Tim Chambers, Longtime Coach In Las Vegas, Dies At 54

Tim Chambers, a longtime coach in Las Vegas at UNLV, JC of Southern Nevada and Bishop Gorman High, died Sunday night. He was 54.

Chambers was best known for coaching Bryce Harper in 2010 in junior college, but his career went far beyond that season. He began his coaching career in 1991 at Bishop Gorman, which he helped build into a regional power.

Chambers was hired by JC of Southern Nevada just as the program was beginning. In 11 seasons at JCSN, he built it into a national power and won the 2003 national championship. The Coyotes again reached Grand Junction for the Junior College World Series in 2010. Harper was that season’s star, as he won the Golden Spikes Award and was drafted by the Nationals with the No. 1 overall pick. JC of Southern Nevada advanced to the semifinals of the JC World Series but ultimately fell short of another national championship.

After that season, Chambers was hired by UNLV. In five seasons under Chambers, the Rebels went 157-132 and won the Mountain West Conference in 2014. That team also advanced to the NCAA Tournament, where it went 1-2 in the Corvallis Regional.

While Harper is the most famous player Chambers coached, he is one of several big leaguers. Nationals righthander Erick Fedde pitched for Chambers at UNLV and several players who played for him at JCSN, including Chasen Bradford, Donn Roach and Chasen Shreve, joined Harper in the big leagues.

Chambers is survived by his wife, Kimberlie, and their two daughters, McKenzie and Chase.