University of Minnesota Athletics
Robb Quinlan Joins Gophers as Volunteer Assistant
5/13/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
The University of Minnesota baseball program received a boost this week, as former Golden Gopher All-American and MLB player Robb Quinlan joined the team as a volunteer assistant coach.
Quinlan, who graduated from Hill-Murray HS in 1995 and played for the Gophers from 1996-99, will coach first base for Minnesota beginning with this weekend's three-game Big Ten series at Penn State. He will remain with the program through the remainder of the Gophers' season.
A backup corner infielder and outfielder with the Los Angeles Angels from 2003 to 2010, Quinlan finished his career with a .276/.322/.401 line and a .994 fielding percentage in 458 games with the team. He had signed a Minor League deal with the Philadelphia Phillies last December, but asked for his release in March.
As a member of the Gophers, Quinlan was a First Team All-Big Ten selection in 1997, 1998, and 1999, earning Big Ten Player of the Year honors after the 1999 season. That season, he also earned Second Team All-America by the Collegiate Baseball News and Third Team All-America from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.
Quinlan was drafted in the 33rd round following his junior season, but returned to play for the Gophers, and was then taken by the Angels in the 10th round of the 1999 draft and signed his first professional contract with the organization on June 10, 1999.
This September, Quinlan will be inducted in Minnesota's Athletics Hall of Fame.
Minnesota enters this weekend in second place in the Big Ten standings with a mark of 11-7, having won eight of its past nine conference games, including six straight games on the road. The Gophers and Nittany Lions open their weekend series this evening at 5:35 p.m. (CT), and the broadcast of the game can be heard live in the Gold Zone.