Troy University Athletics
Troy Baseball Finalizes Coaching Staff
8/13/2021 10:20:00 AM | Baseball
TROY, Ala. – First-year Troy baseball head coach Skylar Meade finalized both his on-field and off-field coaching staff, the program announced Friday.
Joining the staff as on-field assistants are Ben Wolgamot, Riley McCauley and Adam Godwin, while Joe Bialkoski (Director of Player Development & Analytics) and Gavin Pence (Director of Operations) comprise the off-field staff.
"I could not be more excited about the staff we have put together as we have compiled a group of hungry, hard-working, and connected individuals," Meade said. "Ben is a tireless recruiter and has a track record of producing elite hitters over the last 10 years. Adam was an all-world player here at Troy and has hit the ground running on the recruiting trail, which is always the lifeline of any great program. Riley is one of my favorite players I have ever coached and will be a heralded young pitching coach in the near future.
"Joseph is a wizard on the analytics and player development side, and I can't wait to see the many ways he will help the growth of the players in our program. Gavin was a guy who we incredibly trusted in our program during my time at South Carolina. He has great knowledge of this business, and I know he has every characteristic to serve our baseball program at Troy. Finally, I want to thank the Troy Administration for their support in allowing me to put together the staff we felt will build the best relationships possible with our players now and in the future."
Complete biographical information on all the new staff members can also be found online at TroyTrojans.com.
Ben Wolgamot – Assistant Coach / Recruiting Coordinator
Ben Wolgamot joins the Troy Baseball staff following three seasons at Western Kentucky, where he helped lead the Hilltoppers to productive offensive seasons each year.
The Hilltoppers posted their most conference wins (16) since 2013 and their first Conference USA Tournament victory in program history during his first season. In addition, WKU recorded its most home runs (53) and RBIs (333) since 2010, most runs (355) since 2011, most hits (542) since 2014 and best batting average (.279) since 2016.
He also helped lead Jake Sanford to a breakout campaign in 2019. Sanford became the first triple crown winner in Conference USA's history while being named the league's Player and Newcomer of the Year and earning All-American honors. Following his historic season, Sanford was drafted by the New York Yankees in the third round of the 2019 MLB Draft.
Wolgamot and the Hilltoppers were again off to a strong start offensively in 2020, opening the year with a 10-6 record while winning all four of their weekend series before the COVID-19 pandemic cut their campaign short. At the conclusion of the shortened season, WKU ranked 10th in the nation with 41 doubles.
He joined the WKU staff following six years as an assistant coach at Valparaiso. At Valpo, Wolgamot served as the hitting coach and recruiting coordinator for the Crusaders. In his five years, he helped the program grow into the top-offensive club in the Horizon League and then assisted in the team's transition to the Missouri Valley Conference in 2018.
While at Valpo, Scott Kapers was selected in the 17th round of the 2018 MLB Draft. He became the third-highest selection in program history and the first Crusader position player to be drafted since 2013. Additionally, the 2016 Valpo offense produced five hitters who accrued All-Horizon League recognition following a slugfest season. Overall, the Crusaders led the conference in batting average (.288), hits per game (10.1), doubles (109) and fewest strikeouts per game (5.9).
An All-Big Ten standout at Purdue, Wolgamot slashed .368/.479/.458 in 50 games. In conference play, he posted an otherworldly .426/.538/.521 slash line. Overall, the Boilermakers went 30-15 with Wolgamot penciled in the starting lineup and 2-11 otherwise.
Wolgamot earned a bachelor's degree in health and fitness from Purdue in 2010. He is married to the former Maggie Daly, and the couple has two daughters, Beckett and Dalyn.
Riley McCauley – Assistant Coach
Riley McCauley joins the Troy Baseball staff following one year as a pitching and strength coach at Cressey Sports Performance. Before joining the Cressey staff, McCauley spent the fall as an undergraduate assistant pitching coach at Michigan State in the fall of 2020.
