Thomas (Center) has recruited and helped in the development of 97 MLB draftees. (Photo: Tennessee Athletics)
Thomas Joins Gators Program As Assistant Coach
Wednesday, July 5, 2017 | Softball
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Head coach Tim Walton has announced that Aric Thomas will join the University of Florida softball program as its new assistant coach. Thomas replaces former assistant Sharonda McDonald who is currently the head coach with the National Pro Fastpitch team Chicago Bandits.
"I am extremely excited to announce the hire of Aric Thomas." Walton said. "Our program, our staff and our players are going to really appreciate Coach Thomas' vision for recruiting and player development.
"To have an opportunity to bring in someone with Aric's experience and talent is an exceptional hire for our program. He and I have won many championships together as teammates and I look forward to working alongside him here at Florida."
Thomas, a highly respected name in the collegiate baseball realm, comes to the Gators softball program with 22 years of coaching experience. Most recently, Thomas spent four seasons with the University of Tennessee baseball program as their assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. During his tenure, UT made the Southeastern Conference baseball tournament in three consecutive seasons (2014-16) for the first time since 1995-97.
"I would like to thank Coach Walton and the University of Florida for this great opportunity." Thomas said. "Coach Walton has tremendous passion, work ethic and standards for developing student-athletes. His drive for excellence and competitiveness is the reason why he's been so successful in establishing and maintaining the Florida program as one of the best in the country. I can't wait to get started. It is an honor to be back on the field with Coach Walton again."
In 2016, Thomas' first year running the offense, he coached Tennessee to the top of the SEC leaderboard and into the national ranks. The Vols stole an SEC-leading 95 bases and ranked 17th in the country in stolen bases per game. Tennessee was also the only SEC team to have three players record more than 50 RBI.
As the recruiting coordinator for the Volunteers, he helped orchestrate four Top-15 signing classes and the development of 18 Major League Baseball (MLB) draftees. That includes recent draftees such as Jordan Rodgers (2017 – Atlanta Braves – 6th Round), All-American Nick Senzel (2016 – Cincinnati Reds – 1st Round & 2nd Overall) and Christian Stewart (2015 – Detroit Tigers – 1st Round & 34th Overall).
Overall, Thomas has had a hand in the development of 97 MLB draftees in which 35 were selected in the first 10 rounds and six in the first round alone. Of those 97 players, 20 went on to make Major League Baseball rosters, which includes notable standouts such as Chase Utley, Jon Gray, Reggie Willits, Reed Johnson and Gregg Dobbs.
Prior to his arrival in Knoxville, Thomas spent two stints at his alma mater, the University of Oklahoma, as a volunteer assistant (1996-2001), assistant coach (2002-03 & 2011-13) and as the coordinator of baseball operations (2003-04).
While on OU's staff, Thomas helped guide the program to seven NCAA Tournament appearances, two Super Regionals, two Big 12 Conference Championships and the program's first conference tournament championship in 18 years with the 1997 Big 12 Conference Tournament title. During his coaching career in Oklahoma, Thomas had a hand in instructing 18 All-Americans, 11 all-district honorees and 20 first team all-conference selections.
Sandwiched between his two stops at OU, Thomas served as the head coach for the Peninsula Oilers of the Alaska Baseball League during the summer of 2004 and at Eastern Oklahoma State College (2004-11). In his one season as the head coach for the Oilers, Thomas was named the Alaska Baseball League Coach of the Year after he led his team to a 26-18 record.
While at Eastern Oklahoma, Thomas was not only at the helm of the baseball program but he also served as the institution's assistant athletic director from 2005-08 and as the athletic director from 2008-11.
During the 2010 and 2011 seasons, Thomas led the Mountaineers to back-to-back NJCAA Region II Championships and was named Region II Coach of the Year. The Riverside, Calif., native also had the Eastern Oklahoma baseball program ranked inside the NJCAA Top 25 for six out of his seven seasons with five squads ranking inside the top 15. In his fourth season at the helm, his 2008 squad went on to record a program record 41 wins.
He went on to finish his tenure with a 237-159-1 record and had a hand in guiding 70 student-athletes from Eastern Oklahoma to four-year universities or with the MLB.
In 1998 and 1999, Thomas was an assistant with the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League. In 1998, the Whitecaps were recognized as the Eastern Division Champions with a 26-16-1 record.
The familiarity between Walton and Thomas goes much deeper than just sharing an alma mater. The duo were actually teammates at OU during the 1994-95 seasons. During those two seasons, the Sooners made back-to-back trips to the College World Series (CWS) and won the program's second national championship at the 1994 CWS.
In the 1994 championship game, Walton picked up the win after 2.1 innings of relief work on the mound and Thomas helped provide the run support for Oklahoma to clinch the title. From the leadoff spot in the lineup, Thomas led the team with three hits (3-for-5) to go along with three runs scored and one RBI in the 13-5 win over Georgia Tech.
Thomas finished his career with the Sooners as an All-Big Eight First Team selection (1995), NCAA All-Midwest II Regional Team selection (1995) and was an All-Big Eight Scholar Athlete (1994). His 61 career stolen bases still ranks sixth overall in the OU record books and also stands fourth among single-season leaders with 38 stolen bases in 1995.
Prior to arriving at Oklahoma, Thomas was a First Team Junior College All-American at Riverside Community College in 1993 and set school records for hits and stolen bases in a single game and stolen bases recorded in a single season.
Academically, Thomas holds an Associate's of Arts degree from Riverside Community College (1993), a Bachelor's of Arts in Marketing from Oklahoma (1995) and a Master's of Science in Professional Studies in Education from Capella University (2005).
Thomas and his wife, Julie, have two children, Chloe and Brett.
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