CARY, N.C. – USA Baseball today finalized the coaching staff for the 2024 Collegiate National Team, which features seven Division I head coaches. Team USA will compete in the 21st USA vs. Chinese Taipei International Friendship Series in addition to the Summer League Tour against select teams from the Appalachian League and the Coastal Plain League.
“We are excited about the nine coaches we have added to our 2024 coaching staff,” said Eric Campbell, USA Baseball’s General Manager of Collegiate and Professional National Teams. “This is a strong collection of coaches who offer a wide range of knowledge from years of experience in college baseball. We look forward to providing our players with a world-class experience this summer as they will learn from an excellent collection of coaches.”
The International Friendship Series coaching staff, which will be led by Alabama State’s José Vázquez as manager, features a trio of Division I head coaches as assistants. Troy’s Skylar Meade will serve as the team’s pitching coach, John McCormack (FAU) assumes hitting and bench coach duties, and South Alabama’s Mark Calvi will be the team’s third base coach. The staff is rounded out by bullpen coach Brady Austin (ECU) and former Clemson standout Kier Meredith as an assistant.
With longtime Coastal Carolina Head Coach Gary Gilmore at the helm, the Summer League Tour staff also comprises three Division I head coaches. Christian Ostrander (Southern Miss) takes on pitching coach duties, Southern’s Chris Crenshaw will be the team’s first base coach, and Justin Haire (Ohio State) will serve as the hitting and third base coach. Carlos Muñoz makes his Collegiate National Team debut as the bullpen coach.
Of the 11 coaches on the Collegiate National Team staff, nine of them are making their Team USA coaching debuts: Calvi, Crenshaw, Haire, Gilmore, McCormack, Meade, Meredith, and Ostrander. Austin and Vázquez return to the staff after coaching last year’s Collegiate National Team, while Muñoz makes his first appearance on the college staff following a stint as bullpen catcher with Team USA at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
In total, the Collegiate National Team coaching staff has a combined 89 seasons of Division I head coaching experience. The staff has combined for 2,604 victories at the Division I level and has made 34 trips to the NCAA tournament, including one College World Series title.
The International Friendship Series staff will lead Team USA in the 21st USA vs. Chinese Taipei International Friendship Series from June 29-July 3. The U.S. swept the 20th edition of the series in 2023 and leads all-time, 16-0-4 (Overall: 84-13-2). The Summer League Tour staff will guide the stars and stripes against select teams from the Appalachian League and Coastal Plain League from June 29-July 2 before the summer slate concludes with a Fourth of July matchup between the International Friendship Series and Summer League Tour rosters.
For the most up-to-date information on the Collegiate National Team, including ticket information, visit USABaseball.com and follow @USABaseballCNT and @USABaseball on Twitter/X.
The full coaching staff for the 2024 Collegiate National Team is as follows, with full biographies for each coach linked below.
2024 International Friendship Series Coaching Staff
Manager: José Vázquez – Alabama State
Pitching Coach: Skylar Meade – Troy
Bench/Hitting Coach: John McCormack – Florida Atlantic
Third Base Coach: Mark Calvi – South Alabama
Assistant Coach: Kier Meredith – Pittsburgh Pirates
Bullpen Coach: Brady Austin – East Carolina
2024 Summer League Tour Coaching Staff
Manager: Gary Gilmore – Coastal Carolina
Pitching Coach: Christian Ostrander – Southern Mississippi
Hitting Coach/Third Base Coach: Justin Haire – Ohio State
First Base Coach: Chris Crenshaw – Southern
Bullpen Coach: Carlos Muñoz
