University of North Carolina Athletics
Bryant Gaines Joins Baseball Staff
July 3, 2019 | Baseball
CHAPEL HILL --- Former UNC pitcher Bryant Gaines has been hired as the North Carolina pitching coach, head coach Mike Fox announced Wednesday. Gaines, a two-time captain for the Tar Heels, returns to Chapel Hill following three seasons as the pitching coach at Liberty under former UNC assistant coach Scott Jackson. Gaines spent nine seasons as a member of the North Carolina Tar Heel program, five as a player and four as an assistant coach, and during his time North Carolina advanced to five College World Series, including four consecutive appearances as a player from 2007-11.
Gaines battled back from Tommy John surgery twice, once in 2004 and once in 2009, during his time at North Carolina, to make 35 appearances for the Tar Heels and served as team captain in 2010 and 2011.  Off the field, he was an Athletic Director Scholar Athlete Award winner and a John Lotz Scholar Athlete Award winner in 2011. Gaines graduated from North Carolina in 2011 with a degree in sports administration and a minor in coaching.
"I am very excited to welcome Bryant back to Carolina to serve as our Pitching Coach," said head coach Mike Fox. "Coach Gaines is one of the hardest workers I have ever seen both as a player (2007-2011) and coach for us (2013-2016). He was vital in helping develop pitchers both at UNC and recently Liberty. Not only has he also developed a reputation as a relentless recruiter, but he is also one of the finest people I have had the pleasure to coach and work with. He and his wife Riley are Tar Heels and I am thrilled they are coming back to Chapel Hill."
This past season, Liberty pitchers had a stellar year, helping to propel the Flames to a school-record tying 43 wins, an ASUN Championship in their first year in the conference and Liberty's first NCAA regional appearance since 2014. Liberty pitchers finished the year as the ASUN leaders and ranked 20th nationally with a 3.63 ERA. The Flames also set a new single season program records and led the conference with 557 strikeouts and 19 saves. Liberty pitchers also led the conference in wins, innings pitched, saves and opponent batting average.
In 2017, the Flames pitching staff's first under Gaines' watch, Liberty allowed the fewest runs in the Big South Conference and finished second in ERA. With only one new pitcher on the staff from the previous season, the Flames' lowered their ERA by over one run and yielded 100 less bases on balls than in 2016.
"I can't even begin to express how excited I am to return to UNC," said Gaines. "UNC is a place I called home for over 10 years as a player and young coach, and it feels great to be back where it all started for me. I'll be forever grateful for the opportunity Scott Jackson gave me at Liberty to learn and develop, and now I'm looking forward to the new opportunity Coach Fox and Forbes have entrusted me with at UNC. I can't wait to get to work."
During his four seasons as a member of Head Coach Mike Fox's staff, the Tar Heels won 162 games, including a school-record 59 in 2013. North Carolina made its 10th trip to the College World Series in program history that season, with Gaines having been a part of five of those teams as either a player or a coach.
Gaines mentored a number of mound standouts during his tenure with the Tar Heels. Left-hander Kent Emanuel was named the ACC Pitcher of the Year and earned All-America first team honors in 2013, before being selected by the Houston Astros in the third round of the Major League Baseball Draft. The left-hander led the UNC staff to a 2.81 ERA, which ranked 16th nationally in 2013.
In addition to Emanuel from the 2013 pitching staff, Hobbs Johnson was taken in the 14th round by the Milwaukee Brewers and Chris Munnelly signed as a free agent with Houston. Trent Thornton also earned Freshman All-American honors in 2013, before become an All-ACC performer and weekend starter in 2014. A year later, the right-hander was selected in the fifth round of the 2015 MLB Draft by Houston.
In 2014, Reilly Hovis collected All-ACC first team honors. The sophomore led the Tar Heels with a 9-1 record and a 2.25 ERA. Hovis was drafted in the ninth round of the 2015 MLB Draft by the Miami Marlins.
Right-hander Zac Gallen emerged as a weekend starter for North Carolina in 2015, earning All-ACC second team honors. This past season, Gallen posted a team-best 2.68 ERA in 13 starts and was selected to all-conference third team, before selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the third round of the 2016 MLB Draft.
In addition to Gallen, hard-throwing reliever A.J. Bogucki was drafted in the eighth round by the Washington Nationals. Bogucki had a breakout campaign in 2016, posting a 5-5 record with a 2.86 ERA over 50.1 innings of work, striking out 53 in 28 appearances.
Sophomore right-handed pitcher J.B. Bukauskas also had a strong season in 2016, becoming the first UNC pitcher to earn ABCA/Rawlings Atlantic All-Region First Team since Emanuel. Bukauskas, who also was selected to the United States national team this summer, posted a 7-2 record with 111 strikeouts in 2016.
In 35 career appearances as a Tar Heel pitcher, Gaines posted a 5-0 record with 75 strikeouts over 69 innings. He battled back from Tommy John surgery twice, once in 2004 and once in 2009, during his time at North Carolina to make 10 appearances as a fifth-year senior.
Gaines was part of four College World Series teams (2007, 2008, 2009 & 2011) during his playing career and served as team captain for the Tar Heels in 2010 and 2011.  Off the field, he was an Athletic Director Scholar Athlete award winner and a John Lotz Scholar Athlete Award winner in 2011.
Gaines was a Coastal Plains League All-Star during the summers of 2007 and 2011.
The Weddington, N.C. native was the head coach of the Coastal Plains League's Wilson Tobbs in 2015. He recruited the entire 40-man roster and hired his three assistants. Gaines saw two of his pitchers, Jared Janczak of TCU and Carson Teel of Oklahoma State go on to pitch in the College World Series in 2016. In addition, Gaines' team had three players drafted in the 2016 MLB Draft in Chris Clare of High Point, Marcus Moomey of South Carolina and Trey York of ETSU.Â
Gaines graduated from North Carolina in 2011 with a degree in sports administration and a minor in coaching.
Gaines is married to the former Riley Foster, who played field hockey at North Carolina.