FEDERICO BASEBALL CAMPS COACHING STAFF

MICHAEL FEDERICO | HEAD COACH

Head Baseball Coach Michael Federico Michael Federico enters his fifth season as head baseball coach at ULM in 2022. He has led the Warhawks to increased win totals in three of his first four seasons and was on pace for a breakout campaign in the COVID-19 pandemic shortened 2020 season. He was hired as head coach at ULM prior to the 2018 season and also serves as the club's pitching coach.

Team captain, head coach, pitching guru, recruiting ace and winner are just some of the terms used to define Federico. He is a Louisiana native, raised in Slidell, and has more than 20 years of experience in college baseball coaching.

In 2021, Federico’s Warhawks achieved a .500 record in a full season for the first time since 2012, finishing 26-26. ULM also placed third in the Sun Belt Conference West Division, which was its highest spot in the conference standings since 2012. The Warhawks knocked off four Top-10 opponents in the season, picking up a win at No. 3 Ole Miss, a midweek win over No. 9 Oklahoma State at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, and a series win at No. 6 TCU. ULM earned series victories in each of its final six series of the season and knocked off SEC foe Alabama.

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Individually, Federico coached junior third baseman Grant Schulz and sophomore second baseman Travis Washburn to Second Team All-Sun Belt Conference honors. He guided the Warhawk pitching staff to a 4.86 ERA while Lucas Wepf (2.36 ERA, 2-0, 3 saves), Trey Lindsay (3.18 ERA, 2-2, 3 saves) and Carson Orton (3.37 ERA, 0-2, 9 saves) formed a dynamic trio out of the bullpen, setting the team single-season saves record with 16.

Federico's 2020 squad was primed to show the growth in the program. The Warhawks started the season 12-2 before dropping the final three games before the season ended abruptly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time of the stoppage, ULM led the Sun Belt Conference in batting average (.311, 15th NCAA DI), on base percentage (.433, 4th DI), runs scored (155, 7th DI), scoring (9.1 rpg., 5th DI), stolen bases (36, 10th DI) base on balls (105, 4th DI) and triples (6).

In 2019, Federico led the Warhawks to a four-win improvement over 2018, and a return to the Sun Belt Conference tournament. ULM won three games in the tournament and reached the semifinals. Third baseman Chad Bell slugged a school-record 21 home runs and was selected first team All-Sun Belt Conference, while utility player Andrew Beesley earned second team All-SBC honors. Bell was also named to the American Baseball Coaches Association All-Region team. Bell (19th round), outfielder Trent Tingelstad (22nd round) and pitcher Trey Jeans (33rd round) were each selected in the 2019 MLB Draft. Pitcher Cole Gray was signed as a free agent by the Oakland Athletics.

In his first season with the Warhawks, ULM nearly doubled its win total from 2017, posting 23 victories while the team earned run average dropped by over half a run. Federico also coached relief pitcher Keegan Curtis, who was selected in the 22nd round of the 2018 MLB Draft by the New York Yankees, after Curtis posted a 2.88 ERA with seven saves.

Prior to arriving at ULM, Federico spent nine seasons at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, where he served as assistant coach, responsible for pitchers and catchers. During those nine seasons Southern Miss won five Conference USA Championships and participated in four NCAA Regional Tournaments.

The 2017 season culminated in a school record of 50 wins. His time at Southern Miss was also highlighted by 24 players being drafted including 15 pitchers. Federico coached four Conference USA Pitchers of the Year, one Conference USA Player of the Year and a Conference USA Freshman of the Year. In 2012, Southern Miss was recognized for a recruiting class that ranked third nationally and in 2015 Federico was named Assistant Coach of the Year by Conference USA. In the 2015 season Southern Miss posted a conference low ERA of 3.14 while setting a school record with 10 shutouts.

Prior to joining Southern Miss in 2009, Federico was an assistant baseball coach at the University of Memphis, Tennessee, again responsible for pitchers and catchers. He helped lead the Tigers to a NCAA Regional appearance in 2007, its first berth since 1994. Memphis enjoyed back-to-back 30-plus win seasons in 2006 and 2007. During his five years at Memphis, the Tigers had 13 players drafted including seven pitchers.

Federico enjoyed tremendous success as a head coach at Meridian Community College in Mississippi, leading his squad to two World Series appearances in his three seasons as head coach. He was honored as Region XXIII and Southeastern District Coach of the Year in 2003 and 2004. In 2004, he led the Eagles to 46 wins and finished in ninth place in the World Series tournament. His time at MCC also included 15 players and 9 pitchers being drafted.

