Dolphin Baseball Academy & Camps at Jacksonville University
Chris Hayes enters his seventh year as the head coach of Jacksonville University baseball in 2023. Through his first six seasons at the helm of his alma mater, JU has won 160 games, made two NCAA Regionals, won a regular season ASUN Conference Championship and an ASUN Conference Tournament Championship, captured 12 wins over ranked opponents and became the fifth head coach in JU baseball history to reach the 150 win mark.
2022
- Led team to a win over #10/#13 Florida State as part of a 5-0 start to the season
- RHP Mason Adams was ASUN Pitcher of the Week and National Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball on March 7
- Most stolen bases by a team in his six years as head coach, swiping 85 total bags
- Went 3-0 in extra-inning games
- Finished 5th in the ASUN East Division and qualified for the ASUN Baseball Championship
2021
- Led team to the ASUN Baseball Tournament Championship
- Participated in the NCAA Columbia Regional (#4 Seed)
- Tyler Santana was named ASUN Tournament MVP and Dakota Julylia, Duncan Hunter, Mason Adams and Jackson Grabky all made the All-Tournament Team
- Coached two ASUN All-Freshman Team members (Jackson Grabsky and Jesus Pacheco)
- Beat #5/#6 Florida and #17/#18 Florida State on the road
- RHP Tyler Santana signed free agent contract with the Cubs organization
2020
- The team won eight of its last 11 contests before the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic
- Registered a win over ranked West Virginia
- RHPs Trent Palmer and Austin Temple both earned ASUN Pitcher of the Week honors, with the two leading the league in strikeouts and ERA, respectively
- Scott Dubrule was sixth in country in hits
- Palmer was drafted in the third round of the 2020 MLB Draft by the Blue Jays, and became the sixth-highest draft pick in school history and the highest in the Coach Hayes tenure
- RHP Chris Mauloni signed a free agent contract with the Tigers organization
2019
- Won 30+ games for the third consecutive season under Hayes (32)
- Took the season series against eventualy CWS participant Florida State
- Won first two games of the ASUN Tournament to advance to winner’s bracket semifinals for third straight season
- Shortstop Dakota Julylia was named ASUN Defensive Player of the Year, a first in program history
- Julylia and Angel Camacho were First Team All-ASUN, with four other players earning all-conference honors
- Three players were selected in the 2019 MLB Draft: INF Angel Camacho (3rd Round – Toronto) RHP Zach Bryant (15th Round – Chicago Cubs) & RHP Chris Mauloni (35th Round – Boston)
- After excelling in independent league ball, RHP Spencer Stockton joined the Reds organization as a free agent
2018
- Won 40 games for the first time since 2006 and earned an NCAA bid for the first time since 2009
- Earned #2 seed in the Gainesville Regional, the highest seed in school history
- Ranked as high as #25 in Baseball America and #24 in Rawlings/Perfect Game polls
- Climbed as high as #16 in the RPI rankings
- Went 22-7 at home, best home winning percentage since 1984
- Won five games over NCAA Tournament teams throughout the season, highlighted by an upset of #1 Florida in Gainesville
- Freshman RHP Chris Mauloni was an All-American (named by four different organizations) after tying for the national lead in saves with 20 and setting the new JU career and single-season saves record
- Eight players earned All-ASUN postseason awards, three landed on the ASUN All-Tournament team and Angel Camacho made the NCAA All-Regional Team
- RHP Chris Gau was drafted in the 14th Round of the 2018 MLB Draft by Tampa Bay
2017
- Led team to 36 wins and the ASUN Regular Season Championship
- Team advanced to the ASUN Baseball Championship Final
- Won six games over eventual NCAA Tournament participants, including a 3-2 win at home over eventual national champion Florida
- Strung together a 13-game winning streak, the program’s longest win streak in 26 years
- Three players made ASUN All-Conference teams and three more made the All-Freshman Team
- RHP Michael Baumann was drafted in the third round by Baltimore and LHP Casey Kulina signed a free agent contract with Arizona
CAREER ACCOLADES
- 2017 ASUN Coach of the Year
- Member of the USA Baseball 16U National Team Development Program staff in 2019
- Drafted in MLB Draft twice: 35th Round in 1994 – Seattle & 28th Round in 1995 – Toronto
- Two-time All-Sun Belt performer at JU
- 19 players drafted under his tutelage as a head coach at JU and Seminole State
CAREER TIMELINE
- Jacksonville Head Coach (2017-present)
- Jacksonville Associate Head Coach (2014-16)
- Seminole State Head Coach (2009-13)
- Jacksonville Assistant Coach (2004-08)
- Wolfson H.S. Assistant Coach (2002-03)
Hayes was a four-year starter at Jacksonville from 1992-95, was drafted on two occasions by MLB organizations (1994, Seattle; 1995, Toronto) and twice earned All-Sun Belt Conference honors. He also picked up all-regional accolades as a junior. Hayes led the Dolphins to consecutive NCAA Regional appearances (1994, 1995) and ranks among the all-time Jacksonville leaders in RBI (176), at-bats (802), hits (271), doubles (53) and total bases (402).
