ELON, N.C. – Elon University baseball head coach Mike Kennedy has announced the addition of Jerry Oakes to the Phoenix coaching staff. Oakes comes to Elon after spending the past eight seasons as the pitching coach at the University of Pittsburgh and will continue that role with the maroon and gold.

"We are very excited about Jerry and what he brings to our program both on and off the field," said Kennedy. "Early in the process when I talked to Jerry, I knew I was going to like him. As time went by and I talked to more and more coaches that knew him, it became a no-brainer. He brings instant credibility having played professionally. He's been at one of the most respected programs in the country in Coastal Carolina and he has coached in the ACC! His background speaks for itself."
 
In his time as a coach, Oakes' teams have reached four NCAA Regionals, including the No. 4 national seed in 2010 as Coastal Carolina won an NCAA-best 56 wins and advanced to the Super Regionals. He has coached 60 MLB Draft selections, with 20 taken in the Top-10 rounds and eight that have reached the MLB, as well as nine All-Americans, 55 All-Conference honorees and three conference players of the year.

A native of Radnor, Pa., Oakes joined the Panthers staff in August of 2012, coaching 17 pitchers taken in the MLB Draft with nine selected in the top 20 rounds. Under Oakes' tutelage, the Pitt bullpen record sub-4.00 team ERAs in 2012 and 2013 and set the program record for strikeouts with 493 in 2018.
 
"What I like most with Coach Oakes is he has a great reputation and is well-known as a great recruiter in the areas we recruit most…that being the Northeast," added Kennedy.
 
Prior to Pittsburgh, he spent four years with Coastal Carolina, where he worked with the pitchers and outfielders. The Chanticleers swept the Big South regular-season and tournament titles all four years as well as recording four consecutive 40-win seasons, leading Division I with 55 wins during the 2011 campaign. Oakes saw 16 players selected in the Draft, including seven in the first 10 rounds, four of them pitchers. While with Coastal, he coached nine All-Americans, 21 First Team All Big South selections, three Big South Players of the Year, one Big South Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and one Big South Pitcher of the Year.
 
Originally recruited by Coastal Carolina, he was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the seventh round of the 2000 MLB Draft and was the club's Short-Season strikeout leader in 2001, which led to him being ranked as the organization's third-best prospect. Throughout an eight-year career in professional ball, Oakes also played in the Twins, Braves, Rangers and Giants farm systems. He earned a bachelor's degree in sports management from Coastal Carolina in 2012.
 
"I'm thrilled to have Jerry on this staff and I know our program will benefit greatly," said Kennedy.