In his 4 seasons as Head Coach, the Olympians have made tremendous progress rebuilding the program post the COVID-19 pandemic that cancelled both the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Having one First Team All-America selection, three All-SoCal, 14 Academic All-State selections, 14First Team All-Conference, 20 Honorable Mentions, and 34 student-athletes have received scholarships to four-year universities while earning multiple ABCA Team Academic Excellence Awards as of Summer 2025.
The San Diego, California, native began his collegiate coaching in his hometown and alma mater, San Diego Mesa College, beginning in the Summer of 2014. He served as the catching and hitting coach while also taking on the duties as recruiting coordinator and strength and conditioning coach. Additionally, he has been an Adjunct Professor in the Exercise Science and Health Department since 2015 where he is active within the academic community, serving on multiple campus committees, and has attended multiple NCORE (National Conference on Race & Ethnicity) conventions on behalf of the college.
During Coach Portugal’s stint as an assistant coach with the Olympians from 2015-2021, he coached five First Team All-American selections, eight All-SoCal, 15 First Team All-Conference, 22 Honorable Mentions, and 76 of the athletes coached and recruited by Portugal received scholarships at four-year universities, along with 5 players playing professionally,including freshman outfielder, Andrew McWilliams, who was drafted in the 34th round by the Detroit Tigers.
During the 2018 season, Portugal moved to Chicago while his Wife finished Nursing school and took an assistant coaching position at storied division 1 program, University of Illinois-Chicago. Working alongside collegiate coaching staples: Mike Dee (32 seasons at college level), Sean McDermott (29 seasons), and John Flood (16 seasons), as well as renowned sports psychologist Rachel Webb who is currently an Assistant AD of Sports Psychology for University of Arizona. During the 2018 season, 6 student-athletes continued onto professional baseball: Ryan Campbell (4th round, Cincinnati Reds), Charlie Cerny (7th round, Oakland Athletics), Aaron Ackerman (26thround, Los Angeles Dodgers), Reid Birlingmair (28th round Oakland Athletics), Scott Ota (10thround, New York Mets), and Matt Botcher (Schaumburg Boomers). The 2018 Flames beat multiple power 5 opponents before falling in the conference championship game to conclude the season.
Prior to coaching, Portugal was a part of two successful seasons at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Ill., under head coach Matt Husted. As a catcher for the Thunder, Portugal helped the team to the CCIW Conference Tournament in 2013 and post the highest team fielding percentage in school history .973. In 2014 the pitching staff recorded the second-most strikeouts in school history, 270, and the second-most wins in school history, 23.
Portugal began his collegiate playing career as a catcher at San Diego Mesa College where the Olympians made regional appearances in both 2011 and 2012 while also capturing the Pacific Coast Conference Championship in 2012 under the tutelage of Kevin Hazlett, Steven Sanchez (current PLNU assistant), TJ Merritt (Former USD & Indiana State assistant), and Mark Wanaka (Current LSU assistant).
Jake’s Prep playing career at Mira Mesa High culminated with the Marauders winning 2 Eastern League Titles. The Marauders were led by longtime San Diego Prep Coach, Gene Watkins, Assistant Coach Sheldon Watkins (Former Indiana University Assistant, current Patrick Henry Head Coach), and Michael Ramazzotti (Former UCSD & USD Assistant, Current Houston Astros Coach).
Portugal has spent the summers as a head coach for numerous summer leagues. In 2017-19, he led the San Diego Hawks to the California Coastal Collegiate League semi-finals each summer. From 2014-16 he coached the San Diego Samurai (a team comprised of Japanese & Japanese-American players) of the Western Baseball Association. In 2013 he managed the Lanier Vikings affiliate of RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner-Cities) in Austin, Texas. Coach Portugal also has national and international coaching and playing experience, working clinics, camps, and conventions in New York, Arizona, Texas, Hawaii, Florida, Oregon, Alaska, New Jersey, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Washington, as well as abroad in Panama, Mexico, Belize, and the Philippines.
As a first-generation college student, Portugal earned his A.A. in Social Sciences from San Diego Mesa College in 2012, B.A. in Communications from Wheaton College in 2014, M.A. in Physical Education (Exercise Science Concentration) from Azusa Pacific University in 2015, and a Secondary Education Teaching Credential with endorsements in Health and Physical Education. Coach Portugal also serves as an adjunct professor at Point Loma Nazarene University in the Off-Season. Since Portugal became head coach, four assistant coaches at Mesa have been promoted with Trevin Esquerra now at Irvine Valley College, Esau “Chacho” Madrigal now the Head Coach at conference opponent Imperial Valley College, Jake Rico now at Point Loma Nazarene University, and Alejandro Duarte now at Carson-Newman University as well as Steve Pryor being awarded the illustrious ABCA National Assistant Coach of the Year award in 2025, adding to Mesa College’s rich coaching lineage.
The son of Ron and Stephanie Portugal, Jake has two younger brothers, Joseph and Nicholas. Joseph played collegiately and graduated from Mesa in 2016 before transferring to CSU East Bay, pitching for the Pioneers. Post-playing career, Joseph made coaching stops at San Diego Christian College and La Jolla Country Day. And Nicholas also graduated from Mesa College prior to earning his Bachelor and Doctoral Degrees at San Diego State University, now working for Rady’s Children’s Hospital.
Jake and his wife Trisha are a foster family and live in San Diego County with their children and dogs.
