ROCHESTER, Mich. - Putting together the most successful two-year span in program history with 60 wins over the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Oakland Golden Grizzlies head baseball coach Jordon Banfield announced some restructuring and additions to the coaching staff on Tuesday, August 22.

Brian Nelson, who has been on Banfield's staff as an assistant coach and the recruiting coordinator since the 2021 campaign, will shift to Director of Program Operations.

Consistently developing strong relationships with his student-athletes, Nelson has played a pivotal role in the Golden Grizzlies' success on the recruiting trail over the last couple of years, as the program's 2022 and 2023 classes were some of the best in school history.

Coming to Oakland after five years at the NCAA Division II level with the Davenport Panthers in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), the last three of which as associate head coach, Drew Huard, 34, has joined the program as an Assistant Coach and the Recruiting Coordinator, taking over Nelson's old role.

Coaching third base for the Panthers during games, Huard helped pilot Davenport to consecutive GLIAC titles in 2021 and 2022, doing so in a competitive league that also features the Grand Valley State Lakers and Wayne State Warriors.

Prior to his move to the GLIAC, Huard was the head coach at Lansing Community College for two years, reaching the Junior College World Series in his first season with the Stars in 2017.

Rounding out Banfield's new additions are pitching coach Drake Robison and assistant Jared Helmic, 29.

Like Huard, Helmic has a connection to Lansing Community College, as he was an assistant coach and the recruiting coordinator for the Stars the last two seasons, culminating in a 2023 Junior College World Series appearance, while Robison comes from the Gulf Coast State Commodores in Panama City, Florida, where he played a key role in the development of left-hander Christian Oppor, who was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the fifth round of the 2023 Major League Baseball Draft.

"I'm excited for our players about the staff we've been able to assemble heading into the 2024 season," Banfield shared.

"First off, keeping Coach Nelson involved with the program will be a huge benefit to me personally, as he's truly my right hand and does so much that people don't see. 

"Then, sliding Coach Huard, a proven winner with head coaching experience, into Brian's old role should really be a seamless transition. Drew is a high level competitor that has run nearly every aspect of a program and will positively impact our program culture.

"Then you talk about the pitching side, Coach Robison is a guy that has had lots of success developing guys at the elite junior college level, including a fifth-round draft pick this spring. The thing that really stood out to me in the interview process with Drake was his energy and enthusiasm for the position. He really made it clear he wanted this opportunity and I expect that to rub off on our guys.

"Finally, with Coach Helmic, I'm as excited about this addition as any, especially with the rule changes where we're now allowed to have four coaches recruit, the possibilities for that position change a bit. As the summer went on, it just became more and more clear to me that nobody is at more games and knows more players than him, which was proven out when his roster finished third at the NCJAA World Series in Enid this spring."

The first opportunity for these new coaches to hit the field with their Golden Grizzly players will be when Oakland starts practicing shortly after the beginning of the fall semester on Wednesday, September 6 and the 2024 Horizon League Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll is set to be released in February.