(photo courtesy of FIU Media Relations)
Former Alabama State head coach Mervyl Melendez has been hired to lead the program at FIU, the fourth head coach in program history.
Melendez has been a head coach for 17 seasons with 537 career victories, 13 30-win seasons, 12 conference crowns and 12 trips to the NCAA Tournament.
For the past five seasons, Melendez was the head coach at Alabama State. He posted a record of 158-117, led the Hornets to four straight 30-win seasons and won three consecutive SWAC Eastern Division crowns. In 2016, ASU was the only Division I baseball program to go undefeated in conference play. The Hornets won 38 games this past season, captured the program’s first SWAC title and make their first NCAA Division I Tournament appearance. Melendez was twice named SWAC Coach of the Year (2014, 2016). He was a member of the coaching staff for USA Baseball’s 17-and-under team in 2015 and this summer is working with the USA 14-and-under squad.
Before coaching at Alabama State, Melendez was head coach at Bethune-Cookman for a dozen years. The Wildcats won 11 MEAC championships and Melendez was named MEAC Coach of the Year nine times, including six straight from 2006-11. B-CU went 18-0 in conference play in both 2010 and 2011, while the Wildcats won 46 consecutive MEAC contests.
What They Are Saying About Coach Melendez (from FIU release)
“Mervyl Melendez is without a doubt the perfect hire for FIU. His work ethic, personal values and ability to lead young men have made him one of the nation’s elite coaches. I have no doubt that he will very quickly establish FIU as a contender, but most importantly, he will recruit and develop high character men who will leave the program even better than when they arrived.” – Brooks Webb, Senior Director of Baseball Operations, USA Baseball
“Mervyl is a tremendous hire for FIU. He has been successful everywhere he has been. He will build FIU into a consistent post-season program.” – Kevin O’Sullivan, Head Baseball Coach, University of Florida