Baseball
- Title:
- Associate Head Coach
- Email:
- chad.caillet@usm.edu
- Phone:
- 266-6542
For over a decade, Chad Caillet not only has helped mine prospects for the Southern Miss baseball program, but also polished their offensive and defensive skills once they've arrived.
Caillet, who enters his 12th season as an assistant coach in Hattiesburg, serves as the team's recruiting coordinator while also working with the Golden Eagles' offense and infield defense. During the summer of 2016, Caillet was promoted to Associate Head Coach for his invaluable efforts within the program.
In 12 seasons at Southern Miss, the Golden Eagles have played in seven NCAA Regionals, one NCAA Super Regional and the 2009 College World Series. Over the last three seasons, the program has led Conference USA in almost every offensive category, while producing a school-record 94 victories over a two-year period for the program. Caillet earned the C-USA Assistant Coach of the Year award in 2017. It was the first time he achieved this honor.
During his tenure, the team has broken six single-season offensive records: runs scored (544); runs batted in (478); batting average (.324); hit batsmen (101); at bats (2,332); and on-base percentage (.422).
The Golden Eagles also led the country in double plays-turned in three consecutive seasons - 83 (2009); 84 (2010); and 81(2011) - and also finished first nationally in double plays-per game in 2010, 2011 and most recently 2013.
Caillet also has spearheaded the efforts resulting in some of the program's most-highly regarded signing pools.
In his first season as recruiting coordinator in 2009, he landed the nation's No. 23 ranked class, marking the first time Southern Miss ever pulled in a nationally-ranked class. In his second season, he reeled in the nation's No. 21 class.
In 2012, he helped land a recruiting class regarded No. 3 by Baseball America and No. 13 by Collegiate Baseball, the highest class he has assembled in his time with the program.
Caillet has overseen the recruitment of 10 different players who have earned All-American recognition and another three individuals who were named Academic All-America. In 2017, he also enjoyed the school’s first national Freshman of the Year in Matt Wallner and in 2018 the school had its first national pitcher of year in Nick Sandlin.
That list includes infielder Luke Reynolds (2018), outfielder Wallner (2017, 2108), outfielder Dylan Burdeaux (2017), infielder Taylor Braley (2017), pitcher Nick Sandlin (2017, 2018), first baseman Tim Lynch (2016), pitcher Jamie McMahon (2015), pitcher Todd McInnis (2011), shortstop B.A. Vollmuth (2010) and pitcher Scott Copeland (2010).
Outfielder Marc Bourgeois was named Academic All-America in 2011, becoming the first Golden Eagle since 2009 to earn that accolade and two more individuals, Nick Sandlin and Kirk McCarty, garnered those honors in 2017. Sandlin then registered first-team Academic All-American honors in 2018.Â
Three players that he recruited went on to earn the Boo Ferriss Award, give to the top collegiate player in the state of Mississippi, including Tyler Koelling (2011), McMahon (2015) and Sandlin (2018).
In addition, the Golden Eagles have had several Caillet signees earn Freshman All-America honors, including outfielder Gabe Montenegro (2018), Matt Wallner (2017), closer Nick Sandlin (2016), third baseman/pitcher Taylor Braley (2015), outfielder/pitcher Mason Robbins (2012), third baseman/closer Bradley Roney (2012), catcher Jared Bales (2011) and outfielder Kameron Brunty (2009).
Caillet has coached eight infielders to 11 Conference USA honors, including seven, first-team selections and four, second-team picks. He has also coached the last two Conference USA Players of the Year in Burdeaux (2017) and Reynolds (2018). In fact, Reynolds is the first player in C-USA history to win that award along with Newcomer of the Year in the same season.
His double-honorees included Lynch, who was a first-team selection in 2016 and second-team pick in 2015; Vollmuth, who earned first team honors in both 2010 and 2011; and current Minnesota Twin Brian Dozier, who collected second-team honors in both 2008 and 2009.
Caillet, who came to Southern Miss after a brief stint at McNeese State, was an assistant at Southeastern Louisiana University for the 2006 and 2007 seasons, where he held similar responsibilities, coaching hitters and infielders while leading recruiting efforts. SLU's 2006 and 2007 signing classes were ranked nationally.
Prior to SLU, Caillet spent four years at Meridian Community College, including one season as its head coach.
During his lone year at the helm, Caillet led his team to a 44-14 record, including a perfect mark in home games. The squad won both the MACJC State and Central Division championships and advanced to regional play. That team also earned a top 10 national junior college ranking and Caillet earned MACJC Coach of the Year honors.
As an assistant coach at MCC, he was part of a staff that won two Region 23 Championships and made two straight Junior College World Series appearances. Both of those teams were ranked in the top 10 nationally.
Other coaching stops included a year at both Mississippi College and Millsaps College after he broke into the coaching ranks with a year-long stint at Copiah-Lincoln Community College.
Caillet also coached two summers in the Cotton States League, including leading the Meridian Marauders to the league championship as manager.
As a player, Caillet was an all-district infielder at Hahnville (La.) High and went on to play for Copiah-Lincoln, before finishing his career at Southern Miss as an infielder under Coach Hill Denson.
He earned both his bachelor's degree (1998) and his master's degree (2000) from Southern Miss.
Caillet is married to the former Jessica Compretta of Bay St. Louis, Miss., and they have a daughter, Carsyn, and a son, Coby.
