FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
HARRISONBURG, Va., Sept. 26, 2011 – James Madison baseball head coach Spanky McFarland announced the hiring of Brandon Cohen as an assistant coach joining the Dukes for the 2012 season.
“We’re excited about Brandon joining our staff,” commented McFarland. “He brings a lot of experience, both as a college player and as a professional. He fits our program. He was an outfielder and can work with them. He can help with throwing [batting practice] and is a left-handed hitter, so he can work with those guys. He has to learn the college game and recruiting, but those things will come. He wants to make this his career and we’re happy to have him.”
“It’s an honor and a privilege to be a part of this program,” said Cohen of joining the JMU staff.” It’s a wonderful program full of tradition. To be able to work under Spanky and Jay [Sullenger] and Ted [White] is a wonderful learning experience and I hope that I can do whatever I can in my power to help this team repeat with another CAA championship and reach another regional and go all the way to the College World Series.”
Cohen holds four years of professional experience primarily as an outfielder and first baseman in the independent Frontier League. He played three seasons for the Rockford Riverhawks, including hitting .310 with 11 doubles and seven home runs in 48 games in 2009. He split time between the Evansville Otters and the Florence Freedom in 2010, combining for 15 doubles, 14 home runs and 62 RBIs in 84 games.
While playing professionally, Cohen has been working as a hitting instructor during the offseasons since 2007 near his home in New Jersey. He gained his first coaching experience with the New Jersey Twins prospect summer team. He also served as a hitting and field coach with the Willmar (Minn.) Stingers of the Northwoods League, a summer collegiate league.
Cohen was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 2002 after earning Bergen County Player of the Year honors at River Dell H.S. in New Jersey. He elected to attend Seton Hall and was a four-year position player for the Pirates. He was a team captain in 2005 and 2006 and earned New Jersey Collegiate Baseball Association Second Team All-State honors.
Cohen graduated from Seton Hall in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
