Chase Hoover is returning to where his baseball journey began.
The left-handed pitcher who made a name for himself at San Marcos High School has transferred from TCU to UCSB to play under Andrew Checketts for the Gauchos.
A native of Santa Barbara, Hoover grew up playing at Goleta Valley South Little League and will now get a chance to cap off his collegiate career in his hometown.
Hoover has been a TCU Horned Frog for the past two seasons, appearing in 33 total games for 55 ⅓ total innings of work.
While providing an arm out of the bullpen, he was also strong in the classroom at TCU as he was named to the 2024 Spring Academic All-Big 12 team.
The last time Hoover was pitching in Santa Barbara, he registered a 1.43 ERA with 92 strikeouts in 54 innings pitched in his senior season where he and the Royals captured the Channel League title.
Now, he will join a UCSB Baseball program coming off of a season where the Gauchos won the Big West championship and hosted an NCAA Regional tournament.
The team is expected to lose some key pieces, including pitchers, in the upcoming 2024 MLB Draft, so Hoover will have a chance to come in and make an immediate impact in Isla Vista.