NEWARK, Del. –Veteran coach Mel Bacon has been added to the University of Delaware baseball coaching staff for the 2010 season, head coach Jim Sherman announced.

Bacon joins a staff led by Sherman and assisted by associate head coach Dan Hammer and pitching coach Brian Walker.

“The addition of Mel is as good as you can do in this business,” said Sherman, who is beginning his 10th year at the helm of the program. “Through his experience in high school and in the college ranks, there is no one better. We are very, very fortunate to have him here. He’s a great addition to the staff, and he will really help working with the catchers and as our first base coach.”

During his most recent coaching experience, Bacon served on the staff at Towson University for over seven years. With the Tigers, he helped the program make the transition over to the Colonial Athletic Association in 2002. Eventually, in 2005, Towson won 34 games, the second-most in program history, and finished second during the CAA Tournament.

Prior to joining the college ranks, Bacon had a distinguished career as a baseball coach and health and physical education teacher at North East High School in Cecil County, Md. During that time, he served as the head coach of the baseball team for 28 years where he taught the game to hundreds of young players, including current colleague Dan Hammer.

Eventually, Bacon led the Indians to seven state championship appearances, including four titles. For his work at North East, he was inducted into the Maryland State Association of Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1998.

Before serving as a coach, Bacon enjoyed an outstanding playing career at Frostburg State from 1969-72. During his four seasons, he earned first-team All-District honors on three occasions, while he garnered All-American nods as a sophomore and senior. A career .273 hitter, he was also a three-time team captain.

During his junior campaign, he even earned a special note in the June 7, 1971 edition of Sports Illustrated after catching an attempted base stealer on a trick play. For all of his accomplishments, he was eventually inducted into the Frostburg State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1979.