Nathan Choate was hired as the Highlanders' pitching coach in September, 2007 and now also serves as the team's recruiting coordinator. In 2009, the UCR pitching staff improved its earned run average by more than two runs, recording the second lowest Highlanders team ERA in the Divions I-era. Six members of the staff were drafted in the 2009 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft.
Prior to joining the UC Riverside staff, Choate spent the 2007 season as pitching coach for UC Irvine under then-Head Coach Dave Serrano, where he played a key role in the team's success. The Anteaters finished the 2007 season ranked fourth in the nation and reached the College World Series in Omaha, NE. Choate had previously served one year as the Anteaters' director of baseball operations.
Choate pitched at Cal Poly for two seasons, where he was awarded the "Jim Newkirk Fireman's Award", given to the team's best relief pitcher in his junior and senior seasons. In his two-year career he posted a 6-5 record and struck out 52 batters in 67.2 innings pitched. Choate made 45 appearances for the Mustangs and recorded eight saves during his stint.
Prior to joining the Mustangs, Choate competed at Santa Ana Junior College in 1998 and 1999, helping the Dons to a third-place finish in 1999. He prepped at Esperanza High School and was a First-Team All-State selection after helping the team to a CIF championship and a No. 4 national ranking.
Choate spent a year as the pitching coach at Esperanza High in 2004-05 and in the summer of 2006 was the pitching coach for the Hyannis Mets of the Cape Cod League.
He received a BS in kinesiology with an emphasis in sports management from Cal Poly in 2002. Choate and his wife, Lori, reside in Corona, CA.
