Blake Kangas was named an assistant coach on Coach Hannahs’ inaugural staff in June 2024.

Kangas arrives in Tampa after spending the previous two seasons as the Director of Player Development at Oklahoma State University. The Cowboys posted a combined for of 83-39 record with Kangas on staff, won the 2024 Big 12 Tournament championship, the 2023 regular season title and hosted back-to-back NCAA Regionals in Stillwater.

At Oklahoma State, Kangas worked with the trio of Carson Benge, Brian Holiday and Nolan Schubart, who were each named All-Americans by Baseball America, Perfect Game/Rawlings and the NCBWA. Benge was also one of five finalists for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award and a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy. Benge was selected in the first round (19th overall) of the 2024 MLB Draft by the New York Mets and Holiday in the third round by the St. Louis Cardinals.

Kangas has a wealth of experience across the Division I, JUCO and NAIA levels. Prior to Oklahoma State, he had his first stint in Florida as an assistant coach for five seasons at Keiser University in West Palm Beach. He previously spent four years as a volunteer assistant coach at Kansas State, has worked as a Major League Baseball associate scout, served as an assistant at his alma mater, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and Feather River College, and in 2009, was an assistant coach for the Cape Cod League champion Bourne Braves.

While at Keiser, Kangas coached six All-Americans on teams that set numerous school records and advanced to the 2021 NAIA World Series. At Kansas State, he was part of the coaching staff for the Wildcats’ 2013 Big 12 championship and NCAA Super Regional team, and he helped mentor three All-Americans and eight position players selected in the Major League Baseball Draft.

Kangas played collegiately at Madison College and Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he graduated in 2007 before beginning his coaching career there.

Following his tenure at UWM, Kangas spent four years at Feather River College in Quincy, California. While there, he directed some of the top offenses in the California JUCO ranks and helped lead the Golden Eagles to four conference championships. Eight of his players earned All-America honors and six were MLB Draft picks.

Daniel Schlereth, a former first-round pick and Major League pitcher, was named pitching coach in June 2024.

Schlereth joined the Bulls after two seasons as the pitching coach at Western Michigan University following his 13-year career in professional baseball.

The Western Michigan Broncos won the 2024 MAC tournament championship and advanced to the NCAA Regional. WMU posted a 32-22 record in 2024 for the program’s most wins since 1993. Schlereth’s pitching staff tossed a pair of shutouts during the MAC tournament, posted a 1.00 ERA (3 ER/27.0 IP) and recorded 30 strikeouts while issuing just three walks.

The Broncos tossed seven shutouts during the 2024 season (t-2nd in NCAA) en route to breaking the all-time WMU strikeout record for a single season (444). Western Michigan ranked 40th in the NCAA in walks allowed per nine innings (3.88) and 66th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.14). The Broncos lead the MAC in walks allowed (99) and fewest hits allowed (254).

Right-handed pitcher Nolan Vlcek was named Second Team All-Conference in 2024. Schlereth also coached Brady Miller to All-Conference honors in 2023.

Western Michigan’s team ERA dropped by over three full runs in Schlereth’s two seasons and the Broncos posted a MAC-leading 4.85 ERA in 2024 during conference play.

Before beginning his coaching career, Schlereth spent a season working in the player development and pro scouting department for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Schlereth was selected in the first round (26th overall) of the 2008 MLB Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks after a standout collegiate career at the University of Arizona. Schlereth reached the Majors quickly, making his debut for the Diamondbacks in May of 2009. The southpaw made 21 appearances for Arizona in 2009 before he was traded, along with Max Scherzer, to the Detroit Tigers in the offseason.

In three seasons with Detroit, Schlereth made a total of 73 appearances and posted a 3.98 ERA in 74.2 innings. During his time, the Tigers won back-to-back AL Central Division titles in 2011 and 2012. Schlereth helped the Tigers reach the 2011 ALCS and the 2012 World Series.

Over 13 professional seasons on the mound, Schlereth played for 10 different Major League organizations, including three stints with the Tigers. In four seasons at the Major League level with Detroit and Arizona, the lefty pitched in a total of 94 games and posted a 4.35 ERA with 91 strikeouts in 93.0 innings. In the Minor Leagues, Schlereth pitched in 214 games and owned a 2.80 ERA with 262 strikeouts over 234.1 innings.

Schlereth first attended UNLV before transferring to Arizona. He was a two-time All Pac-10 recipient in his three seasons and named a 2008 All-American.

Schlereth and his wife, Bree, have three children, Quinn, Drew and Zane. His father, Mark, played in the NFL for 12 seasons, won three Super Bowls and was named to the Pro Bowl twice.

