Jim Toman - Baseball Coach - Middle Tennessee State University Athletics

Jim Toman

Title:
Head Baseball Coach
Email:
jim.toman@mtsu.edu
Phone:
898-2961

Middle Tennessee (2018-Present)

The young Blue Raiders faced adversity, injuries and a tough schedule in Jim Toman’s first season as the head coach. Toman picked up his first win as the Blue Raiders skipper in the season opener, defeating Bowling Green by a score of 7-0 on February 15, 2019. The highlight of the season came when the Blue Raiders swept rival Western Kentucky at Reese Smith Jr. Field in early April.

With the exception of the 2020 shortened season, the Blue Raiders have seen gradual win increases in each season Toman has been at the helm. The Blue Raiders won their most games since 2015 after a 29-26 finish in 2022. Middle Tennessee made the Conference USA Baseball Championship for the second consecutive years and finished 68th in the country in RPI. Five Blue Raiders were recognized on Conference USA postseason teams in 2022, including three Second Team All Conference members, one on the All-Freshman Team and one on the All-Academic Team.

Jim Toman was announced as the new head coach of the Blue Raiders on June 20, 2018. Toman became the 22^nd head coach since the program began in 1913 and is just the fourth coach since 1974. Toman has 28 years of coaching experience in Division I baseball. In those 28 seasons, Toman has never had a losing season, including nine seasons as a head coach at Liberty.

Assistant Head Coach at College of Charleston (2018)

Jim Toman spent one season as the assistant head coach/recruiting coordinator with the College of Charleston baseball program. In his one season as the assistant coach, the Cougars picked up eight more victories than the previous year. Under Toman’s tutelage, the 2018 Cougars improved statistically in batting average, home runs, slugging percentage, stolen bases, fielding percentage, ERA, K/9, and BB/9 from the 2017 season.

Head Coach at Liberty (2008-2016)

In his nine season as the head coach at Liberty, Toman led the Flames baseball program to national prominence.

Toman was named the sixth head coach in the history of the Liberty Baseball program in June of 2007. He holds the highest Division I winning percentage in Flames history, posting an impressive record of 329-205-1 (.616).

Toman led the Flames to a winning record in all nine of his seasons, averaging 37 wins per season. He led the Flames to five tournament championship appearances, winning the 2013 Big South tournament after going undefeated in the tournament. In 2013, Toman guided Liberty to their first NCAA Regional final appearance after defeating Clemson twice to reach the final.

In 2014, Toman was named the Big South Coach of the year after he led his team to a 41-18 record and securing the school’s first at large bid to an NCAA Regional. That same year, the Flames were ranked as high as #21 in the Baseball America weekly poll. Toman recorded his 300^th career victory on February 26, 2016 against Marshall.

Associate Head Coach at South Carolina (1996-2007)

Toman joined the Gamecock staff after Ray Tanner became the head coach in June of 1996. Toman served as the recruiting coordinator and worked with the catchers. He was promoted to Associate Head Coach and in his 11 seasons at South Carolina, five catchers signed professionally, including Landon Powell (1^st round) who was also a finalist for the Johnny Bench Award (top collegiate catcher).

In 2002, Toman was named the National Assistant Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association and Baseball America. As the recruiting coordinator, Toman recruited a top 25 class in all 11 seasons at South Carolina, with his 2003, 2005, and 2006 Gamecock recruiting classes ranked first in the nation by the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. During his time in Columbia, the Gamecocks made nine NCAA regional appearances, including eight straight appearances from 2000 to 2007, and three consecutive visits to the College World Series from 2000 to 2004. In his 11 seasons, South Carolina posted 500-220 record (.694).

Before his 11 seasons at South Carolina, Toman was an Assistant at N.C. State for Ray Tanner for seven seasons.
In 1989, Toman spent one season as an assistant coach at Florida International.

Before Collegiate Coaching

Toman entered the coaching profession as an assistant at Richmond County High School in Rockingham, N.C. While working with one of the top high school baseball programs in North Carolina for two years, he also served as head wrestling coach and an assistant football coach.

In 1990, Toman spent a season as an assistant at Florida International for one year where he was responsible for the weight program, coaching catchers, and coaching first base.

Toman also spent three summers as an assistant coach with the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod League.

As a player (1981-1984)

As a catcher, Toman was a four-year letter winner at N.C. State and served as a team captain of the Wolfpack during his junior and senior season. The Wolfpack had winning seasons in all four years that Toman played.

Education

Toman earned a Bachelor of Science degree from N.C. State in Vocational Industrial Education Curriculum. He received a master of Science degree in Sport Management from N.C. State in 1995 with a 4.0 GPA.

Personal

Born James Michael Andrew Toman, Nov. 28, 1961 in Monroeville, Pa., he attended Gateway Senior High School in Monroeville where he played both football and baseball. Toman has a daughter, Caroline Frances, and two sons, Charles McLaughlin (Charlie Mac), and Kendall Tucker (Tucker).