DAHLONEGA -- University of North Georgia (UNG) head baseball coach Nolan Belcher has announced his coaching staff and will be joined in the dugout by associate head coach KC Brown, recruiting coordinator Hayden Craig and assistant coach Ryan Smith.

Belcher was hired as the second head coach in program history after the program was officially reinstate in 2000, on June 2. He arrived in Dahlonega after spending the previous five seasons as the head coach at Georgia College & State University (GCSU).

"I'm incredibly excited to announce our coaching staff. This group was built with purpose—relentless recruiters, tireless workers, forward-thinking minds and a deep understanding of both the game and the state of Georgia. Above all, they embody loyalty and integrity," said Belcher. 

Brown joins the coaching staff in Dahlonega after having spent the last three seasons with Belcher as an assistant at GCSU..

"KC is an up-and-coming star in this profession. He's incredibly detailed, a relentless learner, and one of the hardest workers you'll find. He brings a modern, forward-thinking approach to the game, grounded in an old-school work ethic," said Belcher.

Brown spent the 2023 season with the Bobcats as a volunteer assistant before being hired to a full-time position ahead of the 2024 campaign. 

During his tenure in the dugout, Brown helped lead GCSU to an 89-71 record over three seasons. That mark includes the 2023 campaign in which the Bobcats went 37-22 en route to winning the Peach Belt Conference Tournament Championship and making the deepest run in the postseason in program history as the squad finished as NCAA Southeast Super Regional Runner-Ups. 

Prior to Brown's coaching days at GCSU, he suited up on the diamond for the Bobcats as an infielder for three seasons from 2019-2022. In his final year in 2022, Brown hit for a .341 average and ranked in the top 10 in the conference with 12 home runs, 47 RBIs and a .599 slugging percentage. He eventually earned All-Conference Second Team honors.

Brown also has prior coaching experience as a strength & conditioning intern with the University of South Carolina football program. He recently spent two seasons with the Lexington County Blowfish in the Coastal Plain League where he was promoted from assistant coach to head coach in 2023.

Craig, a native of Ann Arbor, Mich., joins Belcher's staff as recruiting coordinator after most recently serving under the same role at NCAA Division I member Longwood.

Craig arrived at Longwood after working in the fall as the recruiting coordinator at Walters State Community College which was preceded by five successful seasons at NCAA Division III member Piedmont.

"Hayden is a familiar name in Georgia. After successful stops at Piedmont, Walters State and Division I Longwood, we're thrilled to have him back in the state where he originally made his mark," said Belcher. "He'll lead all our recruiting efforts and there's no one who knows Georgia better. Hayden epitomizes professionalism and loyalty, and we're incredibly fortunate that he decided to join us at North Georgia."
 
At Piedmont, he worked as an assistant coach before being promoted to associate head coach in 2023. Craig had three top-ranked recruiting classes at the DIII level during his tenure with the Lions. He helped guide Piedmont to the Collegiate Conference of the South's (CCS) inaugural baseball tournament championship in 2023, where the Lions entered as the four-seed before winning four games in five days to take home the title. The team again won 25 games in 2024 and went 12-6 in CCS play.
 
Over Craig's five seasons at Piedmont, the Lions had a winning season each year. They went 29-10 in his first season on staff while finishing an impressive 19-3 in USA South conference play.
 
Smith also arrives in Dahlonega after having spent the last two years on staff with Belcher as a graduate assistant at GCSU. 

"Ryan will take the reins as our pitching coach, and we couldn't be more confident in his ability to lead that unit. He's as loyal and hardworking as they come, and he has an incredible feel for his players," said Belcher. "His ability to connect and understand what they need, both on and off the mound is what sets him apart. Ryan is another forward thinker with a blue-collar background which is very exciting to have within our program."

Smith graduated with a Bachelor's in Sociology from the College of Charleston in 2022 where he also pitched for the Cougars for three seasons. Smith had an outstanding year in 2021 in which he made 18 relief appearances for a total of 22.0 innings. In that season he held a 2.45 earned run average and struck out 13 batters. 

After graduating from Charleston, Smith joined the staff at GCSU where he primarily worked with the program's pitchers on the team while getting his Master's in Public Administration. 

With Smith on staff, the Bobcats boasted some of the best arms in the Southeast Region which included 2024 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) All-Southeast Region First Team selections John Luke Glanton and Bradley Wilson. Wilson was also named the 2025 PBC Pitcher of the Year the following season, Smith's last with the Bobcats. 

Similar to Brown, Smith also coached in the Coastal Plain League with the Morehead City Marlins in 2023.

Current graduate assistant Caleb Irwin will remain with the staff in 2026 for his second season with the program.