James “Rusty” McNamara joined the Highlander staff as a volunteer assistant coach in September 2007 after serving as an assistant coach for Huntington Beach High School under Head Coach Benji Medure.
In the summer of 2009, McNamara was the manager of the Rochester Honkers of the Northwoods League where they won the NWL Championship, and he was named Manager of the Year. Rivals.com named the Honkers the fourth best summer league team in the nation at the conclusion of the season.
A year earlier, McNamara was the assistant head coach of the Anchorage Glacier Pilots of the Alaska Baseball League, and that squad also won its league championship.
McNamara’s collegiate playing career began in 1994 at Riverside Community College where he played under Head Coach Dennis Rodgers.
He then transferred to Oklahoma State where he was a member of the Cowboys from 1995-97. McNamara received Honorable Mention All-America honors in 1996, earning First Team All-Big XII accolades, and playing in the College World Series. In 1997, he received Second Team All-America honors, as well as First Team All-Big XII recognition. McNamara graduated from OSU in 1998 with a degree in physical education.
He was named to five minor league all-star teams during his six-year career in the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves organizations. After finishing the 2001 season in AAA, he moved on to play professional baseball in Italy for the Nettuno Indians. In his five-year career he batted .289 with 54 home runs and 466 RBI.
McNamara is a 1993 graduate of Riverside Poly High School and enjoys reading, keeping a journal of his life experiences, working out, and yoga. He resides in Riverside.
