Jimmy Belanger, who came to MU in the summer of 2009 and spent the first two seasons as the Hawks' pitching coach, added the role of recruiting coordinator in the September of 2011.
Most recently in 2012, Belanger oversaw the development of Pat Light, who was named NJCBA Pitcher of the Year and was drafted in the first round (37th overall) of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Boston Red Sox. Light struck out a program single-season record 102 batters in 101.1 innings pitched while posting an 8-3 record with a 2.40 ERA.
Belenger mentored a pitching staff which helped lead the Hawks to a 2011 Northeast Conference Regular Season Championship. The Hawks arms, paced by NEC Pitcher of the Year Nick Meyers, led the conference in team pitching. In 55 games, the Blue and White combined to record a 3.34 ERA with 36 wins, including 25 league victories which set a new program mark. In over 460 innings pitched, MU hurlers allowed a league-low in hits (462), runs (216), and walks (132) while recording a conference-high in strikeouts with 322. Monmouth also posted 10 saves, led by NJCBA Rookie Relief Pitcher of the Year, Andrew McGee (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) who converted six saves.
In his first season with the Hawks, Belanger, who played two seasons at the University of Louisville, led the pitching corps to the second-lowest earned run average in the Northeast Conference in 2010. In addition, opponents batted .300 against the MU pitching staff, good for third in the league. Belanger also tutored Meyers and Kyle Breese to the New Jersey Collegiate Baseball Association (NJCBA) All-State first and second teams, respectively.
Belanger, who helped lead Louisville to the BIG EAST regular-season and tournament titles in 2009 as a coach, 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.
