Xavier Paul in as third head coach in six months for XULA baseball

Following a tumultuous period of transition, Xavier University of Louisiana has hired former MLB slugger Xavier Paul as its new head baseball coach.

He is the third head coach in six months for the Gold Rush, who are coming off of a disappointing 18-23 finish in the 2024 season, after which then-coach Adrian Holloway was relieved of his duties. Holloway was the founding leader of the resurrected XULA baseball team, which competed in 2021 for the first time in more than six decades.

Paul, a 39-year-old Slidell, Louisiana, native, was drafted to the big leagues in 2003 and retired in 2019. He most recently coached for the Appalachian League in 2021 and 2022.

“I am grateful to Xavier University for this opportunity to lead the baseball program,” Paul said this month after beginning his duties.

“My teams will be hard-working and dedicated to achieving the highest level of success in the classroom and on the baseball field.”

Paul’s arrival at Xavier comes on the heels of the dismissal of Holloway’s replacement, Dave Yamane, who was fired quietly by the school in October following allegations of racial harassment on the part of the Japanese-American coach.

According to Black College Nines, multiple student-athletes reported Yamane to the university for his use of the N-word during fall practices, after which was terminated less than three months into his new position. Neither Yamane nor the university responded to a request for comment from BCM on the circumstances surrounding his firing,.

Paul, who has MLB postseason experience as a player with the Cincinnati Reds, is tasked with both restoring trust and leading the Gold Rush back to prominence on the diamond. The young team surprised onlookers with a 27-11 record in their first year under Holloway but have slipped since, compiling three straight losing seasons and an overall record of 80-84.

The end of Holloway’s tenure reportedly coincided with complaints from his team concerning playing time. This spilled over into parents’ interactions with the XULA athletics department—itself under new leadership, with Pat Kendrick having taken over full-time in July 2023.

Paul’s 10 years of coaching experience is expected to bring new vigor to the Gold Rush program, which has not competed in the Red River Athletic Conference tournament since 2022.

“Xavier's journey as a former MLB player and his strong passion to empower the next generation of leaders in this community through action, discipline and integrity will deeply align with the core values and rich culture of Xavier University,” said MLB agent Matt Paul, the new coach’s brother.

XULA men’s baseball will open their 2025 regular season schedule on Jan. 31, with conference play beginning Feb. 14. They play most of their home games in Paul’s hometown of Slidell, where he was named Louisiana Mr. Baseball while starring at Slidell High School in 2003.

“Xavier is a great young man, and he'll be great with young people,” said his former SHS coach Sam Abney. “As a player, he had all the talent in the world... He'll be a great addition to [the] staff.”

Nate Tinner-Williams is co-founder and editor of Black Catholic Messenger.

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