When it comes to amateur baseball, it would be hard to match the kind of run that Nelson Santovenia had in the early 1980s.

In 1981, Santovenia – a hard-hitting catcher in his playing days – led Miami Dade College South to a national championship.

One year later, Santovenia was the starting catcher when the University of Miami Hurricanes won the College World Series.

“Those were my glory years,” Santovenia said with a smile.

Those “Glory Days”’ – with apologies to Bruce Springsteen – aren’t done yet.

That’s because Santovenia was hired as an MDC assistant coach in September of 2023, bring him right back to where his college career started.

Santovenia, who will serve as MDC’s bench and hitting coach, was born in Pinar Del Rio, Cuba in 1961.

After playing for coach Fred Burnside at Miami Southridge High, Santovenia was drafted in the 29^th round by the Philadelphia Phillies. But instead of signing with the Phillies, Santovenia came to MDC, where he won the aforementioned national title.

On June 7, 1982, Santovenia became a first-round pick – No. 19 overall. He was selected by the Montreal Expos in the secondary phase of the draft, and he was chosen three rounds higher than future MLB slugger Cecil Fielder.

Five days later, Santovenia powered the Hurricanes to their first national championship. He also earned all-tournament honors at that CWS in Omaha.

That completed quite a 13-month period where Santovenia won a national title at MDC, got drafted in the first round and won a national Division I title at Miami.

But the Santovennia story didn’t end there.

He made his major-league debut in 1987, playing in two games and getting just one at-bat at the end of the season. Then, in 1988, his throw was the one that ended speedy Vince Coleman’s major-league streak of 50 consecutive bases stolen.

There were many more highlights before Santovenia played his final MLB game on Oct. 2, 1993. In total, Santovenia played parts of seven seasons in the majors, slugging 42 doubles, four triples and 22 homers in 884 at-bats. He hit .233 with a .645 OPS.

After his playing career ended, Santovenia was out of baseball for a time, but he came back in a big way when he served as the assistant head coach at Archbishop McCarthy. While there, he helped the Mavericks win seven state title in 10 years.

“It was a great run,” Santovenia said.

In 2023, he served as an assistant coach at South Dade under the direction of Burnside, one of his biggest mentors.

That was a full-circle milestone for Santovennia – returning to the dugout with the man who coached him in high school decades ago.

Coaching at MDC is a similar feeling since this is where his college career began in all its glory.

“This is a great opportunity,” Santovenia said. “The level here is higher than in high school. I’m excited. It’s going to be a blast.”