Brian Thomas was hired to serve as the Director of Program Development and Baseball Operations in September of 2023.
In his role, he is responsibile for the integration and management of in-house video & data, coordinating team travel arrangements, game day operations and personnel management. He also assists Head Coach Chris Hayes with organization, administration, and promotion of the program.
Thomas comes to JU from Ole Miss, where he was most recently the coordinator of operations for the Rebels softball team. In his role, Thomas was responsible for the day-to-day office operations of the softball program and his duties included assisting with the Rebels’ camps throughout the year, team travel and equipment operations.
Thomas came to Oxford from Conference USA member Florida Atlantic, where he served as the director of operations for the Owls baseball team for two years while earning his master’s degree in higher education leadership. The 2019 campaign saw the Owls defy expectations. Chosen third in the preseason C-USA poll, the team clinched the regular season crown on the final weekend. In his first year with the squad, Thomas helped lead the Owls to their most wins in nearly 15 years, posting a 43-19-1 mark while advancing to the championship game of the NCAA Gainesville Regional.
Prior to his time with the FAU baseball program, Thomas was the varsity pitching coach at Gainesville High School in Gainesville, Florida. During his year with the Purple Hurricanes, the program earned their best season in 10 years with a 19-6 record. He handled all facets of the pitching staff, including throwing and conditioning, as well as the players' developmental needs. He also served one summer as pitching coach for the Richmond Jazz of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League. There, he contributed to the team’s first playoff berth in team history. The year prior, Thomas began his coaching career as the pitching coach at Oak Hill High School, also in Gainesville.
Thomas graduated from and played for Santa Fe High School in Alachua, Florida. Four times he earned all-area honors, eventually going on to play at St. Johns River State College. There, he was a member of the FCSAA All-Academic Team and earned the Mid-Florida Conference Scholar-Athlete Award. After earning his associate of arts at St. Johns River State, Thomas moved on to the University of Florida, graduating cum laude in 2016 with his Bachelor of Science degree in food and resource economics, specializing in agribusiness marketing and management.
Thomas and his fiancée, Caroline, live with their goldendoodle, Ollie, in Neptune Beach.
