Bio

Inducted October 16, 2011

In 1997 when the University of Dallas decided to reinstate the baseball program a fortuitous thing happened. The university hired James Vilade to head up the program. He was young, enthusiastic and passionate about baseball. Voila, success. Coach Vilade was instrumental in the hire of famed baseball groundskeeper, Jim Angela, to build a first class field and as they say in the movies, "build it and they will come". They will if James Vilade is the coach. The first edition of Vilade's Crusaders were 25-17 at a time when few Dallas teams could produce wins. The second year it was 26-16 and the first of three consecutive American Southwest Conference (ASC) East Division Championships and participation in ASC postseason tournaments. The 2000 team won 34 games, a school record for wins in a season.  When he left after four seasons the scorecard read 118 wins and 52 losses for a .694 winning %, numerous all conference and all region selections, Coach of the Year recognition for himself and four players drafted into major league baseball.