Newly appointed Head Baseball Coach Justin Scali has announced the hiring of Associate Head Baseball Coach Jared Broughton as an addition to the coaching staff at Piedmont College.
Broughton comes to Piedmont fresh off a three-season stint as an assistant coach at Division III Earlham College in Indiana following a playing career at the Division I level.
“We are beyond excited to have Jared joining our baseball staff here at Piedmont College,” said Scali of the new hire. “During the interview process, it was clear that he would be a wonderful fit at Piedmont and we are excited to have him on board. He was part of a coaching staff at Earlham that set numerous program records, and he brings experience across multiple levels of college baseball that we are excited to have join our program.”
Broughton joins a Piedmont baseball program which finished 21-19 overall in 2016 featuring several wins over nationally ranked foes including a victory at Loudermilk over then-#5 Birmingham-Southern College on March 12. The Lions played one of the toughest schedules in the country facing a top ten opponent on six occasions wrapping up the season with a victory over #8 Emory who went on to a third straight College World Series appearance later in the year.
“I feel very blessed Coach Scali has given me this opportunity to join the Piedmont baseball family,” said Broughton. “I’m looking forward to contributing to Piedmont’s rich baseball success, and helping the program reach new heights. I grew up in a home that believed if better was even possible, good is not enough. I plan to bring that same work ethic and enthusiasm to help Piedmont baseball and its players be the best they can be.”
In three seasons as an assistant coach at Earlham College in Indiana, Broughton helped the Division III program improve its win total each year moving from a 21-18 record in 2014 to a school-best 29-14 record in 2016. Broughton was part of several firsts for Earlham helping the program to its first-ever appearance in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship Tournament (2015) following that up with its first HCAC postseason wins (2016) making it all the way to the championship game this season.
This past spring, Earlham dominated the HCAC statistically leading the league in doubles, home runs, extra-base hits, RBIs, walks, stolen bases, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and runs scored. Big Earl didn’t just make waves regionally though as Earlham also ranked amongst some of the best teams in the country statistically finishing 6th in stolen bases amongst all Division III institutions while also ranking 18th in total home runs, 7th in stolen bases per game, and 23rd in home runs per game.
Broughton coached hitting, infield play, and base running at Earlham during his time as an assistant coach mentoring 11 players who earned 1st Team All-Conference honors including the 2016 HCAC Freshman of the Year. Bringing with him offensive prowess that helped Earlham reach new heights, Broughton won’t be short of weapons at Piedmont to work with at the plate as Piedmont finished 4th in total runs scored last season in the USA South.
Additionally, Broughton will already have experienced returners to work with as three-year starter in the infield, GRIFFIN OLSON returning for his fourth season. BRADY BALLSTADT also returns to patrolling centerfield following a splash debut season in ’16 that saw the youngster earn the #2 play in SportsCenter’s Top Ten countdown with a diving grab against Maryville College.
Broughton enjoyed his own star playing career as a collegiate player spending his final two seasons at NCAA Division I member University of Dayton in Ohio helping the Flyers to 31 wins in 2012 including a 17-7 mark in the Atlantic 10. Over his two years at Dayton, Broughton drove in 45 runs while hitting .279 in 104 games including 96 starts as an infielder with a .959 fielding percentage to his credit.
Just as he would later help Earlham to several program firsts as a coach, Broughton would enjoy the same tradition at Dayton leading the Flyers to their first-ever Atlantic 10 Tournament Championship in 2012 coupled with the program’s debut in the NCAA National Tournament as well. Dayton played in the College Station Regional during that season leading the nation in stolen bases with 164 on the year.
Before enrolling at Dayton, Broughton played at Vincennes University, a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association located in Indiana. Broughton began his reputation for helping programs to firsts at Vincennes as he guided the program to its first-ever appearance in the NJCAA World Series in 2010 in Enid, Oklahoma with a 30-21 record in 2010.
The Trailblazers were Region XII Champions in that 2010 season as Broughton was named Region XII Most Valuable Player after hitting a walk-off homerun over top-seeded Kellogg Community College in the NJCAA Region XII Tournament championship. Broughton would go on later that season to be named a NJCAA All-American before becoming one of 18 players under the tutelage of Vincennes Head Coach Chris Barney to sign with a Division I institution.
Broughton displayed power at the plate during his junior college days finishing tied for 10th in NJCAA Division II in home runs with 17 on the season while also leading the team with a .423 batting average, 57 RBIs, and 53 runs scored. Before Broughton finished tied for second in the 2010 NJCAA Division II World Series Home Run Derby, Broughton belted eight homers as a freshman in 2009 hitting .379 and also led the team with 42 RBIs.
The coaching pedigree of Broughton comes as no surprise as his Division I playing days came under Dayton Head Coach Tony Vittorio who has won nearly 700 games in almost a quarter century coaching collegiate baseball. Vittorio has led Dayton to 30-win seasons on eight occasions since arriving on campus in 2000 including the championship team of 2012 which featured Broughton as well as the 12th player drafted in Vittorio’s coaching career.
In addition to his collegiate playing and coaching experience, Broughton also boasts travel and summer league coaching experience helping the 18U Lids Indiana Bulls to a 2012 Premier National Championship as an assistant coach with the team. Since 2013, Broughton also worked as an instructor with the Under Armour Top 96 Camp in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, and Ohio.
In the summer of 2014, Broughton worked as an assistant baseball coach for the Carolina Forest Crawdads, a member of the Beach Collegiate Baseball League. While coaching in Myrtle Beach that summer, Broughton also served as the team’s first base coach helping with the recruitment to fill the 25-man roster.
Having earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Dayton in May of 2013, Broughton completed a Bachelor of Arts in Economics as a scholar athlete at UD. Additionally, Broughton was named a Presidential Scholar Athlete Award Nominee in his final semester at the Ohio-based institution.
In addition to his duties as the Associate Head Baseball Coach for the varsity program at Piedmont, Broughton will also serve as the Head JV Baseball Coach for the Lions while assisting Head Coach Justin Scali in the overall operation of the program.
What they’re saying about Coach Broughton: “Combining those skills with his dynamic personality, I knew that if JB chose the coaching profession that many student-athletes would find success under his guidance and direction.
“JB has chosen the right profession and will be a diligent worker for Piedmont College, Coach Scali, and for every member of the baseball program. I am excited for Jared and excited for Piedmont College Baseball as he will assist in leading your baseball program in the direction that Coach Scali and your campus leaders would want.”
“As a student-athlete at The University of Dayton, Jared displayed the two most important ingredients that one needs to be successful – a great work ehic and outstanding loyalty. He also showed great passion for the game of baseball as well as his teammates. He was looked upon by his teammates as a leader on and off the playing field.
-Tony Vittorio, University of Dayton
Head Baseball Coach
