Ladd Rhodes tabbed as Nicholls baseball hitting assistant, recruiting coordinator

THIBODAUX, La. – Nicholls State University head baseball coach Mike Silva announced Tuesday morning that Ladd Rhodes is his first assistant coach hire since taking over the program just under a month ago.

The Gulfport, Miss. native will serve as both the hitting coach and recruiting coordinator, pending approval from the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors.

“My family and I are humbled and excited for the opportunity to be a part of this program and the Nicholls family,” Rhodes said. “I am looking forward to being a part of this staff and for the opportunity to work under Coach Silva within a conference I’m so familiar with, and we look forward to hitting the ground running.”

Before joining up with the Colonels, Rhodes served on the Charleston Southern staff as an assistant coach throughout the 2021 season, overseeing the development of the Buccaneers hitters and working primarily with the program’s outfielders. The year prior, he acted as the volunteer assistant coach at Southern Miss for the 2020 campaign where he managed the outfielders and coordinated the Eagles’ base-running efforts. Rhodes also organized all baseball camps and showcases for the program.

Previously, Rhodes handled the hitting, base-running and outfield coaching duties at Jones College for three seasons from 2016-19, structuring the Bobcats’ strength and conditioning efforts as he personally designing both the in-season and offseason workouts while accompanying the team during every on-campus workout. On the field, he helped guide the team to a 37-12 record during the 2019 campaign as the squad posted a .326 team batting average, boasting eight different players with above .300 batting averages.

The 2018 season saw the Bobcats compile a 38-11 mark with a second-place overall finish in the MACJC, compiling a strong .324 team batting average for the year. During his first campaign with Jones College, the team managed a 46-4 record en route to securing the MACJC regular-season title, all while leading the NJCAA Division II swinging the bat behind a .370 overall average.

Initially, Rhodes received his first crack at coaching a graduate assistant at Jones College squad during the 2014 season, assisting a team that eventually tied the school record for wins, won the MACJC South Division, the MACJC Tournament and hosted the Region 23 Tournament. At the plate, the Bobcats flourished under Rhodes’ tutelage, generating a .327 team batting average behind 112 doubles 24 home runs, not to mention seven players with 30-plus RBIs.

Before working to earn his graduate degree, Rhodes managed to compile a successful collegiate career across two separate programs, competing his first two seasons at Jones College before wrapping up his eligibility at Southland member Southeastern Louisiana. While with the Bobcats, the program captured two South Division titles, a state championship and the school’s first ever appearance in the NJCAA DII World Series. The 2011 squad even set a school record for wins and finished national runner-up as Rhodes earned second team All-MACJC, batting .345 with 20 stolen bases.

During his two-year stint competing for the Lions during the 2012 and 2013 campaigns, the Gulfport, Miss. native served as a key member of a competitive SLU program which secured back-to-back berths in Southland Conference Tournament, clinching All-SLC Tournament honors during both postseason appearances.

Rhodes received a Bachelor of General Studies from Southeastern Louisiana in 2013 along with a Master of Science in Sports Management from the Southern Mississippi in 2017. He currently resides in Thibodaux, La. with his wife, Beverly, and daughter, Molly.

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