Bryant Athletics tabs Ryan Klosterman as next baseball head coach

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Bryant University President Ronald K. Machtley and Director of Athletics Bill Smith announced Ryan Klosterman as the next head coach of the Bulldog baseball team on Monday.

Klosterman becomes the 10th baseball coach in Bryant University history, joining the Black and Gold after eight years as the top assistant at the University of Central Florida.

"I am excited to introduce Ryan Klosterman as the next head coach of our baseball team," Smith said. "Ryan's ability to identify, recruit and develop high-level student-athletes pushed him to the top of a very impressive candidate pool.  As the recruiting coordinator, hitting and infield coach at Central Florida, Ryan has a proven track record of success.  He coached over 30 student-athletes that were drafted, including four who made it to Major League Baseball. We are thrilled to have Ryan join our Bulldog family and continue the rich tradition of Bryant Baseball."

 "We are pleased to have Ryan and his family join the Bryant University community," Machtley said. "Ryan has not only developed exceptional ballplayers, he has mentored outstanding student-athletes that have excelled in the classroom and in the community. He was an excellent college and professional player and now college coach, and he also understands the importance of academic achievement having excelled at Vanderbilt with a 3.5 GPA. I am certain he will continue the winning tradition here at Bryant."

Klosterman comes to Smithfield after serving as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at UCF. In eight seasons, Klosterman produced four nationally-ranked recruiting classes (2013, 2014, 2015, 2018) and helped the Knights to a pair of NCAA Regional appearances (2012, 2017).

Under Klosterman's watch, the Knights had 31 players sign professional contracts, four make their Major League debuts and four All-Americans.

"It's an honor and a privilege to be the next head baseball coach at Bryant University," Klosterman said. "I'm extremely grateful to President Machtley and Athletic Director Bill Smith for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to lead an extraordinary group of young men who are committed to academic and athletic excellence. I am excited to get started and build upon the consistent success and tradition of the Bryant Baseball program! Go Bulldogs!"

Klosterman joined the Knights' coaching staff in June 2011 after wrapping up an eight-year professional baseball career. This past spring, Klosterman helped UCF post a 36-22 overall record. The Knights finished in the top three in the AAC in stolen bases (1st, 94), doubles (3rd, 112), doubles per game (2nd, 1.93), home runs (3rd, 57) and OBP (3rd, .377).

In 2018, the Knights launched 42 home runs, led by Rylan Thomas' 13. Thomas set the single-season program record with a 47-game on-base and set the American Athletic Conference single-season and career on-base streak at 55 games. Combined with Tyler Osik's team-high 56 RBI, the Knights had two 50-RBI players for the first time since 2011. Klosterman also played a vital role when the Knights were on the base paths where they stole 109 bases in 2018, marking its first back-to-back seasons of 100-plus steals in a decade. Ray Alejo and Matthew Mika topped the league with 34 and 27 steals, respectively.

Much of the Knights' success was attributed to the 2018 signing class that was ranked 16th by Collegiate Baseball and 23rd by Baseball America.  

Prior to his coaching days in Orlando, Klosterman was picked by the Toronto Blue Jays in the fifth round of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft. He spent eight years playing minor league baseball, most recently at the Triple-A level for the New Orleans Zephyrs of the Florida Marlins Organization before retiring and coming to UCF.

Klosterman played collegiately at both Clemson and Vanderbilt. In his junior season with the Commodores, Klosterman was named to the All-SEC First Team as a shortstop, while also being voted as the team's Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year. That same year, Klosterman helped lead the Commodores to the NCAA Super Regional in Austin after batting .346 with 91 hits, 72 runs scored and eight triples. Klosterman's eight triples remain a Vanderbilt single-season record. In addition to his success on the field, Klosterman was also honored with a spot on the 2004 Verizon Academic All-District IV Second Team and was a member of the Dean/s List and the Student-Athlete Honor Roll.

Klosterman graduated from Vanderbilt in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in human and organizational development with an emphasis in leadership and organizational effectiveness.

He is married to the former Kaitlyn Arpin and has a daughter, Kinsley Ann, and a son, Cohen Ryan.

What they're saying about Ryan Klosterman

"I think Bryant got a great one! Klosty has been an integral part of building our program and I know he is going to do the same at Bryant. His work ethic, coaching and recruiting ability, and his impressive pedigree have prepared him to continue the great success the Bulldogs have had. We will miss him here, but know this is a great opportunity for him and Kaitlyn and the Smithfield community is lucky to have them! - Greg Lovelady (Head coach at University of Central Florida)

"Self-made and Tough … those are the first words that come to my mind when I think of Klosty. He has never asked for a thing, he has just gone to work and let his work speak for itself. He represents intelligence and a blue-collar investment level. When I was a first-year coach at Vanderbilt, no player impacted a roster and a program as much as Klosty did. He has taken those same traits with him as a teacher and coach. Not many people could follow the success of what Coach Owens has established at Bryant, but Ryan is the perfect fit for the next on-deck hitter. He is a wonderful choice for Bryant. I am happy for the University, the players and Ryan." - Tim Corbin (Head Coach at Vanderbilt University)

"This is a fantastic hire for Bryant Baseball! Ryan Klosterman is a rising star who has excelled everywhere he's been. From helping lead Vanderbilt to its first-ever Super Regional, to a Triple-A professional, to constructing outstanding recruiting classes and teams at UCF, his will to succeed stands out. He is a natural leader who inspires others with genuine passion. Congratulations to Ryan and Kaitlyn, and to Bill Smith and Bryant University on this outstanding selection! The Bulldogs are getting someone who is totally invested in building high achievers on and off the field." - Erik Bakich (Head coach at University of Michigan)

"In my junior year in college I was blessed to have Ryan Klosterman as one of my coaches. It was only one year that I was fortunate to play for him, but after seven years of pro ball, he always manages to keep in touch and coach me from afar. His knowledge and dedication to make players better is unmatched. His passion to win is beyond comparison. And I can honestly say that there are many things I have learned from him that I still use in my pro career. Bryant Baseball, you are getting a guy that can, and will, lead that program to the next level." – Darnell Sweeney (Currently playing for the Altoona Curve in AA).

"Ryan has always been a person of great integrity and passion, both as a coach and a human being. From my time at UCF, he was always pushing us to be the best because that's what he knows. He knows the connection between hard work and sacrifice in order to have great success. His energy and constant search for perfection flowed through him and poured out into our hearts as players. He was always there for us whenever we needed him and no one was happier to see us have success on the field." – Dylan Moore (Currently playing for the Seattle Mariners in the MLB)