Prior to becoming the head coach, he served two seasons as an assistant at Meridian, helping guide the Eagles to a fifth place finish at the 2000 NJCAA World Series. In all, MCC visited the NJCAA World Series three times over Federico’s five total seasons.

He started his coaching career as graduate assistant and volunteer coach at Southern Miss in 1997. The Golden Eagles participated in the 1999 NCAA Regional during his last season there.

Federico began his collegiate career at Hinds Community College in Raymond, Miss., where he was the starting catcher. Hinds participated in back-to-back Junior College World Series appearances. He continued his playing career at Southern Miss where Federico served as team captain his senior year.

Federico attended Pope John Paul II High School in Slidell, where he was named All-State, All District, All Metro as a catcher and team captain.

He is married to the former Hannah Sosa of Bush and has two sons, Hayden and Brycen and a daughter, Isabella.

RYAN MCCLARAN | ASSISTANT COACH / RECRUITING COORDINATOR & PITCHING COACH

Assistant Baseball Coach / Recruiting Coordinator and Pitching Coach Ryan McClaran Ryan McClaran enters his second season as Recruiting Coordinator and Pitching Coach at ULM in 2024.

“I am happy to announce that Ryan McClaran and his fiancé Brynn D’Arcangelo will be joining our ULM baseball family,” ULM Head Baseball Coach Michael Federico said. “Ryan comes to us from a storied program at the University of Maine. Ryan has deep roots in the state of Texas, where he grew up and played. He possesses unbelievable leadership skills as a former member of the United States Army.

“Ryan will head up recruiting and be our pitching coach. He will bring a new level of toughness, resiliency and perseverance to our program. I look forward to working with Ryan McClaran and having him mesh with our staff to continue to build and grow Warhawk baseball.”

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BRANDON BELANGER | ASSISTANT COACH / DIRECTOR OF PLAYER DEVELOPMENT

Assistant Baseball Coach / Director of Player Development Brandon Belanger Brandon Belanger begins his fifth season on the ULM baseball staff in 2022. It is his first season as the Director of Player Development after spending the previous four seasons as assistant coach and camp coordinator.

Belanger will work with the development of the entire player, giving ULM baseball players more resources on the field and off the field, as well as in the future workforce.

Belanger previously served as an assistant coach with the ULM baseball program. His duties included coaching first base, assisting with the pitching staff, organizing camps and field maintenance.

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At ULM, Belanger has helped coach four MLB Draft selections in Keegan Curtis (22nd round, 2018), Chad Bell (19th round, 2019), Trent Tingelstad (22nd round, 2019) and Trey Jeans (33rd round, 2019). The Warhawks have increased their win total in each of Belanger’s first two seasons, seeing a 12-win improvement in 2018 and a four-win improvement in 2019.

Belanger was invited to be a featured speaker at the 2020 American Baseball Coaches Association convention in Nashville, Tenn. Belanger presented on the topic “Outfield Play: The Hyperfocused Way.” .

Belanger began his coaching career at his alma mater Tulane University in 2002, where he helped develop six players who were selected in the Major League Draft, including five who reached the big leagues.

The Houma, Louisiana, native began his collegiate playing career at Copiah Lincoln Community College in Wesson, Mississippi. During his two-year career at Co-Lin, Belanger earned all-conference, all-state and NJCAA All-America honors while setting the single-season record for strikeouts (94 in 1998). He was inducted into the Co-Lin Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010.

Following his two-year stint at Co-Lin, Belanger finished his collegiate career at Tulane where his 41 appearances and 16 saves in 1999 remain single-season records. He was selected first-team All-Conference USA and first-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball Magazine after ranking among the NCAA leaders in saves (tied for third with 16) and ERA (11th at 2.59) as a junior in 1999. Belanger helped the Green Wave claim the 1999 C-USA title to go along with back-to-back trips to the NCAA Regionals. He closed out his two-year career with a then school-record 27 saves. In 2013, Belanger became a member of the Tulane Athletics Hall of Fame.

He earned an associate’s degree from Copiah Lincoln Community College in 1998 and a bachelor’s degree in social science from Tulane in 2002. Belanger and his wife Angie have been married for 18 years, and the couple has three children: Brock, Brody and Brady.

KYLE KILGO | ASSISTANT COACH / HITTING COACH

Assistant Baseball Coach / Hitting Coach Kyle Kilgo