Before launching his coaching career, Hayes spent five seasons (1995-2000) with the Toronto Blue Jays organization after being drafted in the 28th round of the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft. He played every infield and outfield position in five seasons with the Blue Jays’ minor league system finishing with a .276 career batting average. Over the course of his career, Hayes made stops in St. Catherines, Ontario; Hagerstown, Md.; Dunedin, Fla.; and Knoxville, Tenn. while in the minors.
A native of Jacksonville, Hayes earned his bachelor’s degree from the University in finance in 1995 and his MBA in 2007.
Chris and his wife, Joy, live in Jacksonville.
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Chris Hayes enters his seventh year as the head coach of Jacksonville University baseball in 2023. Through his first six seasons at the helm of his alma mater, JU has won 160 games, made two NCAA Regionals, won a regular season ASUN Conference Championship and an ASUN Conference Tournament Championship, captured 12 wins over ranked opponents and became the fifth head coach in JU baseball history to reach the 150 win mark.
2022
- Led team to a win over #10/#13 Florida State as part of a 5-0 start to the season
- RHP Mason Adams was ASUN Pitcher of the Week and National Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball on March 7
- Most stolen bases by a team in his six years as head coach, swiping 85 total bags
- Went 3-0 in extra-inning games
- Finished 5th in the ASUN East Division and qualified for the ASUN Baseball Championship
2021
- Led team to the ASUN Baseball Tournament Championship
- Participated in the NCAA Columbia Regional (#4 Seed)
- Tyler Santana was named ASUN Tournament MVP and Dakota Julylia, Duncan Hunter, Mason Adams and Jackson Grabky all made the All-Tournament Team
- Coached two ASUN All-Freshman Team members (Jackson Grabsky and Jesus Pacheco)
- Beat #5/#6 Florida and #17/#18 Florida State on the road
- RHP Tyler Santana signed free agent contract with the Cubs organization
2020
- The team won eight of its last 11 contests before the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic
- Registered a win over ranked West Virginia
- RHPs Trent Palmer and Austin Temple both earned ASUN Pitcher of the Week honors, with the two leading the league in strikeouts and ERA, respectively
- Scott Dubrule was sixth in country in hits
- Palmer was drafted in the third round of the 2020 MLB Draft by the Blue Jays, and became the sixth-highest draft pick in school history and the highest in the Coach Hayes tenure
- RHP Chris Mauloni signed a free agent contract with the Tigers organization
2019
- Won 30+ games for the third consecutive season under Hayes (32)
- Took the season series against eventualy CWS participant Florida State
- Won first two games of the ASUN Tournament to advance to winner’s bracket semifinals for third straight season
- Shortstop Dakota Julylia was named ASUN Defensive Player of the Year, a first in program history
- Julylia and Angel Camacho were First Team All-ASUN, with four other players earning all-conference honors
- Three players were selected in the 2019 MLB Draft: INF Angel Camacho (3rd Round – Toronto) RHP Zach Bryant (15th Round – Chicago Cubs) & RHP Chris Mauloni (35th Round – Boston)
- After excelling in independent league ball, RHP Spencer Stockton joined the Reds organization as a free agent
2018
- Won 40 games for the first time since 2006 and earned an NCAA bid for the first time since 2009
- Earned #2 seed in the Gainesville Regional, the highest seed in school history
- Ranked as high as #25 in Baseball America and #24 in Rawlings/Perfect Game polls
- Climbed as high as #16 in the RPI rankings
- Went 22-7 at home, best home winning percentage since 1984
- Won five games over NCAA Tournament teams throughout the season, highlighted by an upset of #1 Florida in Gainesville
- Freshman RHP Chris Mauloni was an All-American (named by four different organizations) after tying for the national lead in saves with 20 and setting the new JU career and single-season saves record
- Eight players earned All-ASUN postseason awards, three landed on the ASUN All-Tournament team and Angel Camacho made the NCAA All-Regional Team
- RHP Chris Gau was drafted in the 14th Round of the 2018 MLB Draft by Tampa Bay
2017
- Led team to 36 wins and the ASUN Regular Season Championship
- Team advanced to the ASUN Baseball Championship Final
- Won six games over eventual NCAA Tournament participants, including a 3-2 win at home over eventual national champion Florida
- Strung together a 13-game winning streak, the program’s longest win streak in 26 years
- Three players made ASUN All-Conference teams and three more made the All-Freshman Team
- RHP Michael Baumann was drafted in the third round by Baltimore and LHP Casey Kulina signed a free agent contract with Arizona
CAREER ACCOLADES
- 2017 ASUN Coach of the Year
- Member of the USA Baseball 16U National Team Development Program staff in 2019
- Drafted in MLB Draft twice: 35th Round in 1994 – Seattle & 28th Round in 1995 – Toronto
- Two-time All-Sun Belt performer at JU
- 19 players drafted under his tutelage as a head coach at JU and Seminole State
CAREER TIMELINE
- Jacksonville Head Coach (2017-present)
- Jacksonville Associate Head Coach (2014-16)
- Seminole State Head Coach (2009-13)
- Jacksonville Assistant Coach (2004-08)
- Wolfson H.S. Assistant Coach (2002-03)
Hayes was a four-year starter at Jacksonville from 1992-95, was drafted on two occasions by MLB organizations (1994, Seattle; 1995, Toronto) and twice earned All-Sun Belt Conference honors. He also picked up all-regional accolades as a junior. Hayes led the Dolphins to consecutive NCAA Regional appearances (1994, 1995) and ranks among the all-time Jacksonville leaders in RBI (176), at-bats (802), hits (271), doubles (53) and total bases (402).
