MORAGA, Calif. — Saint Mary's baseball head coach Eric Valenzuela announced Thursday the hiring of Nova Southeastern University's Bryan Peters as the program's new assistant coach, bringing 20 years of coaching experience and an immense amount of offensive expertise to Louis Guisto Field in 2018-19.
 
Peters will head the Gaels' offensive attack after spending the past two years helping NCAA Division II powerhouse Nova Southeastern set a number of program records. The Sharks led the entire country in Division II with a program-record 97 home runs in 2017. Just last spring, the Sharks were tops in the powerful Sunshine State Conference in batting average (.318), slugging percentage (.509), scoring (8.6 runs per game), stolen bases (86), sacrifice flies (37) and home runs per game (1.43). They were ranked among the country's top-25 in eight different categories last season.
 
"We are truly excited to have Bryan Peters be a part of our Saint Mary's baseball family," said Valenzuela. "Bryan is one of the best hitting coaches in the country with a proven track record of recruiting nationally for the best programs in the nation. He's going to make us better immediately with his extensive knowledge and experience, and we can't wait to get started."
 
Peters brings 20 years of coaching experience to Moraga. He has coached at multiple levels, finding success at a number of big-name programs all over the East Coast. After finishing his playing career at the University of South Florida, he spent nine years with the Bulls as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. While there, USF made the NCAA Tournament three times and had eight .500-or-better seasons.
 
From Tampa, he moved to mid-major power Stetson University in Deland, Fla., where he helped the Hatters win an Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament title in 2006 and a bid to the NCAA Tournament. After his success there, he went to another strong program at the University of Central Florida. For two years he guided the Knights to improvements in nearly all offensive categories, while his 2008 recruiting class was ranked No. 7 in the country.
 
Later, Peters moved to High Point University in North Carolina. He had three players hit over .400 there, including Nate Roberts, who led the country with a .573 on-base percentage and 88 runs scored in 2010. The Panthers set program records in batting average, runs, hits, RBIs, doubles, home runs, walks and stolen bases while posting their first winning record in a decade (2010).
 
Then Peters moved to the University of Pittsburgh and the elite Atlantic Coast Conference for three seasons. The Panthers had five players taken in the 2016 Major League Baseball First-Year Players Draft, including first-rounder T.J. Zeuch. A program-record four players were named all-ACC, while Charles LeBlanc won the ACC's regular season batting title with a .405 average (14th in the country). The Panthers' 2015 recruiting class was ranked No. 23 in the country, a program high.
 
"Eric and I knew years ago we would work well together," said Peters. "So as hard as it was leaving NSU, Greg Brown and the boys back there, coming here was a no brainer because of Eric and his staff. To say I'm excited to be here would completely undersell how I feel.
 
"Saint Mary's is so beautiful, has such a reputable degree, has so much momentum, and so much to like and even still, our best days are ahead of us. All that said, every organization and every program is about the people. Eric is so well respected and so likable. Danny Costanza and Ross Gusky are such good coaches and great people. The administration and support staff are top notch as well. Exciting times are coming our way and I can't wait ride the wave."

In addition to Peters joining the Gaels' staff, returning assistant coach Daniel Costanza will now act as the Gaels' recruiting coordinator. Costanza has been with the Gaels since the 2013-14 school year, first as the team's director of operations, then as a volunteer assistant, and finally as an assistant coach for the past two seasons.