FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
THIBODAUX – The Nicholls State University baseball team finalized its coaching staff as first year head coach Seth Thibodeaux announced the hiring of assistant coach Jamie McMahon and volunteer assistant coach Rudy Darrow on Monday.
“We’re very fortunate to have these guys on our staff,” Thibodeaux said. “Jamie brings a lot of experience as a coach. His teams have won and he’s produced players everywhere he’s been. His resume speaks for itself. Rudy is a former Nicholls baseball player who spent the last four years playing professionally. His experience on the professional scene will be a tremendous influence on our team, especially our pitchers.”
McMahon comes to Nicholls from Pearl River Community College where he was a member of the PRCC coaching staff since 2001. The Hattiesburg, Miss. native has also had stints on coaching staffs at Meridian (Miss.) Community College from 1999 through 2000 and Mt. San Antonio (Calif.) Community College in 2001. As a head coach at PRCC, McMahon compiled a 154-109 record. With McMahon on the coaching staff PRCC won a South Division championship and were ranked No. 1 in the nation in 2005. PRCC won the South Division again in 2008 and turned in state and regional runners-up finishes. Under McMahon’s guidance, 11 players have been draft picks of Major League organizations.
“Jamie and I coached together when we were both assistants at Pearl River in 2004 and 2005,” Thibodeaux said. “He brings a lot of experience working with infielders and hitters, and he’s had a lot of success everywhere he’s been. He will mainly work as our hitting coach and infield instructor.”
Darrow returns to Nicholls after spending four years as a professional pitcher in the Detroit Tigers’ and Atlanta Braves’ organizations. After graduating from Nicholls in 2006, Darrow was selected in the 32nd round of the MLB First Year Player Draft by the Detroit Tigers. After three seasons as a Tiger farmhand, Darrow was traded to the Atlanta Braves’ organziation prior to the start of the 2009 season.
In four professional minor league seasons, Darrow compiled a 14-7 record with a 3.70 ERA (60 ER/140.0 IP). His best statistical season came in 2008 when, with the Tigers’ organization, Darrow split time between the Class A West Michigan Whitecaps and Class AA Erie SeaWolves. The Perkins, Okla. native went 5-3 with a 1.90 ERA (14 ER/66.1 IP).
“Rudy truly loves Nicholls State University. He takes a lot of pride in everything he does here, which is exciting for me,” Thibodeaux said. “When our players see the kind of energy he’s got, and how much pride he takes in his work and his alma mater, it’s a positive influence on those guys. Rudy really takes pride in watching our pitchers develop. For our guys to see someone who was successful here, graduated here and went on to some of higher levels of professional baseball is unbelievable for them to be able to work with a guy like that.”
Pitching coach Chris Prothro remains with the Colonels and will take over recruiting duties. Former Nicholls baseball player Walter Jones remains with the Colonels as the Director of Baseball Operations and 2010 Nicholls baseball alum Keith Kulbeth remains as student assistant while finishing his degree, giving Nicholls three former alumni on their coaching and support staffs.
“That’s huge for us,” Thibodeaux said. “Those guys have a lot of pride in Nicholls State University and it’s baseball program. They’ve been around the university for a while, so they know how things work here, and they really want to see this university and this program succeed and are willing to do anything for it.”
