Nicholls names 2 to baseball staff

There will be two new faces in the dugout for the Nicholls State baseball team this coming season.

First-year head coach Seth Thibodeaux announced last week that longtime Pearl River Community College coach Jamie McMahon and former Colonel pitcher Rudy Darrow will join the team’s staff for the 2011 season.

McMahon will serve as the team’s assistant hitting coach and infield instructor and Darrow will be the team’s volunteer assistant coach.

“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 lands in Thibodaux after being at Pearl River since 2001 -including time as the team’s head coach, where he posted a 154-109 record.

The coach has also guided 11 players who ended up being drafted into professional baseball during his time with the Community College.

With Nicholls, McMahon will have a reunion with Thibodeaux, as both men have been on the same staff before.

“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.”

Where McMahon has spent his time coaching pros, the Colonels’ second hire, Darrow, was one himself.

The former Colonels’ pitcher is getting into coaching after spending the past four years in the professional ranks.

Darrow spent time with the Detroit Tigers’ and Atlanta Braves’ minor league systems in his career, getting as high as the AA level, which is two steps away from the Major Leagues.

The former Colonels’ pitcher and 32nd-Round draft selection ended his professional career with a 14-7 record and a 3.70 ERA.

Thibodeaux said Darrow will try and take his own knowledge and implement it into the Colonels’ young pitchers in his first year ever in coaching.

“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 higher levels of professional baseball is unbelievable for them to be able to work with a guy like that.”

While the Colonels announced two new additions, the team also announced that pitching coach Chris Prothro will remain with an expanded role as pitching coach and now recruiting coordinator.

Rounding out the Colonels’ staff will be former Nicholls players Walter Jones and Keith Kulbeth, who will serve at the team’s director of baseball operations and student assistant coach, respectively.

“That’s huge for us,” Thibodeaux said. “Those guys have a lot of pride in Nicholls State University and its 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.”

The Colonels are currently in the middle of fall baseball practices and will begin their season in the spring.