A standout on the mound for the Spartans (2016-18), McCauley's first two seasons at Michigan State coincided with Troy head coach Skylar Meade's time as the pitching coach. He was named the Cape Cod Relief Pitcher of the Year in the summer of 2017 after recording nine saves and posting a 2.10 ERA with 36 strikeouts that season for the Spartans.
The Chicago Cubs selected McCauley in the 14th round of the 2018 MLB Draft, and he spent two years in the Cubs' organization. He finished his Minor League career with a 2.88 ERA with 85 strikeouts in just 49.1 innings of work (12.9 K/9).
He received his bachelor's degree from Michigan State in food industry management.
Adam Godwin – Assistant Coach
Following two seasons as Troy's director of player performance and development, Adam Godwin moves into an on-field role beginning with the 2022 season as an assistant coach.
Four Trojans earned All-America honors in his two years on staff, including a trio of Freshman All-Americans (Caleb Bartolero, William Sullivan and Garrett Gainous). Before COVID-19 halted the 2020 season, the Trojans led the Sun Belt and ranked fourth nationally with 46 doubles in 17 games.
Godwin was responsible for coordinating the practice and game technology concepts within the program, including TrackMan, Rapsodo, Synergy and BATS. He also assisted the athletics development office in fundraising for the baseball program and played a key role in planning and design the new Riddle-Pace Field enhancement.
In 2021, Troy finished third overall in the Sun Belt Conference after leading the league with 2.0 doubles per game and ranking second batting at a .274 clip. In addition, Logan Cerny and Drew Frederic both earned all-league honors, with Cerny leading the Sun Belt in slugging percentage and triples, while Frederic ranked in the top 10 in hits, runs scored, home runs and stolen bases.
Godwin joined the Troy staff in 2020 after four years coaching in the Pittsburg Pirates' and Philadelphia Phillies' organizations. He began his coaching career as the Bristol Pirates' and Morgantown Black Bears' first and third base coach. During the 2017 and 2018 seasons, Godwin assisted the Pirates' Bradenton Marauders (High-A) as a traveling coach and led base running, outfield, and bunting instruction in addition to acting as the third base coach.
He spend the 2019 season with the Phillies' Single A Lakewood Blue Claws where he was the third base coach. Additionally, he was the outfield/base running coach for the Phillies Dominican Republic Academy in the fall of 2018 and the 2019 Instructional League Outfield Coordinator.
He began his playing career with Troy in 2004 and quickly climbed the record books in his two years with the Trojans. A member of Troy baseball's 2013 Hall of Fame class, he still holds Troy's career record for stolen bases with 112, and his .374 batting average is seventh all-time.
In 2005, Godwin led the NCAA and set Troy's single-season record with 84 stolen bases. He also set the single season record for singles (75) and is fifth in hits (90). For his efforts, Godwin was named the Atlantic Sun Player of the Year and a second-team All-American. Following his Troy career, Godwin was selected in the 11th round of the 2005 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers and played professionally for 10 seasons.
Godwin is married to the former Kelly Hawkins, and the couple has one daughter, Micah Mae.
Joe Bialkoski – Director of Player Development & Analytics
Joe Bialkoski joins the Troy staff following four years at Virginia, where he served as a baseball operations assistant. The Cavaliers advanced to the College World Series in 2021 for the first time since 2015.
Before joining the Virginia staff, Bialkoski served as the director of baseball operations at North Florida from 2016-17. As an undergraduate, he was a student manager for both the men's basketball and baseball programs at UNF.
He spent the summer of 2017 with the Hyannis Harbor Hawks of the Cape Cod League as an MLB Scout Liaison. He has held internships with the Jacksonville Suns (AA-Miami Marlins) and the Drayton Florence 7v7 Football Tournament.
Bialkoski earned his bachelor's degree in sport management from North Florida in 2017. He is married to the former Victoria Ekeli.
Gavin Pence – Director of Baseball Operations
Gavin Pence joins Troy's staff as the director of baseball operations after three years with the baseball program at South Carolina.
Pence began his time with the Gamecocks as a student manager for two years before assuming the role of interim director of equipment for the program in 2021, which saw the Gamecocks host an NCAA Regional.
