Gary Van Tol

Van Tol returns for his third season managing the Boise Hawks as an independent, his second stint after managing the Hawks in 2013 and 2014 as an affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Van Tol spent 10 years with the Chicago Cubs in player development as a minor league coach and was part of the organization's historic 2016 World Series Championship.

In his first season managing the Boise Hawks as an independent, Van Tol led the Hawks to a Southern Division title when they beat the Ogden Raptors on the road in a 12-inning classic one game playoff. The Hawks advanced to face the Missoula PaddleHeads for the 2021 Pioneer League Championship. Missoula took Game 1 of the best of three games in Missoula. The Hawks responded to win game 2 in Boise but the PaddleHeads prevailed to win the title in game 3. The last time the Hawks clinched the playoffs was in 2014 when Van Tol was at the helm. It was the last season the Hawks were affiliated with the Chicago Cubs. They lost to the Hillsboro Hops (Diamondbacks) 2-0 in the South Division finals. In 2013, Van Tol led the Hawks to the Northwest League Championship Series, losing to the Vancouver Canadians (Blue Jays) 2 game to 1.

After coming within one game of winning the 2021 Pioneer League Championship, six of his players signed with major league organizations prior to the 2022 season. With only one returning starter in the field and two starting pitchers from the 2021 Souther Division Championship Team, Van Tol patiently rebuilt the roster while enduring a 30-67 overall record last season (2022). With 15 players returning for the 2023 season, Van Tol is excited to have a strong, experienced core back in the starting lineup to go along with high expectations of making it back to the Pioneer League Championship Series.

Prior to his return to the Hawks, Gary was hired as the head coach at Boise State University in 2017. His responsibility was the rebuild the program from scratch after a 40-year hiatus. In his first season, 2020, he led the Broncos to a 9-5 record before the college season was canceled in March due to COVID. The following July, the university eliminated the program which opened the door for the Boise Hawks to hire Gary as their first manager as an independent, since 1989.

Van Tol has over 30 years of coaching experience at the college and professional levels. During his coaching career he's had the opportunity to help develop over 90 players who have played in the major leagues. Besides his time with the Chicago Cubs, he spent 20 years at the college level with stints at Boise State University, Gonzaga University, University of Portland, Treasure Valley Community College and Centralia College.

Baseball has also taken Van Tol around the world, a native of Pincher Creek, Alberta, he started his playing career at Treasure Valley Community College in Ontario, Oregon, earning Region-18 Second Team honors and finished his college career at Gonzaga University where he was All Pac-10 First Team and Third-Team Academic All-America. Van Tol was a member of the Canadian National Team competing in the 1991 Pan American Games in Cuba, the 1990 Goodwill Games in Seattle, the World Championships in Edmonton, Alberta and the 1989 Presidential Cup in Taipei, Taiwan. He finished his playing career with Levis Neptunus in Rotterdam, Netherlands, the 1993 Dutch and European Cup Champions. He also worked for Major League Baseball as an envoy coach and assisted the Great Britain National Team in 1996.

Van Tol earned his bachelor and master of arts degrees from Gonzaga University. Gary and his wife Christina live in Boise and have four children; Gehrig, Amaia, Peyton, and Gibson.