Bio

Eric Pelletier begins his fifth season as an assistant coach in 2023-24. Pelletier serves as the recruiting coordinator and the hitting coach. 

Pelletier helped the Black and Gold have one of the best slugging years in program history. Bryant hit 70 home runs in 2023, setting the single-season DI program record for home runs per game (1.4). Under Pelletier, Derek Smith, Jake Gustin, Carmine Petosa and John Hosmer all set career highs for home runs. Derek Smith, Jake Gustin and Zac Zyons all earned All-America East honors. 

The 2022 season saw the Black and Gold reach the championship round of the NEC Tournament for the seventh time. Under Pelletier's guidance, Matt Woods became the sixth player in DI program history to earn NEC Player of the Year honors, and the second straight under Pelletier. Bryant averaged 6.5 runs per game and finished 52nd nationally in triples thanks to Woods' seven.

Pelletier guided one of the nation's top offenses in 2021, helping the Bulldogs win their ninth-straight NEC Regular-Season title. Bryant finished the year ranked 12th nationally in scoring, 12th in batting average and 29th in OBP. Pelletier also coached the nation's leading hitter, Liam McGill. McGill earned multiple All-America honors and NEC Player of the Year honors after leading the country in batting average (.471) and OBP (.541). He would go on to get drafted in the 9th round by the Atlanta Braves. Pelletier also had Jake Gustin, Derek Smith, James Ciliento and Damaurys Rodriguez earn All-NEC honors. Gustin enjoyed one of the best seasons for a Bryant second baseman, hitting .386 with 21 XBH, 36 RBI and 46 runs.

In a shortened 2020 season, Pelletier oversaw an offense that was on pace to set program records for stolen bases. The Bulldogs stole 39 bases in 15 games, ranking sixth nationally in stolen bases per game and eighth in total stolen bases. Three Bulldogs ranked in the top 50 nationally in stolen bases per game, the only program in the country to do so. 

Pelletier comes to Smithfield after spending four seasons at Marist College, most recently serving as the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator. He helped the Red Foxes post three-straight winning seasons and helped guide Marist to the 2017 MAAC Championship and the NCAA Gainesville (Fla.) Regional. The Red Foxes improved offensively in each of Pelletier's four seasons and enjoyed the best offensive season in the MAAC this past spring. Marist was first or second in the league in average (1st, .288), home runs (2nd, 43), OBP (1st, .379), scoring (1st, 6.5), slugging (2nd, .418) and stolen bases (2nd, 97). The Red Foxes featured four First Team All-MAAC selections this past spring. 

"I am extremely excited to come back to the Northeast and join the Bulldog family," Pelletier said. "Having competed against Bryant throughout my career, as both a coach and player, I have always been impressed with the program's commitment to winning and development. I am very grateful to coach Klosterman for giving me this opportunity and can't wait to get to work with this talented group of young men."

In addition to his time at Marist, Pelletier has also made coaching stops at UMass Lowell, Southern New Hampshire and Keystone. Under Pelletier's guidance, Danny Mendick was drafted in the 22nd round of the 2015 MLB Draft at UMass Lowell. Pelletier helped lead Southern New Hampshire to the DII College World Series and Keystone to the DIII College World Series. He also spent a summer in the Cape Cod League, coaching for the YD Red Sox in 2012.

Pelletier played four years at Southern New Hampshire, graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Sport Management. He served as the team captain and was named the team's MVP as a senior in 2010.