Chris Ermis is in his 17th year as the assistant baseball coach for St. Mary's University.

A former Rattler and professional pitcher, Ermis works with the St. Mary's pitching staff and has helped produce several standout pitchers who were taken in the Major League Draft.

Last season, Ermis put the Rattlers in high esteem, helping the Rattlers house the best ERA in the Heartland Conference, the South Central Region and in the nation, ending the season with a combined ERA of 2.49. The production didn't stop there, as the Rattlers produced stellar production in all regards under Ermis' watch, earning numerous national, regional and conference awards. Chief among them was the honor ace Carl O'Neal took home in being named the Daktronics National Pitcher of the Year after going 14-0 with 101 strikeouts for the season. It marked the first time a Rattler baseball player had ever won a national award.

O'Neal also received the 2012 ABCA Regional Pitcher of the Year and the Heartland Conference Pitcher of the Year awards, as well as being named a consensus First-Team All-America selection by the ABCA, Daktronics and the NCBWA. But it didn't stop there, as the Rattlers also earned seven Heartland Conference Pitcher of the Week awards, had four pitchers make the All-Conference First and Second Teams, two pitchers on the All-Conference Tournament Team and one pitcher, senior Skye Severns, make the All-Region Tournament Team.

Racking up plenty of awards of his own was sophomore Rene Solis, who broke out in his first season as a starting pitcher as the team's No. 2 hurler. He was selected to the All-Region ABCA Second Team, was named a Daktronics All-Region First Team selection, was a NCBWA All-Region Second Team selection and was All-Conference First Team. In addition, Solis was one of six finalists for the 2012 Tino Martinez Award, handed out annually by College Basebal Lineup to the most outstanding player in NCAA Division II college baseball. The lefty ended the season with a 1.69 ERA, 110 strikeouts and a 13-3 win-loss record.

Last season Ermis' pitching staff went deep, as closer Jonathan Perez lit up the nation as well, tying for the nation lead in saves with 18. His steady arm also put him in the St. Mary's record books, as he became the all-time career saves leader with 21. His 18 saves also represented a single-season record. He was named a Daktronics All-Region Second Team selection.

In 2011, Greg Herbst was drafted in the 32nd round by the Philadelphia Phillies after coming to St. Mary's without any collegiate pitching experience. In 2007, Caleb Staudt was selected in the 39th round by the Washington Nationals. In the June 2004 draft, Jeff Wigdahl was picked in the 23rd round by the Houston Astros, while Carlos Guevara was a seventh-round pick by the Cincinnati Reds in 2003.

During his time with the Rattlers, Ermis has helped the team to one NAIA World Series appearance, two NCAA World Series appearances and three trips to the NCAA postseason. St. Mary's teams have won eight conference titles during his tenure.

He has helped to produce 38 All-Heart of Texas Conference and Heartland Conference pitchers, including four last season and five the previous season, when Matt Holland and Sammy Rivas, an All-American, shared Heartland Conference Pitcher of the Year honors. In addition, Herbst, Carl O'Neal and Kyle Bumpas made the All-Heartland team. In 2010, two Rattler hurlers earned All-Heartland recognition: Alfonso Maldonado and Courtney Behrend. In 2008, Scott Shimek was named Heartland Conference Pitcher of the Year and honorable mention All-American. He was the third Rattler to earn Heartland Conference Pitcher of the Year honors, joining Wigdahl (2004) and Caleb Staudt (2006), with Holland and Rivas becoming the fourth and fifth to join the list last season. Four Rattler pitchers have been named All-American with Ermis on the coaching staff.

In addition to his time as coach for the Rattlers, he spent one season as the pitching coach for Trinity University in San Antonio. He also coached the San Antonio Titans under-18 select baseball team from 2001-03 and 2005. In 2003, the team was the South Central region runner-up.

Ermis pitched for Migl and St. Mary's from 1989-90, and was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays organization, where he pitched for one season.

After retiring from professional baseball, Ermis returned to St. Mary's and received his bachelor's degree in exercise and sports science in 1997.

Ermis and his wife Carmen have one daughter, Caitlyn, and twin boys, Andrew and Brandon.