Chris Cates rejoined the USF coaching staff on July 2023. He was previously on staff at South Florida from 2015-19.

Cates arrived back in Tampa after spending the previous three seasons (2021-23) as an assistant coach at UCF. He also had two stints on the coaching staff at the University of Tampa and spent a season as an assistant at Florida State. Cates was drafted in the 38th round of the 2007 MLB Draft by Minnesota out of the University of Louisville and spent five seasons in the Twins’ organization.

Cates primarily worked with the infielders, assisted hitters and coached third base while at UCF.

He rejoined the Tampa Spartans in 2020 after previously coaching at UT during the 2014 campaign.

The Bulls made three NCAA Regional appearances (2015, 2017, 2018) during Cates’ previous tenure at USF. Among the players Cates worked with were Kevin Merrell (1st round pick by Oakland in 2017), David Villar (11th round pick by San Francisco in 2018), Coco Montes (15th round pick by Colorado in 2018) and Joe Genord (9th round pick by the New York Yankees in 2019).

Prior to USF, Cates was an assistant at Florida State University for the 2013 season. His primary responsibilities at FSU were in the development of the outfielders. Cates helped guide DJ Stewart, a 2015 first-round pick of the Baltimore Orioles, as well as other MLB draft picks Josh Delph (Angels) and Marcus Davis (Padres). In addition, Cates also worked in the outfield with former Heisman Trophy winner and current NFL QB Jameis Winston.

Selected in the 38th round of the 2007 MLB First Year Player Draft by Minnesota, Cates played for five seasons in the Twins’ minor league organization. He was named a two-time All-Star in the minors, earning his first nod in 2008 with the Beloit Snappers out of the Class A Midwest League. A year later, Cates made his second All-Star team, this time in his first season at the Class A-Advanced level of the Florida State League with the Fort Myers Miracle. In 2009, Cates earned the Twins’ organizational Defensive Player of the Year. Cates turned his second All-Star appearance into a promotion to the Double-A Eastern League, where he spent two seasons playing with the New Britain Rock Cats before retiring from professional baseball in 2011.

Cates graduated from the University of Louisville in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in sports administration. A four-year starter at shortstop for the Cardinals (2004-07), Cates started 239 games and hit .302 with 270 hits, 162 runs scored, 101 RBIs, 44 doubles, five triples and three home runs. He also showed great strike zone discipline, finishing his career with 89 walks to just 69 strikeouts. A 3-time all-conference player, Cates played an integral role in leading Louisville to its first-ever College World Series appearance in 2007. Voted team captain by his teammates and coaches, Cates was a semifinalist for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award and the recipient of the Men’s BIG EAST/Aeropostale Scholar-Athlete award, which earned him a postgraduate scholarship.

Chris and his wife, Meagan, have a son, Cohen.

Kevin Bowers was named the Director of Recruiting in June 2024. The veteran coach, former administrator and longtime colleague of Coach Hannahs brings nearly 30 combined years of experience to the Bulls.

Bowers spent the 2024 season on staff with Hannahs at Indiana State University where the Sycamores won over 40 games for the second consecutive year and reached their second straight NCAA Regional. He also had a stint on staff with the Sycamores as an assistant coach from 1999-2000.

Prior to rejoining the Indiana State staff in the summer of 2023, Bowers had a decorated career at Lincoln Trail College where he served as the head coach and Athletic Director for the Statesmen since 2010. Bowers took over as head coach after Hannahs departed. The veteran coach led Lincoln Trail to a 33-18 overall record in his final season of 2023 that included a trip to the Region 24 Tournament. That success was consistent throughout his tenure featuring a trio of NJCAA Region XXIV titles and three GRAC titles.

Bowers’ teams achieved success both on and off the field. Since 2005, Bowers had over 175 of his players move on to NCAA D-1 institutions, seeing 23 sign professional contracts and four named NJCAA-All Americans.

In the classroom, his teams never received below a 3.0 team GPA, and the 2006 squad was named NJCAA Academic Team of the Year. On 11 other occasions, his teams were ranked in the top 25 in the nation academically.

Prior to his time at Lincoln Trail, he spent two years at UW-Platteville (2000-02) where he served as the hitting coach and recruiting coordinator. The 2001-02 Platteville team established school records in hits, runs, RBI and doubles, while posting its best record in 10 years.

Bowers graduated from UW-Parkside and was an assistant there for five years before moving on to Indiana State for the 1999-2000 season. In 2001, he received his Master’s of Education from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.