| Ed Gustafson |
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 | Position:
Assistant Coach
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| Year:
Third
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Ed Gustafson is in his third season as a Husky assistant coach. He serves as the Huskies’ pitching coach and assists in recruiting and other administrative duties.
Best known locally as an outstanding pitcher at Washington State, Gustafson brings a wide array of baseball experience to the Husky program.
In 1999, he coached one of the most successful pitchers in UW history, helping Jeff Heaverlo to school records in season and career strikeouts. Heaverlo went on to become the Huskies’ highest-ever draft pick when he was selected 33rd overall by the Seattle Mariners. Gustafson also tutored a second-rounder in Travis Anderson. In 2000, he helped previous undrafted Matt Massingale become an eighth-round pick following an outstanding junior season.
Prior to taking his current position, he served as an area scout for the Seattle Mariners for one year. From 1994 to 1997, he was an assistant coach at the University of Portland, where he was responsible for the Pilots’ pitching and catching staff and defense. He was also Portland’s recruiting coordinator.
From 1993-97, Gustafson served as the Director of Baseball Operations and Associate Head Coach for the Tacoma Timbers, then the Northwest’s top semi-pro team. His other coaching experience came as an assistant coach at Lewis & Clark College in Oregon.
Gustafson, a native of Gig Harbor, Wash., played two seasons at Washington State, earning All-Pac-10 honors and the Buck Bailey Award as the team’s top pitcher in 1989. That season, he was a member of a pitching staff that included current Seattle Mariners Aaron Sele and John Olerud. He helped lead the Cougars to two Pac-10 North titles and an NCAA Regional.
He earned a bachelor of arts degree in English in May of 1989 and is only his thesis away from completing his master’s degree in language arts from the University of Portland.
He pitched five seasons in professional baseball, making it to as high as double-A in the San Francisco Giants and Minnesota Twins organizations. He also attended big league spring training.
Gustafson lives in Tacoma, Wash., with his wife of four years, Alicia. The couple has a year-old son, Cade.
