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Leaves Missouri After Eight Years…

FORT WORTH, TX – TCU baseball head coach Jim Schlossnagle announced the hiring of Tony Vitello as an assistant coach/recruiting coordinator. Vitello comes to TCU after spending the last eight seasons as the recruiting coordinator at Missouri.

Tony Vitello

“We searched nationwide for the right fit for our program, and Tony clearly emerged as one of the nation’s most aggressive, hard-working and knowledgeable recruiters,” said Schlossnagle. “He comes widely recommended and has been a major part of Missouri’s outstanding baseball program over the last several years.”

“The timing could not be better to join the baseball family at TCU,” said Vitello. “The athletic department as a whole is taking off, but the baseball program recently impacted people nationwide with the exposure they earned in Omaha.”

In his eight seasons at Missouri, the Tigers made the postseason seven times. Vitello was a three-year letterwinner for Missouri from 2000-02 before joining the staff as a volunteer assistant in 2003. He was promoted to a full-time assistant coach in 2004. He has served primarily as the pitching coach, while assisting with the hitters and serving as the first base coach.

“He is an outstanding teacher and coach,” remarked Schlossnagle. “The fact that he is a former infielder who has been coaching pitchers at a very high level proved to me that he is a tremendous teacher regardless of the skill or area of the game. I’m excited for our current players to get the opportunity to improve under his watch and be a part of the energy he will bring to our program.”

Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball have routinely ranked Vitello’s recruiting classes among the top 25 nationally. His 2008 class was ranked No. 11 by Baseball America and three of the last four years, his classes have been ranked in the top 25 by Baseball America.

As the pitching coach at Missouri, Vitello’s staff has consistently been one of the top in the Big 12, including a 3.36 ERA that led the Big 12 and ranked 11th nationally in 2006.

During his tenure, Vitello recruited and developed 19 pitchers who were drafted by major league teams, including current major leaguers Max Scherzer and Doug Mathis and recent first-round picks Aaron Crow and Kyle Gibson.

“Living in Fort Worth is going to be tremendous,” raved Vitello. “The way the community has fully embraced TCU baseball is only going to add to the program’s momentum. I am anxious to learn from two coaches as accomplished as Coach Schlossnagle and Coach Randy Mazey, but above all I am eager to work alongside our players to see what kind of progress we can make from one day to the next.”

(TCU Release)

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Former Louisville/Vanderbilt Players Join Hawks’ Staff

New Monmouth Recruiting Coordinator Karl Nonemaker

Nonemaker was a four-year starter at Vanderbilt University, and a 2002 Major League Baseball Draft choice of the Philadelphia Phillies. Nonemaker, who will serve as recruiting coordinator, will focus on the Hawks’ position players, hitting, defense and base-running.

Nonemaker, who left Vanderbilt as the program’s all-time leader in hits (283) and batting average (.369), was named a Freshman All-American in 1999, and was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference outfielder in 2000.

A 20th round draft choice of Philadelphia in 2002, Nonemaker went on to be a member of the Phillies Gulf Coast Championship team in ’02, and in 2003, split the year between the Lakewood BlueClaws (Single-A) and the Reading Phillies (Double-A).

Following his playing days, Nonemaker began his coaching career at Auburn University in 2005. The former Commodore coached for three seasons at AU, helping guide the Tigers to a Regional Final in 2005.

Prior to joining Monmouth, Nonemaker coached at the Delbarton School in Morristown, New Jersey, helping guide the teams to top-five state finishes in both seasons. In 2008, the team finished fifth in New Jersey, and claimed No. 2 overall in the state in 2009.

“Karl brings a wealth of experience to the program and our players will really benefit from his teaching style and approach to the game,” added Ehehalt. “He will be a great asset both on the field and on the recruiting path.”

Belanger, who pitched for Louisville’s 2007 College World Series squad, as well as the 2008 BIG EAST Tournament championship team, served as a volunteer assistant coach at Louisville in 2009.

Belanger, who helped lead Louisville to the BIG EAST regular-season and tournament titles last season as a coach,

New MU Pitching Coach Jim Belanger

helped guide a staff that won an NCAA Regional, advanced to a second NCAA Super Regional in three years and finished ranked as high as No. 14 in the nation.

Belanger spent two seasons as a pitcher for the Cardinals, and as a senior in 2008, posted a 4-1 record in seven starts and 14 appearances, working 39.1 innings. As a junior in 2007, Belanger made 10 starts for the Cardinals, tying for third on the team and made 19 overall appearances.

Prior to his tenure at UL, Belanger spent two seasons at Cecil Community College, in Maryland, where he compiled a 17-4 record with a 2.90 ERA and 108 K’s. The team advanced to the Regional Semifinal, ranked as high as #3 in the national rankings. In addition, he was a member of the 2005 NABF National Champion Bayside Yankees.

Born in Queens, New York, Belanger batted .391 his senior season with two home runs, while posting a 6-1 record on the hill for the Bulldogs, earning all-county honors.

“Jimmy is definitely a rising star in the coaching world,” stated Ehehalt. “He is extremely passionate and knowledgeable and will do a great job with a relatively inexperienced pitching staff.”

Ehehalt, who guided the Hawks to their fourth NEC Championship in 2009, added “I feel we have assembled a great staff with Karl and Jimmy joining longtime MU assistant Jeff Barbalinardo.”

(Release)