A standout baseball player at Byrnes High School, Pence graduated from South Carolina with a bachelor's degree in sport and entertainment management in 2021.
Joining the staff as on-field assistants are Ben Wolgamot, Riley McCauley and Adam Godwin, while Joe Bialkoski (Director of Player Development & Analytics) and Gavin Pence (Director of Operations) comprise the off-field staff.
"I could not be more excited about the staff we have put together as we have compiled a group of hungry, hard-working, and connected individuals," Meade said. "Ben is a tireless recruiter and has a track record of producing elite hitters over the last 10 years. Adam was an all-world player here at Troy and has hit the ground running on the recruiting trail, which is always the lifeline of any great program. Riley is one of my favorite players I have ever coached and will be a heralded young pitching coach in the near future.
"Joseph is a wizard on the analytics and player development side, and I can't wait to see the many ways he will help the growth of the players in our program. Gavin was a guy who we incredibly trusted in our program during my time at South Carolina. He has great knowledge of this business, and I know he has every characteristic to serve our baseball program at Troy. Finally, I want to thank the Troy Administration for their support in allowing me to put together the staff we felt will build the best relationships possible with our players now and in the future."
Complete biographical information on all the new staff members can also be found online at TroyTrojans.com.
Ben Wolgamot – Assistant Coach / Recruiting Coordinator
Ben Wolgamot joins the Troy Baseball staff following three seasons at Western Kentucky, where he helped lead the Hilltoppers to productive offensive seasons each year.
The Hilltoppers posted their most conference wins (16) since 2013 and their first Conference USA Tournament victory in program history during his first season. In addition, WKU recorded its most home runs (53) and RBIs (333) since 2010, most runs (355) since 2011, most hits (542) since 2014 and best batting average (.279) since 2016.
He also helped lead Jake Sanford to a breakout campaign in 2019. Sanford became the first triple crown winner in Conference USA's history while being named the league's Player and Newcomer of the Year and earning All-American honors. Following his historic season, Sanford was drafted by the New York Yankees in the third round of the 2019 MLB Draft.
Wolgamot and the Hilltoppers were again off to a strong start offensively in 2020, opening the year with a 10-6 record while winning all four of their weekend series before the COVID-19 pandemic cut their campaign short. At the conclusion of the shortened season, WKU ranked 10th in the nation with 41 doubles.
He joined the WKU staff following six years as an assistant coach at Valparaiso. At Valpo, Wolgamot served as the hitting coach and recruiting coordinator for the Crusaders. In his five years, he helped the program grow into the top-offensive club in the Horizon League and then assisted in the team's transition to the Missouri Valley Conference in 2018.
While at Valpo, Scott Kapers was selected in the 17th round of the 2018 MLB Draft. He became the third-highest selection in program history and the first Crusader position player to be drafted since 2013. Additionally, the 2016 Valpo offense produced five hitters who accrued All-Horizon League recognition following a slugfest season. Overall, the Crusaders led the conference in batting average (.288), hits per game (10.1), doubles (109) and fewest strikeouts per game (5.9).
An All-Big Ten standout at Purdue, Wolgamot slashed .368/.479/.458 in 50 games. In conference play, he posted an otherworldly .426/.538/.521 slash line. Overall, the Boilermakers went 30-15 with Wolgamot penciled in the starting lineup and 2-11 otherwise.
Wolgamot earned a bachelor's degree in health and fitness from Purdue in 2010. He is married to the former Maggie Daly, and the couple has two daughters, Beckett and Dalyn.
Riley McCauley – Assistant Coach
Riley McCauley joins the Troy Baseball staff following one year as a pitching and strength coach at Cressey Sports Performance. Before joining the Cressey staff, McCauley spent the fall as an undergraduate assistant pitching coach at Michigan State in the fall of 2020.
A standout on the mound for the Spartans (2016-18), McCauley's first two seasons at Michigan State coincided with Troy head coach Skylar Meade's time as the pitching coach. He was named the Cape Cod Relief Pitcher of the Year in the summer of 2017 after recording nine saves and posting a 2.10 ERA with 36 strikeouts that season for the Spartans.
