Nate Goulet, a native of Nashua, NH, was named the Colonial Athletic Association's Coach of the Year for 2011, his first season as the Monarchs interim head coach and sixth season overall at the University. The Monarchs finished the season at 30-26 overall and reached the CAA Championship game which was the first time since 1999 for the team.
The Monarchs, picked to finish seventh took second in the regular season, winning eight of 10 league series. The Monarchs won road CAA series at James Madison, Virginia Commonwealth, Georgia State and Delaware.
Goulet became the Monarchs recruiting coordinator in 2009, and worked primarily with catchers,and hitters.
Since his arrival, the team offense has increased in batting averages, doubles, walks, RBI's, and slugging percentage. In 2006, ODU catchers threw out roughly 50% of base stealers and have also been able to handle one of the Colonial Athletic Association best pitching staffs.
During Goulet's first two years with ODU, two catchers have signed professionally in Patrick Nichols with the Washington Nationals and Tyler Belcher with the Florida Marlins. Current catcher Joe Velleggia earned tournament MVP honors during his first summer in the Cal Ripkin Sr. Collegiate Baseball League, and was selected in the 40th round of the 2010 Major League draft by Baltimore. Goulet also helped guide the Monarchs to a second place finish in the 2006 regular season, along with a regular season championship in 2007.
Prior to coming to ODU, Goulet was the assistant baseball coach and recruiting coordinator at East Tennessee State University from 1999 - 2005. During his six years at ETSU, Goulet worked with hitters, infielders and catchers. He coached and recruited 13 players drafted into professional baseball, 14 All-Conference players, and also had 3 recruiting classes ranked top 50 nationally. Other accomplishments while at ETSU include a top 50 national ranking in team batting average and slugging percentage in each of his last three seasons, as well as, a top 65 national ranking in home runs per game. In 2005, ETSU ranked top 10 in the nation for home runs, doubles per game, and slugging percentage.
Goulet also had the privilege of coaching Caleb Moore, Louisville Sluggers Second-Team All-American, who led the nation with a .455 batting average and doubles per game (0.60) during the 2004 season.
Goulet also served as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Delaware State University from 1998-1999. During that season, he helped lead the Hornets to the MEAC North Conference. Goulet coached the MEAC's Player of the Year and that team broke numerous offensive records.
Goulet was a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Lincoln Memorial University in 1997-1998, where he worked with hitters and infielders, while also assisting with recruiting.
At LMU, Goulet earned all-conference honors as a shortstop, broke the single season homerun record, and helped lead the team to a No. 13 national ranking. He was voted team captain his senior year (LMU), as well as, his sophomore year, while attending Broward Community College in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Goulet earned a bachelors degree in kinesiology and health from LMU in 1997.
Goulet and his wife, Louise, also a Nashua, NH native, were married in July 2005 and reside in Chesapeake, VA. They have a daughter, Caroline Jeanne, born Sept. 10, 2009.