Sutter, Belanger Announce Resignation From Baseball Staff
Jul 16, 2003 | Baseball
July 16, 2003
NEW ORLEANS, La. - The Tulane University baseball team will say goodbye to a pair of familiar faces as pitching coach Chad Sutter and volunteer assistant Brandon Belanger announced Wednesday that they are leaving the program. Sutter leaves Tulane to become the top assistant and recruiting coordinator at UNLV, while Belanger will pursue outside interests.
With a combined six years of experience as players and four years as coaches, Sutter and Belanger have helped the Tulane teams reach previously unprecedented success during their tenures, including six consecutive trips to the NCAA Regionals.
"When you talk about Chad and Brandon, you're talking about a lot of history at Tulane," head coach Rick Jones said. "They gave us so much as a coach, they were battery mates, and they're like family.
"When you look at Chad as a coach - he milked every ounce out of a banged up staff in 2002 and got a tremendous performance from a freshmen staff in 2003 - and couple that with what he did as a player, that makes him one of the all-time greats at Tulane. This is a great opportunity for him. He's going to be the top assistant and recruiting coordinator, and we all wish him luck.
"Losing Brandon is tough for me. Brandon is one of my favorite players of all time. His decision to leave coaching at this time just shows the type of guy he his. He just became a father and wants to be a good one and decided to go into the private sector, but he'll always be a part of this program."
While Sutter will be new to the Las Vegas area, he will not be unfamiliar with the staff as he joins former Tulane assistant Buddy Gouldsmith who was named head coach on July 9. Gouldsmith was promoted to head coach after another former Green Wave assistant - Jim Schlossnagle - was named head coach at TCU.
As a player, Sutter starred for the Green Wave where he was named Conference USA Freshman of the Year in 1996 while claiming C-USA Player of the Year and All-America honors as a senior in 1999. The son of former Cy Young winner Bruce Sutter, the younger Sutter set Tulane records for career home runs and RBI with 75 and 280 respectively.
After being drafted in the 23rd round by the New York Yankees in 1999, Sutter spent two seasons in the minor leagues before returning to Tulane in 2001 when he served as a graduate assistant during the Green Wave's run to the CWS. In 2002, he assumed duties as the team's pitching coach and has had three pitchers get drafted by Major League teams in the past two years.
"I'm very excited about the opportunity to work with Buddy and take the next step in my career," Sutter said. "I obviously owe a lot to Coach Jones and to Tulane University. It's been a great experience as far as baseball goes, and I got a great degree as well. It was a very difficult decision to leave and Tulane will always have special place in my heart, but I felt this was the next logical step in my career and I look forward to the new challenge."
Belanger, meanwhile, was a standout closer for the Green Wave in 1999 and 2000, earning All-America honors as a junior and setting the school's single-season saves (16) and appearances (41) record that year. He helped the '99 squad claim the school's first No. 1 seed in postseason play, claiming the top seed at the Auburn Regional, and finished the year 11th in the NCAA with a 2.45 ERA.
After his collegiate career, Belanger signed as a free agent with the San Diego Padres where he played two seasons and was promoted to the Advanced-A level before retiring to take a coaching job at Tulane last season. In his lone season on the Green Wave staff, Belanger oversaw the outfielders, assisted with hitting, and coached first base.
"Tulane's been a great all around experience," Belanger said. "I've enjoyed working with the coaching staff and it's been a real treat to work with guys who have that type of knowledge of the game. It's been a great place to work., the team's going to have a lot of success in the future, and I feel privileged to have been a part of it."
