UC Riverside Welcomes Gregg Wallis as New Head Baseball Coach
7/20/2026 5:54:00 PM | Baseball
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Gregg Wallis was introduced as the next leader of Highlander baseball today at an event on the UC Riverside campus. Wallis is the eighth coach in Highlanders' history.
"The baseball world knows what a special place this is [UCR]," said UC Riverside Director of Athletics Greg Paules. "We have a rich baseball tradition."
Paules noted that he wanted a leader who could develop and recruit exceptional student athletes that would represent the university with pride.
"He's [Wallis] built championship caliber programs and has recruited and developed professional players," Paules added. "He's led a program to multiple conference championships, named conference coach of the year and been to the NCAA tournament."
Wallis comes from Grand Canyon where he skippered the Lopes to the program's first NCAA tournament win.
He played for and worked with some of the top baseball minds including UCLA's John Savage, USC's Andy Stankiewicz and the now retired Dave Serrano.
"I took bits and pieces from all of them," Wallis said on how his past coaches helped shape his style. "I think with coach Savage it was organization and how he organized practices. Coach Serrano with how he kept the team loose and having fun playing baseball. Then coach Stankiewicz with his leadership style and the high standards he held for the team."
The work has begun on trying to set the tone for Highlander baseball under Wallis' leadership.
"Number one we're looking for great students," Wallis said about future Highlanders. "We want to make sure that their [recruits'] profile fits with what we are looking for as a UC Riverside student."
On the baseball side of things Wallis noted the immense talent in the IE. "You don't have to go far from campus to find talented players. We want to control our backyard and get these local kids [to stay home]."
The Gregg Wallis era is underway.
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"The baseball world knows what a special place this is [UCR]," said UC Riverside Director of Athletics Greg Paules. "We have a rich baseball tradition."
Paules noted that he wanted a leader who could develop and recruit exceptional student athletes that would represent the university with pride.
"He's [Wallis] built championship caliber programs and has recruited and developed professional players," Paules added. "He's led a program to multiple conference championships, named conference coach of the year and been to the NCAA tournament."
Wallis comes from Grand Canyon where he skippered the Lopes to the program's first NCAA tournament win.
He played for and worked with some of the top baseball minds including UCLA's John Savage, USC's Andy Stankiewicz and the now retired Dave Serrano.
"I took bits and pieces from all of them," Wallis said on how his past coaches helped shape his style. "I think with coach Savage it was organization and how he organized practices. Coach Serrano with how he kept the team loose and having fun playing baseball. Then coach Stankiewicz with his leadership style and the high standards he held for the team."
The work has begun on trying to set the tone for Highlander baseball under Wallis' leadership.
"Number one we're looking for great students," Wallis said about future Highlanders. "We want to make sure that their [recruits'] profile fits with what we are looking for as a UC Riverside student."
On the baseball side of things Wallis noted the immense talent in the IE. "You don't have to go far from campus to find talented players. We want to control our backyard and get these local kids [to stay home]."
The Gregg Wallis era is underway.
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