Bears Welcome Jacob Rand To Coaching Staff
8/27/2026 1:00:00 PM | Baseball
MACON – Head coach Craig Gibson announced the addition of Jacob Rand to the Mercer baseball coaching staff on Wednesday afternoon. Rand has been coaching collegiate baseball for the past 11 seasons, with stops at Wingate University and Gaston College.
"We are extremely excited about Coach Rand joining our coaching staff and university," Gibson said. "The two traits that stood out during the interview process were success and consistency. Both programs that he has been with have seen immense success every single year he spent with them. He is a high-energy guy with an infectious personality that the guys will love working with. We couldn't be more excited that Jacob, Belle, and Fisher will be joining our family."
Coach Rand has spent the last five years at Gaston College, where he joined head coach Shohn Doty in reviving a program that had not existed for 50 years. In 2021, Rand moved to Dallas, North Carolina, to assemble the Rhino's first baseball team since 1972. Since 2022, Rand and the Rhinos' success had been nothing short of extraordinary.
Overall Record: 237-50
Top 25 Ranking Each Season (#1 in 2024, #2 in 2026 and #5 in 2023)
MLB Draft Picks/Signees: 5
All-Region X Players: 39
NJCAA All-Americans: 9
Region X Player of the Year: 1
Region X Defensive Player of the Year: 2
Region X Championships: 3
NJCAA East District Championships: 1
NJCAA World Series: 1 (2023 – 5th place)
NCAA Power 4 Commitments: 8
NCAA Division I Commitments: 63
NCAA Total Commitments: 78
Before his historic run at Gaston College, Rand spent six years at Wingate University. During his tenure with the Bulldogs, Rand hoisted the NCAA D2 National Championship in 2021. In that historic season, Wingate posted a 39-13 overall record (9-1 against Top 20 opponents) and went 13-2 in postseason play, including five straight wins in as many days against Top 15 opponents to claim the national title.
Now, Rand steps into a role on a Mercer team coming off one of the most historic seasons in program history. The Bears went 44-15 and 29-2 at home (both of which are single-season records), mashed a single-season record 130 home runs and claimed its first regular-season Southern Conference championship since 2017.
"I want to thank Mercer University and Coach Gibson for welcoming my family and I to Macon," Rand said. "We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to join the Mercer Baseball family and begin an exciting new chapter. I can't wait to work alongside a tremendous group of players and coaches and to help continue building something special at Mercer. Our family is looking forward to calling Macon home and being part of an outstanding community. Go Bears!"
"We are extremely excited about Coach Rand joining our coaching staff and university," Gibson said. "The two traits that stood out during the interview process were success and consistency. Both programs that he has been with have seen immense success every single year he spent with them. He is a high-energy guy with an infectious personality that the guys will love working with. We couldn't be more excited that Jacob, Belle, and Fisher will be joining our family."
Coach Rand has spent the last five years at Gaston College, where he joined head coach Shohn Doty in reviving a program that had not existed for 50 years. In 2021, Rand moved to Dallas, North Carolina, to assemble the Rhino's first baseball team since 1972. Since 2022, Rand and the Rhinos' success had been nothing short of extraordinary.
Overall Record: 237-50
Top 25 Ranking Each Season (#1 in 2024, #2 in 2026 and #5 in 2023)
MLB Draft Picks/Signees: 5
All-Region X Players: 39
NJCAA All-Americans: 9
Region X Player of the Year: 1
Region X Defensive Player of the Year: 2
Region X Championships: 3
NJCAA East District Championships: 1
NJCAA World Series: 1 (2023 – 5th place)
NCAA Power 4 Commitments: 8
NCAA Division I Commitments: 63
NCAA Total Commitments: 78
Before his historic run at Gaston College, Rand spent six years at Wingate University. During his tenure with the Bulldogs, Rand hoisted the NCAA D2 National Championship in 2021. In that historic season, Wingate posted a 39-13 overall record (9-1 against Top 20 opponents) and went 13-2 in postseason play, including five straight wins in as many days against Top 15 opponents to claim the national title.
Now, Rand steps into a role on a Mercer team coming off one of the most historic seasons in program history. The Bears went 44-15 and 29-2 at home (both of which are single-season records), mashed a single-season record 130 home runs and claimed its first regular-season Southern Conference championship since 2017.
"I want to thank Mercer University and Coach Gibson for welcoming my family and I to Macon," Rand said. "We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to join the Mercer Baseball family and begin an exciting new chapter. I can't wait to work alongside a tremendous group of players and coaches and to help continue building something special at Mercer. Our family is looking forward to calling Macon home and being part of an outstanding community. Go Bears!"
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