Lazaro "Lazer" Collazo enters his third season as the Bulls' pitching coach, bringing a championship pedigree to USF, having guided teams to 12 appearances in the College World Series, while claiming three College National Championships.
The Miami native, who has as impressive a resume as any collegiate pitching coach, oversees the Bulls' pitching staff and assists with camps and recruiting.
"Lazer is one of the best pitching coaches I have ever been around," said head coach Lelo Prado. "He gets the most out of his pitchers. He recruits a lot in this area and his ties down in Miami really help us. I really feel that he is one of the best pitching coaches in America."
A pair of Collazo's 2008 pitchers were selected in the MLB Draft - Daniel Thomas and David Torcise, who were picked in the 13th and 47th round, respectively.
Throughout the 2007 season, four of Collazo's pitchers were ranked in the top 50 in national statistical categories, including wins, saves and strikeouts per nine innings. Two of Collazo's players were selected in the 2007 Major League Draft, one of which was Danny Otero, who was the Minor League Baseball Short-Season Relief Pitcher of the Year and a post-season All-Star.
Collazo joined USF's staff in July of 2006, following a year at the University of Louisville where he oversaw the Cardinal pitching staff and assisted with strength and conditioning, camps and team defense. Under Collazo, Louisville compiled a 4.87 team ERA, while holding opposing hitters to a .273 batting average (fourth-best in the BIG EAST). In just their first season in the BIG EAST, the Cardinals advanced to the championship game of the BIG EAST Tournament.
Prior to joining the Cardinal staff, Collazo spent one season as head coach at Gulliver Prep High School in Miami, guiding it to the school's first-ever state championship in 2004.
He has been a member of three NCAA College World Series Championship teams with the University of Miami, posting a 2.79 ERA in limited action for the 1985 team as a reliever and working as the pitching coach for the '99 and '01 national champs.
With the Hurricanes for 18 years, he tutored the likes of Danny Graves, Jay Tessmer, Brian Walker, Tom Farmer, Robbie Morrison, Michael Neu, Luke DeBold, David Gil and J.D. Arteaga.
Collazo served as the pitching coach for the 1993 USA Baseball National Team, helping the team to a 30-16 record. The pitching staff compiled a 3.04 ERA and captured a silver medal at the Intercontinental Cup Tournament in Spain and a bronze medal at the World University Games in Buffalo, N.Y.
He was a graduate assistant coach with the Hurricanes for the five seasons (1986-90), following his graduation at UM. He was then named an assistant coach under Ron Fraser in 1990 and 1991. In 1992 he was the pitching coach for Florida State, where he helped the Seminoles reach the College World Series with a 49-21 record and a team ERA of 3.02.
Baltimore Oriole Hall of Famer Jim Palmer hired Collazo as a private pitching instructor in 1991 during Palmer's comeback attempt.
In 1987 he became the youngest coach to ever win a National Baseball Congress Tournament, guiding the Miami Lazers to a 32-3 record and 16th-place finish out of 41 teams in his first stint as a head coach.
Collazo, who holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Miami, enjoys spending time with his wife Maria.
