Dave Eiland returns to USF after spending 36 years in Major League Baseball as a player, coach and front office executive. Eiland, who pitched at USF in 1986 and 1987, was an all Sun Belt pitcher in 1986, pre season all American in 1987 while also co captaining the 1987 squad.
Eiland pitched parts of 10 seasons in the Major Leagues with the New York Yankees, San Diego Padres and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He was also a Major League pitching coach for 11 seasons for the New York Yankees, Kansas City Royals and New York Mets. A two time World Series winning pitching coach, 2009 New York Yankees and 2015 Kansas City Royals, Eiland coached over a dozen Major League all stars, multiple 20 game winners, two Cy Young award winners and three Hall of Famers, Mariano Rivera, Mike Mussina and CC Sabathia. He was also a three time Major League All Star pitching coach for the American League in 2010, 2015 and 2016. In 2011, Eiland served as a special assistant/advisor to Tampa Bay Rays VP and General Manager Andrew Friedman.
Eiland also has the distinction of being the only player in Major League Baseball history to hit a home run in his first Major League at bat and giving up a homerun to the first batter he faced. In 2008, Eiland was elected to the International League Hall of Fame.
Eiland also served as Kevin Costner’s body/pitching double in the movie For Love of The Game.
Eiland is a native of Zephyrhills, FL and graduated from Zephyrhills High School in 1984. Out of high school, Eiland signed a football scholarship with the University of Florida and played both football and baseball his freshman year before transferring to USF for his sophomore year.
Eiland has been married to his wife Sandi for 34 years and they have two daughters, Nicole and Natalie.
