Central Michigan University Athletics
Baseball Adds 2 Assistant Coaches
7/24/2023 10:05:00 AM | Baseball
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Central Michigan baseball coach Jake Sabol has announced the addition of two assistant coaches to his staff.
Doug Walters and Aaron Hilt have joined Sabol, a former CMU pitcher who was named to lead the storied program on June 29.
"I could not be more excited about the additions of Aaron and Doug to our coaching staff," Sabol said. "These two are diligent workers and high-level recruiters who will bring a tremendous energy to our student-athletes and the Chippewa baseball program each and every day."
Hilt has 11 years of college coaching experience, the last two at Eastern Michigan, where he served as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator. During his time in Ypsilanti, Hilt mentored a Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year Award winner, a MAC Player of the Year Award winner, and led a pitching staff that set the program record for strikeouts in a season in 2023, breaking the record it set in '22.
Hilt helped lead the Eagles in 2023 to their first winning season in more than a decade and mentored two pitchers, Luke Russo (Philadelphia Phillies) and Cameron Wagoner (Milwaukee Brewers), who were taken in the Major League Baseball draft.
Hilt served as an assistant at Division II Ashland (Ohio) from 2014-21, helping lead the Eagles to three Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships and a berth in 2019 in the Division II College World Series.
At Ashland, Hilt mentored two players, Brandyn Sittinger and Art Warren, who were selected in the Major League Baseball draft and both later played in the major leagues, Sittinger with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Warren with the Seattle Mariners.
Hilt served as a graduate assistant at Wheeling (W. Va.) and was a four-year letter winner at Ashland, helping the Eagles to the Division II College World Series in 2008.
A native of Richmond, Ohio, Hilt earned a bachelor's degree in sports management from Ashland and then a master's degree in organizational leadership from Wheeling.
Walters served as an assistant under Sabol both at Northwood (2019-22) and at Alma (2017-18).
Walters helped lead Northwood to a 140-90-1 record including a 77-35 conference mark and four NCAA Division II Regional appearances.
The 2023 Timberwolves captured Great Midwest Athletic Conference regular season and tournament championships in their first year in the league after moving over from the GLIAC. That team finished 42-19 including 27-5 in the G-MAC. The 42 wins rank as the second highest total in program history.
In Walters' four full seasons at Northwood, the Timberwolves posted four of the five winningest seasons in program history.
A native of Brighton, Walters played at Alma for Sabol, serving as the team captain and earning the team Most Valuable Player Award in 2016. He was a two-time All-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association honoree during his career at Alma, and was named the college's Breakthrough Athlete of the Year in 2015.
He holds a bachelor's degree with a major in English from Alma.
Doug Walters and Aaron Hilt have joined Sabol, a former CMU pitcher who was named to lead the storied program on June 29.
"I could not be more excited about the additions of Aaron and Doug to our coaching staff," Sabol said. "These two are diligent workers and high-level recruiters who will bring a tremendous energy to our student-athletes and the Chippewa baseball program each and every day."
Hilt has 11 years of college coaching experience, the last two at Eastern Michigan, where he served as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator. During his time in Ypsilanti, Hilt mentored a Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year Award winner, a MAC Player of the Year Award winner, and led a pitching staff that set the program record for strikeouts in a season in 2023, breaking the record it set in '22.
Hilt helped lead the Eagles in 2023 to their first winning season in more than a decade and mentored two pitchers, Luke Russo (Philadelphia Phillies) and Cameron Wagoner (Milwaukee Brewers), who were taken in the Major League Baseball draft.
Hilt served as an assistant at Division II Ashland (Ohio) from 2014-21, helping lead the Eagles to three Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships and a berth in 2019 in the Division II College World Series.
At Ashland, Hilt mentored two players, Brandyn Sittinger and Art Warren, who were selected in the Major League Baseball draft and both later played in the major leagues, Sittinger with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Warren with the Seattle Mariners.
Hilt served as a graduate assistant at Wheeling (W. Va.) and was a four-year letter winner at Ashland, helping the Eagles to the Division II College World Series in 2008.
A native of Richmond, Ohio, Hilt earned a bachelor's degree in sports management from Ashland and then a master's degree in organizational leadership from Wheeling.
Walters served as an assistant under Sabol both at Northwood (2019-22) and at Alma (2017-18).
Walters helped lead Northwood to a 140-90-1 record including a 77-35 conference mark and four NCAA Division II Regional appearances.
The 2023 Timberwolves captured Great Midwest Athletic Conference regular season and tournament championships in their first year in the league after moving over from the GLIAC. That team finished 42-19 including 27-5 in the G-MAC. The 42 wins rank as the second highest total in program history.
In Walters' four full seasons at Northwood, the Timberwolves posted four of the five winningest seasons in program history.
A native of Brighton, Walters played at Alma for Sabol, serving as the team captain and earning the team Most Valuable Player Award in 2016. He was a two-time All-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association honoree during his career at Alma, and was named the college's Breakthrough Athlete of the Year in 2015.
He holds a bachelor's degree with a major in English from Alma.
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