Boise resident Gary Van Tol, who has been a bench coach for the Hawks for the last five seasons, will be the Boise Hawks manager in 2013. The Hawks are a short-season Class A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs.
Van Tol coached Treasure Valley Community College from 1997 to 2001 before joining the Hawks.
“I am honored for the opportunity to become the manager of the Boise Hawks,” Van Tol said in a statement released by the team. “I am excited for the privilege to work here in Boise and to be in the trenches with Bill Buckner and David Rosario this summer. The Cubs organization has outstanding young talent and it will be another fun summer for the fans at Memorial Stadium.”
Buckner will return as hitting coach and Rosario returns as pitching coach. The Hawks led the Northwest League in batting average, runs, hits, doubles, triples, and home runs in Buckner's first season as the Hawks' hitting coach. Rosario was the Hawks' pitching coach in 2005, 2006, 2009, 2011 and 2012.
Mark Johnson, who managed the Hawks in 2012, will manage Kane County, the Cubs' long-season Class A affiliate. The Hawks reached the Northwest League championship series last season.
The Hawks open the 2013 season on June 14 at Eugene. The Hawks' home opener is scheduled for June 17 versus Salem-Keizer.