Before launching his coaching career, Hayes spent five seasons (1995-2000) with the Toronto Blue Jays organization after being drafted in the 28th round of the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft. He played every infield and outfield position in five seasons with the Blue Jays’ minor league system finishing with a .276 career batting average. Over the course of his career, Hayes made stops in St. Catherines, Ontario; Hagerstown, Md.; Dunedin, Fla.; and Knoxville, Tenn. while in the minors.
A native of Jacksonville, Hayes earned his bachelor’s degree from the University in finance in 1995 and his MBA in 2007.
Chris and his wife, Joy, live in Jacksonville.
Colby Bortles joined the Jacksonville University baseball staff as an assistant coach in August 2023. He will oversee recruiting efforts and work with the hitters and infielders.
The Oviedo, Florida native most recently served as an assistant at East Carolina for the past three seasons. As the program’s volunteer assistant, he worked specifically with the hitters, and played a crucial role in helping the Pirates to 137 wins, two NCAA Regional titles, three straight NCAA Regional appearances, a pair of Super Regional berths, three American Athletic Conference regular season championships and the 2022 AAC Tournament title.
Just last season, ECU, totaled the second most wins in a single-season in program history, with 47, and led the conference in nine offensive categories, sitting second-best in the league in two others. The team was top-25 in three of those benchmarks: sacrifice flies, hits and doubles, sitting just outside the top-25 in runs scored, sacrifice bunts and walks drawn.
Prior to his stint in Greenville, he was the volunteer assistant at Charleston Southern and an assistant hitting coach at Rollins College.
Bortles, the younger brother of former Jaguars quarterback Blake, was a standout baseball player at Ole Miss from 2014-17, earning a bachelor of science in criminal justice, with a minor in parks and recreation, and was a Dean’s List member. He finished his career 10th in program history in RBI with 153. He played 213 games in his college career, helping the program win 153 times, qualify for three NCAA Regionals and advance to the 2014 College World Series. He was taken in the 22nd round of the MLB Draft by the Tigers and played three years in the their professional system.
Justin Pope joined Jacksonville baseball as the program’s pitching coach in July 2023.
Pope, a former first round draft pick who pitched professionally for nine seasons, brings a wealth of experience as a player and a coach to JU, after having worked in a variety of roles in the minor leagues for over a decade.
The Florida native joins the Dolphins after most recently working in the Miami Marlins organization for the last three-and-a-half years. He has served as both an analyst with the big-league club and a player development pitching coach at the team’s facility in Jupiter since 2021.
Prior to his return to his home state, he spent 10 years with the New York Yankees organization, serving in multiple capacities amongst its minor league system, including as the manager of the Staten Island Yankees (Class A). He joined the Yankees coaching tree after concluding his professional playing career, which included stints in the Yankees system, as well as the Phillies and the Cardinals, where he was drafted 28th overall in the 2001 MLB Draft.
Pope was a standout pitcher at UCF from 1999-2001, and was a First Team All-American in 2001. That season he was also the ASUN Player of the Year and an All-Tournament Team selection after breaking Roger Clemens’ NCAA record of 38.1 consecutive scoreless innings. He left as the Knights’ career leader in wins and strikeouts and was top-five in three other statistical categories.
Born in West Palm Beach and raised in Lake Worth, Pope was a standout at both Palm Beach Lakes Community and Wellington High School. His love of baseball was in part cultivated by his father, who built a baseball field on the family’s five-acre farm when he was seven years old, and his little league team routinely practiced on it when he was growing up.
Ruben Somalian is an Assistant Coach at Jacksonville University and a key part of this excellent coaching staff. His email is rsomeil@ju.edu.
