USF Athletic Hall of Fame
A USF assistant coach under Robin Roberts in the early 1980’s as the Bulls baseball program gained a national footing, Cardieri took over as head coach in 1986 and led the Bulls to tremendous success over the next 21 seasons. Cardieri compiled a 731-546 (.572) record to become the winningest coach in USF baseball history, surpassing the next closest coach by more than 460 wins and logging five seasons with 40-plus wins and 16 seasons with 30 or more.
Cardieri led USF baseball to eight conference titles across three conferences. The Bulls won five regular season and two conference tournament championships and made nine NCAA Regional appearances, the most for any coach in program history. The Bulls won regular season titles in 1986 (Sun Belt), 1989 (Sun Belt), 1993 (Metro), 1995 (Metro) and 1996 (C-USA) and tournament titles in 1986 (Sun Belt), 1990 (Sun Belt) and 1995 (Metro) under Cardieri.
Along the way, he earned five Conference Coach of the Year honors in three conferences. Cardieri twice earned Sun Belt Coach of the Year (1986, 1989), twice Metro Coach of the Year (1993, 1995) and was named the 1996 Conference USA Coach of the Year.
He led the Bulls to NCAA Regional appearances in 1986, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2001 and 2002, the only USF baseball coach to record more than two NCAA appearances in their career. His Bulls won nine NCAA tournament games, the most of any USF coach, and he owns nine of the Bulls’ 13 all-time NCAA Tournament victories.
Cardieri’s 1986 team, his first as a head coach, posted a 52-16 record, the winningest season in program history while winning both the Sun Belt regular season and conference tournament and posting a pair of wins in four games in the NCAA Tallahassee Regional.
Cardieri was inducted with the USF Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2024.
