After contributing to two state titles as an assistant baseball coach at New Albany, Jonathan Braund will now lead the program.
Braund succeeds Mike Sandman, who stepped down for family and professional reasons after guiding the Eagles to the Division II state title. New Albany defeated Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit 4-1 in the state final June 13 at 7 17 Credit Union Park in Akron.
“It’s something that I’ve wanted for a long time, but I really expected Mike to be here for the long haul,” Braund said Aug. 11, a day after the school board approved his hire. “Mike is such a good culture guy, and I don’t want to take anything away from any of the previous coaches that I’ve coached under or coached with because I’ve taken something from all of them, but with Mike, being around the guys and just how supportive he is with all the kids and really helping them grow, he’s helped me in the same way as a coach.”
Braund, who served as the third base coach this past season, joined the program in 2013, first serving as a volunteer assistant at the middle school level before becoming the eighth-grade coach the following year. He joined the high school staff in 2016, guiding both the freshman and junior varsity teams before serving as a varsity assistant the past two seasons.
Sandman, who stepped down after four seasons to become dean of students at Utica Middle School, said Braund is ready for his new role.
“Coach Braund was a top assistant for the baseball program and has taken on more of a role each year I was involved,” Sandman said. “He cares deeply about all of the kids and works like a madman behind the scenes. The program is in great hands and won’t miss a beat with his leadership. I cannot say enough nice things about coach. He’s been a great friend and confidant for me.”
Braund relishes the challenge of helping the Eagles begin defense of their state title next spring. New Albany went 80-38 under Sandman.
“We’ve had a lot of success, especially the last couple of years,” Braund said. “We’ve really built a good, positive culture. It’s like a family. It’s nice to be able to keep that going.”
Pitcher Bryson Gittins, a Denison commit who went 10-0 with a 0.86 ERA as a junior, said “it’s definitely the right hire. ... He knows the program in and out. He knows everyone who is on the team. We’ll be able to connect with him easily.”
Braund, 40, also was on the coaching staff when New Albany won the Division I state title in 2021 under Dave Starling, who went on to coach Hilliard Bradley from 2023-25 and died unexpectedly last September.
“Dave was a huge mentor to me just like Mike was,” Braund said. “I coached with Dave for six years.”
A 2005 graduate of Dublin Scioto, Braund is a wellness teacher at New Albany Intermediate School.
High school sports reporter Frank DiRenna can be reached at fdirenna@dispatch.com and at@DispatchFrank on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Longtime assistant coach takes over OHSAA champion New Albany baseball
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