Columbia’s official athletics Web site reports that Paul Fernandes, the associate athletics director for intercollegiate sports programs and former Columbia head baseball coach, will retire after working in the University’s athletic department for 31 years.

Fernandes was the Lions’ head baseball coach for 23 seasons (from 1977-1998 and 2004-2005), and he won 346 games over that span. In 1987 the team went 28-14 with a 2.12 team ERA. Both the wins and ERA marked school records, and the ERA was the best in the nation that year. Fifteen Columbians who played under Fernandes went on to play professional baseball, including two who played in the major leagues (Gene Larkin, CC ’84 and Frank Seminara, CC ’89).

Fernandes was also a member of the NCAA Baseball Committee for four years.