Francisco Zapata

Francisco Zapata is the head baseball coach at Laney College in Oakland, California. He is a former standout at San Francisco’s Mission High School where he was a three-time All-City selection and earned the 1990 AAA Player of the Year honor. He continued his playing career at Laney College under the late Coach Tom Pearse, and during his sophomore year he collected 1st Team All-Conference, 1st Team All-Northern California and 1st Team All-American honors as an Eagles third baseman while helping the team reach the California State Final Four and finish third in the state. As head coach of the Laney College baseball program, Zapata leads a program with a proud tradition—Laney has won multiple conference championships and made several California Final Four appearances. Through his leadership, the program emphasizes student-athlete development, academic accountability, and competitive excellence. According to public reporting, he has also been active in fundraising and elevating program support amidst budget concerns for the department.