Florida State welcomes back a familiar face for the 2008 season in Rod Delmonico, who will serve as the Seminoles volunteer assistant coach. Delmonico returns to Tallahassee where he worked as FSU's top assistant coach and lead recruiter for head coach Mike Martin from 1984-1989.

While at Florida State, Delmonico helped Martin establish a record of 334-119-1. The Seminoles finished ranked in the top 15 each year that Delmonico was in Tallahassee. He also help guide the Seminoles to three College World Series appearances in just six seasons, including a national runner-up finish in 1986.

During Delmonico's tenure, the Seminoles produced nine All-Americans and had 21 players selected in the Major League Baseball Draft. His recruiting classes were ranked in the top 10 in each of his six seasons at Florida State, including the top rated class in the country in 1984. He was honored as the nation's third-best recruiter in 1988 by Collegiate Baseball.

Delmonico departed Tallahassee in 1990 to become the head coach at the University of Tennessee. He spent 18 seasons in Knoxville where he compiled a record of 699-396 which included nine 40-win seasons and two 50-win seasons. With a 34-25 finish in 2007, Delmonico guided the Vols to their seventh 30-win season in the last eight years and 16th overall. During his time at Tennessee, Delmonico led Tennessee to four SEC Eastern Division Titles, two SEC Conference championships and eight NCAA Regional appearances. In four all-time appearances at the College World Series, Delmonico was at the helm for three of those seasons guiding Tennessee to Omaha in 1995, 2001 and 2005. He is the winningest baseball coach in Tennessee history.

In addition, Delmonico was named Baseball America's 1995 National Coach of the Year, SEC Coach of the Year in 1994 and 1995 and Tennessee Baseball Coach of the Year in 1994, 1995 and 2001. During his overall coaching career, he has been a part of teams that have participated in the College World Series six times, made 14 NCAA Regional appearances, won 10 conference or division titles and posted nine conference tournament championships.

A native of Wilmington, N.C., Delmonico has coached several players in over 28 seasons as a collegiate coach who have made significant contributions at the major league level including Deion Sanders, Paul Sorrento, Luis Alicea, Jimmy Key, Joe Randa, Todd Helton, Luke Hochevar and Chris Burke.

Prior to his first arrival in Tallahassee in 1984, Delmonico began his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at Gloucester County College, a Division III school in Sewell, N.J. A year later he moved to Clemson University where he served as a graduate assistant coach for two seasons (1982-1983) under former head coach Bill Wilhelm.

Delmonico graduated from Liberty University in 1980 with a bachelor's degree in physical education where he lettered in baseball and soccer. He later obtained a master's degree in education administration from Clemson in 1983. He has three sons, Tony, Joey and Nicky. Tony currently plays shortstop for the Seminoles after spending his first two years as the starting second baseman at the University of Tennessee.