The Chicago Cubs selected McCauley in the 14th round of the 2018 MLB Draft, and he spent two years in the Cubs' organization. He finished his Minor League career with a 2.88 ERA with 85 strikeouts in just 49.1 innings of work (12.9 K/9).
He received his bachelor's degree from Michigan State in food industry management.
Adam Godwin – Assistant Coach
Following two seasons as Troy's director of player performance and development, Adam Godwin moves into an on-field role beginning with the 2022 season as an assistant coach.
Four Trojans earned All-America honors in his two years on staff, including a trio of Freshman All-Americans (Caleb Bartolero, William Sullivan and Garrett Gainous). Before COVID-19 halted the 2020 season, the Trojans led the Sun Belt and ranked fourth nationally with 46 doubles in 17 games.
Godwin was responsible for coordinating the practice and game technology concepts within the program, including TrackMan, Rapsodo, Synergy and BATS. He also assisted the athletics development office in fundraising for the baseball program and played a key role in planning and design the new Riddle-Pace Field enhancement.
In 2021, Troy finished third overall in the Sun Belt Conference after leading the league with 2.0 doubles per game and ranking second batting at a .274 clip. In addition, Logan Cerny and Drew Frederic both earned all-league honors, with Cerny leading the Sun Belt in slugging percentage and triples, while Frederic ranked in the top 10 in hits, runs scored, home runs and stolen bases.
Godwin joined the Troy staff in 2020 after four years coaching in the Pittsburg Pirates' and Philadelphia Phillies' organizations. He began his coaching career as the Bristol Pirates' and Morgantown Black Bears' first and third base coach. During the 2017 and 2018 seasons, Godwin assisted the Pirates' Bradenton Marauders (High-A) as a traveling coach and led base running, outfield, and bunting instruction in addition to acting as the third base coach.
He spend the 2019 season with the Phillies' Single A Lakewood Blue Claws where he was the third base coach. Additionally, he was the outfield/base running coach for the Phillies Dominican Republic Academy in the fall of 2018 and the 2019 Instructional League Outfield Coordinator.
He began his playing career with Troy in 2004 and quickly climbed the record books in his two years with the Trojans. A member of Troy baseball's 2013 Hall of Fame class, he still holds Troy's career record for stolen bases with 112, and his .374 batting average is seventh all-time.
In 2005, Godwin led the NCAA and set Troy's single-season record with 84 stolen bases. He also set the single season record for singles (75) and is fifth in hits (90). For his efforts, Godwin was named the Atlantic Sun Player of the Year and a second-team All-American. Following his Troy career, Godwin was selected in the 11th round of the 2005 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers and played professionally for 10 seasons.
Godwin is married to the former Kelly Hawkins, and the couple has one daughter, Micah Mae.
Joe Bialkoski – Director of Player Development & Analytics
Joe Bialkoski joins the Troy staff following four years at Virginia, where he served as a baseball operations assistant. The Cavaliers advanced to the College World Series in 2021 for the first time since 2015.
Before joining the Virginia staff, Bialkoski served as the director of baseball operations at North Florida from 2016-17. As an undergraduate, he was a student manager for both the men's basketball and baseball programs at UNF.
He spent the summer of 2017 with the Hyannis Harbor Hawks of the Cape Cod League as an MLB Scout Liaison. He has held internships with the Jacksonville Suns (AA-Miami Marlins) and the Drayton Florence 7v7 Football Tournament.
Bialkoski earned his bachelor's degree in sport management from North Florida in 2017. He is married to the former Victoria Ekeli.
Gavin Pence – Director of Baseball Operations
Gavin Pence joins Troy's staff as the director of baseball operations after three years with the baseball program at South Carolina.
Pence began his time with the Gamecocks as a student manager for two years before assuming the role of interim director of equipment for the program in 2021, which saw the Gamecocks host an NCAA Regional.
A standout baseball player at Byrnes High School, Pence graduated from South Carolina with a bachelor's degree in sport and entertainment management in 2021.
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