DAVE SERRANO RESPONDS

Former UC Irvine baseball coach Dave Serrano said Wednesday he regrets some of the circumstances surrounding his leaving UCI to become coach at Cal State Fullerton last week.

In an e-mail, Serrano responded to a column by Barry Faulkner that appeared in Tuesday’s edition. The column was critical of Serrano for taking the Fullerton job a week after stating he had no interest in the position and would remain at UCI.

The following is an e-mail from Serrano:

“I absolutely do regret and apologize for misleading anyone associated with UCI, first and foremost my players. I stand completely behind my reason to leave for this great opportunity at Cal State Fullerton. Yet I did use bad judgement with my words, when I thought I was doing the right thing, considering the circumstances.

As it has turned out, my comments have come back to haunt me and don’t represent the things I stand for.

I do walk away proud of our accomplishments during my tenure at UCI. For all alumni and current players, it made us all proud to be affliated with [the UCI] program.

I’m excited about the new challenge ahead, yet bothered by the people I hurt and left behind. I wish my former players nothing but the best in their futures.

They always have a special piece of my heart for the relationships that were formed over the last few years.”