SALEM, W.Va. – Salem University Director of Athletics announced today the hiring of Kaiden Zacharias as the next head coach of the Salem University baseball program.
Zacharias returns to Salem after serving as the program's graduate assistant coach during the 2023-24 season and brings a diverse coaching background spanning NCAA Division II, Division III, summer collegiate baseball, and youth development programs.
Most recently, Zacharias served as Offensive Coordinator at the University of Minnesota Crookston, an NCAA Division II institution competing in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. In his role, he oversaw hitting, baserunning, outfield development, recruiting, scouting reports, travel operations, and practice planning.
During his first season at Minnesota Crookston, the Golden Eagles made significant offensive improvements, increasing their batting average from .275 to .295, OPS from .816 to .871, home runs from 46 to 62, stolen bases from 54 to 92, runs scored from 330 to 384, and total bases from 690 to 776. The program also produced multiple all-conference and all-region performers under his guidance.
Prior to Minnesota Crookston, Zacharias spent the 2024-25 season as an assistant coach at Asbury University, where he served as the hitting and baserunning coach, third base coach, outfield coach, recruiting coordinator for Canadian prospects, and strength and conditioning coordinator. During his tenure, Asbury produced an all-region selection and two Gold Glove recipients.
His previous experience at Salem University as a graduate assistant coach helped establish a strong connection to the institution and its student-athletes. During the 2023-24 season, he worked with the offense, defense, recruiting, equipment operations, analytics, video coordination, and social media. The Tigers earned numerous accolades during his tenure, including two all-region selections, three all-region Gold Glove honorees, a D2 Baseball Freshman of the Year, and an All-American.
A former collegiate standout, Zacharias played at Salem University during the 2022-23 season, serving as a team captain. He also competed at Asbury University, where he earned NCCAA Second Team All-America honors, NCCAA Mid-East First Team All-Region recognition, a Gold Glove award, and the prestigious Hank Burbridge Award. Zacharias earned a Master of Business Administration from Salem University in 2024 and a Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Science from Asbury University in 2022.
