Pitt Baseball Names Brandon Romans as Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator
8/4/2023 1:00:00 PM | Baseball
PITTSBURGH – Brandon Romans was named the baseball program's newest assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Friday afternoon, the University of Pittsburgh and head coach Mike Bell announced.
Romans will work closely with the hitters, outfielders and will coach third base for the Panthers. In addition to that, he will spearhead the recruiting process throughout the year.
"I'm very excited to join coach Bell and the Pitt baseball family and am excited to compete in the ACC." Romans said.
Since graduating from UCF in 2009, Romans has spent the past fourteen seasons coaching at the Division I level. He has spent the previous six seasons at Florida Gulf Coast University as their assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. Similar to his new role at Pitt, Romans worked with hitters, position players and was the third base coach for the Eagles during his tenure.
"We are extremely excited to welcome Brandon, his wife Emily, and his son Landon to the city of champions," said head coach Mike Bell. "Brandon's relentless recruiting efforts and powerhouse offenses will be a welcomed addition to our Panther baseball program."
Romans was crucial in FGCU breaking multiple single-season program records over the duration of the 2023 season. Setting the team single season home run (142), RBI (550), walk (310), runs scored (578) total base (1,252) and slugging percentage (.592) records this past season. He also helped position players break six individual season records and six individual career records.
At the end of conference tournament play in 2023, FGCU led the nation in home runs (142) and slugging percentage (.592). At the end of the college baseball season, Romans' offense led the country in home runs per game (2.37), runs scored per game (9.63), slugging percentage (.592) and OPS (1.024). The only teams who finished with more home runs at the end of the season were the two teams who played for a national championship in Omaha in late June, Florida (146) and LSU (144).
He mentored the 2023 ASUN Baseball Player of the Year, Edrick Felix, who hit .366 with 25 home runs, 22 doubles and 83 RBI in their 60 games. Felix went on to be selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 14th round of the 2023 MLB draft. Eight of Romans' position players were given All-ASUN honors, as four were selected to the All-ASUN First Team. Three of those hitters were also named NCBWA All-Americans after their record-setting seasons.
Under the tutelage of Romans, five Eagles were either drafted or signed as a result of the 2023 MLB Draft in July, the most by any mid-major school in the state of Florida. Throughout his career, he as now coached 58 players who have been drafted and 10 players who have been fortunate enough to the play in the big leagues.
"For me it's all about the players…making sure they have the best time they can, on and off the field. Their dream of playing pro ball is something that is not only important to them, but it is important to us too. I am looking forward to continuing that here at Pitt and am excited to do so."
During the 2022 season, five position players earned All-ASUN honors, two of them earning All-America honors in the process. Prior to arriving at FGCU, Romans was an assistant coach at Austin Peay for the 2017 season. That year, his team hit .287 and smacked a single-season program record 84 home runs as they ranked sixth in the nation in that category. They recorded notable wins against Mercer, Lipscomb, and ACC opponents N.C. State and Notre Dame.
From 2013 to 2015, Romans was the first assistant at Jacksonville State. During his time there he helped the Gamecocks record 98 victories, 55 conference victories, and a conference tournament championship in 2014. In his first year at Jacksonville State, Romans coached two All-Americans in Michael Bishop and Travis Stout.
Romans began his coaching career at UCF as a volunteer assistant from 2010 to 2012, immediately followed his playing career for the Knights from 2007 to 2009. He would make his second stint at UCF during the 2016 season, that time as an assistant coach.
During his time at UCF, Romans helped engineer back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances in 2011 and 2012. The Knights won 45 games in 2012 and had the nation's highest road winning percentage (16-3, .842). Romans aided D.J. Hicks in earning a Dick Howser Trophy Semifinalist nomination in addition to his second consecutive All-America honor that year as well. During the 2011 season, UCF led the conference in home runs, doubles, runs scored and slugging percentage. The Knights also clinched a NCAA Tournament berth for the first time since 2004.
Romans spent three years as an outfielder at UCF where he had a career .314 batting average, hit 17 home runs and drove in 77 runs. As a senior he hit .333 while leading the team in home runs (14) and RBI (49). The performance earned him Conference-USA Second Team All-Conference honors and a selection on the Johnny Bench Award Watch List.
Romans has a wife, Emily, and a son, Landon.
"I can't wait to bring my family up to live in the city of champions. Hail 2 Pitt!"
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— Pitt Baseball (@Pitt_BASE) August 4, 2023
We are pleased to announce Brandon Romans as our newest assistant coach and recruiting coordinator!
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