Coach Arnold is in his second season with the B-CU Wildcats. Below is the announcement of his hiring in 2008.

December 5, 2008 - For Immediate Release: B-CU Hires Former UCF Pitching Star Jason Arnold

Bethune-Cookman University Baseball Coach Mervyl Melendez announced the hiring of

Jason Arnold as the new pitching coach/assistant coach with the Wildcat baseball program.

Arnold replaces Joel Sanchez, an eight-year assistant coach at B-CU, who took a job with the Washington Nationals. Sanchez will be a Minor League pitching coach with the Washington MLB franchise.

Arnold, a Melbourne, Florida native played his college baseball at Central Florida University (1998-2001) and is a 2006 UCF graduate coming back to the university to earn his degree after playing professional baseball. He was a two-time All-American (1998 and 2001) and the only player to be a four-time All-Conference baseball selection (Atlantic Sun) while at UCF.

Arnold was drafted in the 2^nd round in the 2001 MLB amateur draft and signed with the New York Yankees. He was later traded to the Oakland Athletics and to the Toronto Blue Jays, his six-year MLB career as a RHP included duties as both a starter and a reliever. His career minor league record was 29-26, with a 3.33 ERA pitching 530 innings, allowing 444 hits, striking out 465 and walking 179. Two seasons, he was on the Major League 40-man roster.

Since retiring from professional baseball in 2006 and graduating from UCF, he has been a high school English teacher and head baseball coach at Cocoa High School in Cocoa, Fla., compiling a 19-8 season record in 2008. Arnold has also been the founder and head coach of the elite summer showcase team, the Brevard Aces.

"The opportunity to coach at the division I level and still stay close to home - was an opportunity I couldn't refuse," said Arnold of his decision to join the Wildcats. "I know from playing against B-CU (at UCF) and I know the success and what Coach Melendez has in place with the winning tradition - it made the decision to come here very easy."

Arnold, a hard-throwing, intense competitor as a pitcher, will bring those traits to B-CU baseball. "I threw hard and was never afraid to challenge a hitter," said Arnold. "I'm intense, fiery, emotional, and I feel I am out there with the guys. I'll bring a sense of relationships and communication with the players. I'm excited about the pitching talent that is here. And I think they (the players) are excited that I am here. The goals for this pitching staff and this team are as high as they have ever been and should be."