Jeff Opalewski joins the Hustlin' Rebels staff as an assistant and pitching coach during the summer of 2024.
In Opalewski's first season with the Scarlet & Gray in 2025, he mentored a pair of All-MW Honorees in Carson Lane (First Team) and LJ Mercurius (2nd Team). Lane posted the second-most wins in MW action (5), the third-most strikeouts in conference play (61) and registered a 4.45 ERA in 56.2 innings after allowing 28 earned runs (30 total). Lane's signature game in conference action was when he helped throw UNLV's first no-hitter since 2003 where he went eight innings striking out nine Fresno State batters on three walks en route to winning MW Pitcher of the Week and College Baseball Foundation (CBF) National Pitcher of the Week accolades. Mercurius, who was invited to join the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, led the Rebels with a team-low 3.57 ERA with 58 strikeouts in 78.2 innings of work. He made 11 starts, making 12 total appearances where he sported a 4-3 record. Mercurius' best outing of the season came in a 3-0 home win against in-state rival UNR where he became the first Rebel pitcher to record a complete-game nine-inning shutout since Kenny Oakley in 2015. Mercurius posted a career-high 12 strikeouts where he allowed just three hits and no walks.
He spent his time prior for one season at Long Beach State, serving as the program’s pitching coach during that stretch. While at LBSU his pitching staff ranked nationally 28th in ERA (4.61), 34th in hits/9 innings (8.55), 23rd in WHIP (1.35), 34th in BB/9 innings (3.78) and 38th in K:BB ratio (2.35) . The ballclub also featured a pitcher on the All-Big West Team, with Coach Ope guiding Myles Patton to an Honorable Mention spot in the Big West’s list. Mike Villlani was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers (13th round) and Grant Cherry signed as un undrafted free agent with the Texas Rangers.
Opalewski, or “Coach Ope,” was with Miami (OH) University prior to LBSU, where he oversaw all facets of the pitching and their development. In 2023, his pitching staff broke the school record for most strikeouts (594) in a single season, ranking fifth in the NCAA. The team finished in the top four of the Mid-American Conference in ERA both years under Opalewski’s mentorship.
Individually, he oversaw a historic year from Jonathan Brand. He earned multiple All-American honors, All-East Region, first-team All-MAC, and ultimately an eighth-round selection in the 2022 MLB Draft. He had four All-MAC pitchers, 2 MLB draft picks and MLB UDFA signees during his two seasons in Oxford.
Coach Ope had a break between collegiate coaching stints, spending three years at IMG Academy, where he created the day-to-day programming for all 89 pitchers in the academy. In those three years of leading the pitching program, he saw 48 earn collegiate scholarships, 25 of which went into the Division I level. More notable, he oversaw the development of three MLB Draft selections: Jackson Ferris (second round, Chicago Cubs), Drew Gray (third round, Chicago Cubs), and Mason Albright (12th round, Los Angeles Angels).
His collegiate coaching career began at his alma mater, Central Michigan University, in 2008. In the decade on the Chippewa coaching staff, he was the Associate Head Coach, Recruiting Coordinator, and Assistant Coach. In charge of the pitching staff, his players led the MAC in ERA twice, ranked top 70 nationally in ERA three times, and set the single-season strikeout record in 2018. He also helped guide the Chippewas to two Mid-American Conference Championships and four MAC-West Division Championships.
Opalewski, in total, has coached four MLB pitchers, 37 MLB draft picks, nine MLB undrafted free agents, one All-American, four freshman All-Americans, four All-Region honorees, a conference Pitcher of the Year, two conference Freshman Pitcher of the Year honorees, an ABCA Rawlings Gold Glove Winner and 26 All-Conference selections.
He also spent time coaching in the Northwoods League (2006), New York Collegiate League (2005), and numerous published articles across several media platforms.
As a player, he was a four-year letterwinner and 2004 MAC Champion with Central Michigan and 2000 MLB Draft selection coming out of high school.
Jeff and his wife, Candace, have two children named Alicia and Tanner.
