USF Career Years: 1975-1978
Thomas Lounibos graduated from USF in 1978, and played baseball as an infielder under Coach Dante Benedetti, from 1975 to 1978. The fact that Benedetti worked for only $1.00 a year in order to keep the program alive inspired Lounibos. In 2006, he launched the Dante Benedetti Baseball Classic which was a doubleheader at AT&T Park, featuring the best high school and college baseball teams like the Dons. The event raises money for local children's sports teams, and its Dante Benedetti Foundation provides meaningful financial support to organizations that facilitate active participation in baseball for under-served youth in the Bay Area. He was a Founding Board Member of the Dante’s Boys Foundation.
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Lounibos has spent his last 30-plus years building and guiding technology and software start-ups, and is CEO of SOASTA, a Mountain View Company that does cloud-based performance and functional testing.
It is no surprise that Lounibos has become the Dons most valuable consistent hitter on the squad. For the past three years he has lived on shortstop for the Dons, breaking a record last year for most games played in one season by a USF baseball player. That came despite the fact that he must have also set a record for most stitches, injuries and hospital bills for a Hilltop competitor. Although his average may have not reflected a .400 mark at the plate, Lounibos could be counted on for the key hits last year. He has been continually teased, like most shortstops are, of his right to the "E6 Award," for the so-called error plague. But in truth, Lounibos' fielding average ended up among the league's best shortstops. In addition, his fielding included twice as many assists as any other member of the team last season. It has been that kind of play, combined with his fantastic start this season, that has brought the professional scouts out in force to Ulrich Field to size him up, test him, and tempt him with their offers. So far in league play, Lounibos is 11th in the league in batting. This includes a league leading 16 hits, three doubles and three home runs. That home run mark also ties him for the league lead in that category (TheFoghorn).
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