20.
Coach Ferro’s goal is to have a complete program that produces not only quality baseball players, but quality people as well. Ferro believes that, “Success in the classroom is mandatory for the players in this program, we want to help our players move towards gaining a college degree.” This attitude is engrained in his players as they have proved successful in the classroom as well. Eleven of Ferro’s players had a GPA of 3.0 or higher last season. With the commitment to academics, the 2009 team won a $500.00 reward for top attendance at athletic study hall through the Center for Academic Success program for the second straight year.
Because of Coach Ferro’s attitude towards excellence, nearly every sophomore has graduated and moved on to a four-year university to not only continue their dreams of playing baseball, but also to pursue a college degree. In Ferro’s six years on the job, he has had 46 players move on to play at the next level. Anthony has boasted five Division I players, twenty-eight Division II players, and thirteen more who have gone on to play at NAIA universities. In addition, three ex-Roadrunners have had the opportunity to play in the College World Series. 2007 graduate Chris Cooper (Azusa Pacific) played in the NAIA World Series, 2005 graduate, Josh Tavelli (UC Irvine) made it to the Division I College World Series, and Jacinto Rivera, (California State University, Los Angeles) also a 2005 graduate played in the Division II College World Series. Lastly, two Roadrunner Alumni signed professional contracts this past season, (RHP) Alberto Rolon, who won the championship in the Frontier League and (RHP)Derrick Miramontes.
The 2009 season once again showed great individual success to go with the team’s overall success. Two of Coach Ferro’s players, Jeff Machen (OF) and Max Anderson (1B) were selected as scholar athletes. Four Roadrunners were selected 1st Team All Conference, with two more voted to the 2nd Team.
Before rebuilding the Butte program, Coach Ferro spent parts of two seasons as an assistant coach and head recruiting coordinator under Lindsey Meggs at Chico State. Ferro was an intricate part of the Wildcats 2002 campaign where the team finished with an impressive 55-10 mark and were the National runners up in the Division II College World Series. Prior to coaching at Chico State, Ferro was the head assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Cal State Stanislaus from 2000-2001.
Before Ferro’s jump to NCAA baseball, Ferro spent four years as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Butte. During that time, Ferro was also the head coach of the Chico Stix semi-professional baseball team. Ferro is also beginning his ninth year of professional scouting as an associate scout for the Milwaukee Brewers Organization.
A native of Woodland, California, Ferro received his Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education in 1997 from Cal State University, Chico, and a Master’s degree in teaching pedagogy in the year 2000. Anthony and his wife, Sarah, have two children: four-year-old, Grace, and a six month old, Audrey. The Ferro family resides in Chico, California.
Luke Carriere
Assistant Baseball Coach
Coach Carriere is back for a third season as an assistant for Butte College Baseball. Luke's main responsibilities will be to work with the catchers and hitters. He will also play an integral role in the recruiting process as well as all other daily routine aspects of the program.
Before coming to Butte College, Luke held the assistant coach position for two years at Mendocino Junior College. There, he was the third base coach as well as the catching and hitting coach. For the 2006 season, Luke was an assistant coach for the Paradise High School baseball team. As assistant coach, Luke helped the team in clinching the Northern Section Championship. During the 2007 season, Carriere was the head coach for the Chico American Legion Suns team which ended the season with an overall record of 26-9 and made the playoffs. In the summer of 2008 Luke was an assistant coach for the Swampdogs in the Coastal Plains collegiate summer league. This past year he was and assistant in the New England League for the New Bedford Bay Sox.
A native of Chico California, Carriere graduated from Pleasant Valley High school in 1998. In 1999 Carriere played for Butte College and in 2000 he played in a wood bat league at Lane Community College in Oregon. Carriere finished his college baseball career in 2005 playing for the Sonoma State Seawolves. At California State University Sonoma, Luke graduated with a Bachelors of Science degree in Kinesiology. Luke is currently in the Master’s program at Chico State.
Luke is engaged to Michelle Brashears and they reside in Chico.
Brian Thomas
Assistant Baseball Coach
Brian Thomas will begin his third year at Butte College serving as the pitching coach. He brings a plethora of baseball knowledge to the Roadrunner staff. Brian was the closer at Chico State in 2002 where coach Ferro was the infield coach. “I am absolutely thrilled to have Coach Thomas running our staff, I thoroughly enjoyed coaching Brian at the collegiate level and now enjoy working with him on the field. We are fortunate to have such a great person and one of the top up and coming coaches in California on our staff.”
Born in Ford Ord. California, Brian spent his high school years at West Torrance High school, located in Los Angeles. At West High he was a standout baseball player, selected to the first team All-Area squad for two years (with an over all record of 20-2). Brian then attended Los Angeles Harbor College where he made the Southern California All-Star team. He then signed a letter of intent to play at Chico State University. In his two years at Chico Brian received All-American honors as well as Co- MVP. After Chico Coach Thomas then played one year of professional baseball with the Yuma Bullfrogs in the WBL. Coach BT has been the pitching coach for the Chico Nuts American Legion program for the last three summers.
Brian graduated in 2006 from Chico State University, Chico with a B.A. in Kinesiology. He is currently working at Butte College as the equipment specialist in the Physical Education department.
Steve Johns
Assistant Baseball Coach
Steve will begin his third season with the Butte College baseball team. Coach Johns primary duties will be to work with the outfielders, bunters and coach first-base. Steve comes to Butte College from Chico State where he was a pitcher for the 2005-2006 season.
Coach Johns attended Orange Coast Community College where he helped the Pirates get to the final four in 2005. After OCC he attended Chico State, where he helped the Wildcats get to the College World Series in 2006. In the summer of 2008, Steve was an assistant coach with the Chico American Legion Blue team which finished 2nd in the state with an overall record of 57-8. This past summer he was an assistant coach for the Chico Nuts Legion program which finished out the season in the Area Tournament.
Steve received his Bachelor’s degree from Chico State in December of 2008. He is currently in the Master’s program planning on getting his M.A. in Kinesiology. Johns then wants to get his teaching credential, and one day teach and coach at the high school level.
