Retired Numbers

Four numbers have been retired in the history of University of Tampa baseball. All four players are also members of the University of Tampa Athletic Hall of Fame and three represent the Spartans in the Sunshine State Conference Hall of Fame. Tino Martinez, Lelo Prado, Sam Militello and Joe Urso each had stellar careers for the Spartans and have received the ultimate recognition of having their jerseys retired by the school.

#3 Tino Martinez

In his three years as first baseman for the University of Tampa, Martinez was a three-time first-team all-SSC, all-South Region and All-America pick, in addition to being selected to the Academic All-America team. Playing in his hometown of Tampa, he broke school records for batting average (.398), home runs (54) and runs batted in (222). In 1988, he was a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award, which is given to the top collegiate baseball player in the nation at any division level. Martinez was a member of the USA team that won the 1988 Olympic gold medal in baseball in Korea, and was most valuable player of the World Amateur Championships in Italy in 1988. That same year he was also named Tampa Sports Club Amateur Athlete of the Year. Martinez was selected in the first round (14th pick overall) of the 1988 draft by the Seattle Mariners. He also helped the New York Yankees win the World Series in 1996 and 1998-2000. He also made the 1995 and 1997 All-Star rosters.

#1 Lelo Prado

A former Tampa baseball player, Prado was head baseball coach for the Spartans for seven years. Prado's record at Tampa from 1989 through 1995 was 278-124-1. His .691 winning percentage ranks among the top 10 in Division II history. Under Prado, the Spartans played in the postseason all seven seasons as he was head coach and won the national championship in 1992 and 1993. He was named National Coach of the Year twice, SSC Coach of the Year three times and South Region Coach of the Year four times. Tampa won two SSC titles and three South Region championships under Prado. Prado coached 17 first or second-team All-America selections at Tampa, including national player of the year Sam Militello in 1990, two Academic All-Americans, 43 all-South Region picks and 32 all-Sunshine State Conference selections. During his tenure at Tampa, seven Spartans were drafted by major league clubs, nine played pro ball and four reached the major leagues, including Tino Martinez, Jeff Carter, Ozzie Timmons and Militello.

#22 Sam Militello

Militello was Division II pitcher-of-the-year in 1990. The three-time All-America pitcher was drafted by the New York Yankees after his junior year. While at Tampa, the 1987 graduate of Tampa Jefferson High School set four school records that still stand today: career strikeouts (440), single-season strikeouts (182), most innings pitched in a single season (143.2) and most wins in a season (15). He holds the Division II national record for most strikeouts in a season, is sixth in career strikeouts, seventh in career wins (37) and 12th overall in single-season victories. Militello was South Region pitcher-of-the-year in 1989 and 1990 and an All-South Region pick three times. The right-hander also was an All-Conference choice three times.

#7 Joe Urso

A five-time national champion as the winningest coach in program history, and one-time champion as a player, Joe Urso had his number retired at the beginning of the 2016 season. The University of Tampa's all-time winningest head coach, Urso has led the Spartans to unprecedented success at the helm in terms of national championships, MLB Draft selections and wins. Urso was a four-year starter at second base and was twice named second-team All-American, first-team all-South and first-team all-Sunshine State Conference in 1991 and 1992. He was a career .332 hitter, held the NCAA career record for runs (258), owned the school mark for runs in a season (76), and still holds school records in walks for a season (54) and career (176).