Was born and raised in Miami FL, attended Florida Christian high school…First coaching Job was at Nova Southeastern for the 2022 season, was there for a year (managed OF, assisted with hitting) (started season 17-0 and got ranked #1 in the country) (made Tampa regional)
Brought on JU coaching staff in fall semester of 2022 (managed outfield & baserunning, assists with hitting and recruiting) …Head Coach for Jupiter Wave in the CLPB summer league for the 2022 summer.
Played at JU from 2017-2021, played in 2 regionals (Florida and Columbia); regular season champs for 2017 season; Won conference tournament for 2021 season.
Playing career achievements: ( 5-year starter, made ASUN all-freshman team (2017), ASUN all-tournament team (2018), .1000 career fielding percentage, top three in program history in at-bats (863), games started (228), games played (239), consecutive games reaching on base (49), hit-by-pitches (33), hits (244), made SportsCenter Top 10 after robbing HR against Florida in 2019 season. Undergrad in sports business & received master’s degree in sports management after COVID year
Brian Thomas was hired to serve as the Director of Program Development and Baseball Operations in September of 2023.
In his role, he is responsibile for the integration and management of in-house video & data, coordinating team travel arrangements, game day operations and personnel management. He also assists Head Coach Chris Hayes with organization, administration, and promotion of the program.
Thomas comes to JU from Ole Miss, where he was most recently the coordinator of operations for the Rebels softball team. In his role, Thomas was responsible for the day-to-day office operations of the softball program and his duties included assisting with the Rebels’ camps throughout the year, team travel and equipment operations.
Thomas came to Oxford from Conference USA member Florida Atlantic, where he served as the director of operations for the Owls baseball team for two years while earning his master’s degree in higher education leadership. The 2019 campaign saw the Owls defy expectations. Chosen third in the preseason C-USA poll, the team clinched the regular season crown on the final weekend. In his first year with the squad, Thomas helped lead the Owls to their most wins in nearly 15 years, posting a 43-19-1 mark while advancing to the championship game of the NCAA Gainesville Regional.
Prior to his time with the FAU baseball program, Thomas was the varsity pitching coach at Gainesville High School in Gainesville, Florida. During his year with the Purple Hurricanes, the program earned their best season in 10 years with a 19-6 record. He handled all facets of the pitching staff, including throwing and conditioning, as well as the players’ developmental needs. He also served one summer as pitching coach for the Richmond Jazz of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League. There, he contributed to the team’s first playoff berth in team history. The year prior, Thomas began his coaching career as the pitching coach at Oak Hill High School, also in Gainesville.
Thomas graduated from and played for Santa Fe High School in Alachua, Florida. Four times he earned all-area honors, eventually going on to play at St. Johns River State College. There, he was a member of the FCSAA All-Academic Team and earned the Mid-Florida Conference Scholar-Athlete Award. After earning his associate of arts at St. Johns River State, Thomas moved on to the University of Florida, graduating cum laude in 2016 with his Bachelor of Science degree in food and resource economics, specializing in agribusiness marketing and management.
Thomas and his fiancée, Caroline, live with their goldendoodle, Ollie, in Neptune Beach.
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2800 University Blvd N, Jacksonville, FL
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Dolphin Baseball Academy & Camps at Jacksonville University
Have some questions?
Check out some of our FAQs below
Where do I check-in for camp?
Check-in will be begin an hour before the start of the first day of camp and will run until 15 minutes before the start of camp.
Check-in is located in the JU baseball office – the first door to the left as you enter John Sessions Stadium. After camp is over, you will be able to pick up your campers in front of the stadium. Parents are always encouraged to stay for camp and observe the instruction.
What to bring?
Each camper is encouraged to bring his or her own baseball equipment. Players should bring a glove, bat, cleats, running shoes or turf shoes, hat, helmet, and any other equipment they feel necessary to compete. Catchers must bring their own gear. Every camper in attendance will be given a camp T-shirt. We recommend bringing sunscreen during the summer. We also advise youth campers to wear proper baseball attire but it is not necessary to participate in camp.
Youth Camps
Each camper is encouraged to bring his or her own baseball equipment. Players should bring a glove, bat, cleats, running shoes or turf shoes, hat, helmet, and any other equipment they feel necessary to compete. Catchers must bring their own gear. We recommend bringing sunscreen during the summer. We also advise youth campers to wear proper baseball attire but it is not necessary to participate in camp.
Inclement Weather Policy
We have plans in place for all of our camps to run whether rain or shine. We will communicate any changes made to camp through the email provided during registration if the weather forecast looks like it will prevent us from being on the field.
Players should bring appropriate footwear for any indoor activities i.e. sneakers or turf shoes.
Will there be Medical Staff present?
All camps held at JU have medical staff present. JU Athletic Training
provides trainers for our each of our camp sessions. It is important to indicate any pre-existing medical conditions prior to camp on the required forms so our trainers can assist your child as needed.