As undoubtedly the most successful young coach in collegiate baseball on the NCAA Division I level of athletics, this will be the eighth year for Bethune-Cookman College baseball under the direction of Mervyl Melendez. He has become one of many coaches to earn a very celebrated status at B-CU ... as both a player and coach for the Mighty Wildcat nation.

Melendez brings a different approach to the game of baseball as he not only teaches the game of baseball to his student-athletes with mental teaching, but he loves to get a hands-on feel as well. You will quite often see him throwing pitches during batting practice; watch him field ground balls with the team; or may even catch a glimpse of him running the bases with the team to show his aggressive style of play and defense.

"What we want to do here at Bethune-Cookman University is to instill in every student-athlete that comes to play for us a sense of pride and determination for what we, as a staff, want to teach them on and off the field," comments Melendez. "It feels good to know that you are achieving new heights at your school, as an alumnus of Bethune-Cookman University, and I want to take it to an even higher level than where it is now."

As he mentioned, Melendez has done things at B-CU that no other coach can claim, including winning the school's first-ever NCAA Regional game in 2002 against Florida International. But in order to get to the Regional, Melendez and his staff had to win an extremely tough Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament. In fact, up until the 2005 season, the Wildcats posted six consecutive (1999-2004) conference crowns under Melendez's tutelage. This is a feat unmatched by any other school in the conference to date.

But it may be the recruiting aspect of Melendez that has not only caught the eye of several coaches in and around the country, but also that of the national media a few years back.

A native of Carolina, Puerto Rico, Melendez shows loyalty in choosing his staff as two of his assistants are former players of his. José Vázquez and Bradley Frick both played for Melendez's championship team in 2002. Melendez's philosophy of recruiting a diverse team landed him a featured story on diversity in the USA Today newspaper in May 2000 about the contributions of his efforts in recruiting diverse student-athletes to an HBCU baseball program at Bethune-Cookman.

"We are looking for the best players who fit our system," adds Melendez. "We are not looking at a student-athlete's skin color, race or ethnic background in any way. We go everywhere, and I mean EVERYWHERE, to find the absolute best talent for this program in order to get us to the top."

Melendez has earned numerous MEAC Coach of the Year awards and Black College Baseball Coach of the Year awards, including 2007 as his latest achievement, and has had several Rookie and Player of the Year student-athletes cross his coaching path for the Wildcats program ... including a sweep of both categories in 2006 with Nabil Sagbini (Player of the Year), José Ortiz-Rivera (Rookie of the Year) and Francisco Rodriguez (Pitcher of the Year). In the summer of 2005, he saw his first collegiate player suit up and take the mound in the MLB (Major League Baseball) for the Detroit Tigers. That player was former Wildcat relief pitcher Mark Woodyard. Currently, he has three more up-and-coming minor leaguers getting ready for a shot at the MLB ranks in the form of infielder Wes Timmons, outfielder Angel Mercado and pitcher Richard "R.J." Rodriguez.

Although there have been several of his players drafted by major league teams, Melendez is most proud of the commitment his players make to academics. His teams have maintained a team GPA of no less than 2.9 over the last four years. "I am proud of the commitment and dedication that the players have made to academics and that shows that we are attracting the right type of student-athlete to Bethune-Cookman University; one who is committed to everything he does," adds Melendez.

Melendez's aggressive style of offense and base running, mixed with heavy defense is a trademark of the Wildcats program. It's what was taught to him by former coach and mentor Brian Rhees... and what he is now teaching to his kids. He believes in fast players taking chances on the bases, and a sound defense in the infield. His outfielders will always have speed, and he likes that to be mixed with solid hitting and a strong pitching staff. "Games are won on the mound, and defensively and that's what we believe in," stresses Melendez. All of these ingredients have made for four (4) consecutive MEAC Southern Division championships, including the six straight MEAC Tournament titles during his tenure.

As a player at Bethune-Cookman, Melendez was selected to the first-ever Black College All-America Team during his senior season (1996). As a third baseman and relief pitcher, he finished his collegiate career as the all-time leader in doubles (30) and a batting average of 34 percent (.342). These accolades, and more, would allow him to be named to both the 1995 and '96 MEAC Team, as well as All-MEAC Tournament Team in both years.

It was Melendez's relief-pitching efforts against a strong North Carolina A&T squad in the final game of the 1996 regular season that allowed the `Cats to capture their second consecutive MEAC Southern Division crown. In the NCAA Regional Play-In game against Georgia Southern in 1996, Melendez hit a bases-loaded double to give the `Cats their first win in a Regional contest of any kind, though being just a play-in contest.

Melendez took over the Wildcats program in July 1999 after serving for three years as the team's top assistant coach. It was the faith of Director of Athletics (Lynn Thompson) and former Bethune-Cookman President Dr. Oswald P. Bronson, Sr. that allowed Melendez to step up "to the bat" and take over the reigns of the program ... and continue a winning tradition. And the results speak for themselves from there.

Mervyl Melendez, as earlier stated, is a native of Carolina, Puerto Rico (known as La Tierra de Gigantes aka "Land of the Giants"), located in the northeast corner of the country. Carolina, pronounced kah-ro-LEE-nah, is also home of former baseball great Roberto Clemente.

Melendez moved to Orlando, Florida at the age of 13, and attended Lake Howell High School in nearby Winter Park. He is married to the former Aixa Alicea, a native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, who works as a data analyst for the Bethune-Cookman College admissions office. Together, they have two beautiful sons in Mervyl S. "MJ" Melendez, Jr. (9), and youngest son Jayden Savier (5).

THE MELENDEZ FILE...

♦ Hit a bases-loaded double to give the Wildcats their first-ever NCAA post-season win (10-8) over Georgia Southern in the 1996 NCAA Regional Play-In game.

♦ Played an integral part all of the team's eight (8) MEAC Tournament titles, either as a player or a coach.

♦ Selected to the first-ever Black College All-American team as a senior in 1996.

♦ Finished his collegiate career as B-CC's all-time leader in doubles (30).

♦ Featured in USA Today for diversifying the school's baseball program (May 2000).

♦ First Bethune-Cookman head coach to win an MEAC title in his first season.

♦ MEAC Coach of the Year (2000, '01)

♦ Led team to NCAA Regional appearances in 2000, '01, '02, '03 and '04.

♦ Guided B-CC baseball team to the best season in school history in 2002 (39-22, 16-2 MEAC), and first-ever NCAA Regional victory with a win against Florida International (7-4).

ALL-AMERICANS / All-MEAC Players Coached:

2002 - Wes Timmons, Louisville Slugger All-American, MEAC Player of the Year

2003 - John Gragg, Louisville Slugger All-American, MEAC Player of the Year

2004 - Sebastian Boucher, MEAC Player of the Year

2006 - Jose Ortiz-Rivera, Louisville Slugger All-American

2006 - Nabil Sagbini MEAC Player of the Year

2007 - Francisco Rodriguez MEAC Pitcher of the Year Black College Baseball Pitcher of the Year