CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Queens University of Charlotte Director of Athletics
Cherie Swarthout is pleased to announce the promotion of
James Cullinane to head coach of the Royals baseball program on Tuesday. Cullinane has spent the last three seasons on staff as the Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator, specifically working with the offense under former Queens skipper
Jake Hendrick.
"At Queens, we seek leaders who embrace challenge, inspire belief, and build programs capable of competing at the highest levels," said Swarthout. "James brings the energy, vision, and determination to shape the future of Queens Baseball. We are excited to support him as he leads our student-athletes and continues building a championship-caliber culture."
From the start, Cullinane made an immediate impact on player development. Charlotte native
Dillon Lewis went on a tear, hitting a team-high .371 with a 1.173 OPS and a single-season program record 22 home runs. A 6-3 outfielder, Lewis was 1-of-2 Division 1 players that season to hit 20+ home runs and steal 20+ bases (Vance Honeycutt – North Carolina). The success led Lewis to being drafted in the 13
th round by the New York Yankees, before he was traded to the Miami Marlins, where he is currently in Double A as the No. 10 prospect in the organization.
The following season, Cullinane showcased his recruiting efforts as incoming freshman
Ryan Brown was tabbed the Preseason ASUN Freshman of the Year by D1Baseball. Brown proved to be a key utility asset, tossing 59.1 innings and holding a 5.61 ERA, the third best on the team, while also hitting .289 as he was named to the ASUN All-Freshman Team as a utility player.
This past season, transfers
Anibal Rivera and
Grayson Childers led the charge offensively all season. In his second season, Rivera hit a team-high .329 with 10 doubles, three triples, and five home runs while swiping 10-of-12 stolen base attempts. Against West Georgia, Rivera became the second player in program history to hit for the cycle. First-year standout
Grayson Childers provided consistent pop at the top of the lineup, hitting .318 with a team-high 13 doubles and 12 home runs as he was named ASUN Player of the Week on May 11
th.
"I'm very excited to stay at Queens and become the next head baseball coach," said Cullinane. "I'd like to thank Cherie, Brandon, Randall, and the rest of the athletic administration for their trust and belief in me."
Before coming to Queens, Cullinane spent three years in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, at Northeastern State University. Cullinane served as an assistant coach for the first two years, where he made a significant impact. During those two seasons, the River Hawks set program records in doubles, triples, home runs, runs scored, slugging percentage, and stolen bases. In 2022, Northeastern State was the only Division 2 program, and 1-of-2 programs across the entire NCAA to hit 120 doubles and 120 home runs while swiping 130 bases. The 123 home runs during that season were an MIAA single-season record. Brock Reller, one of Cullinane's top recruits, shattered countless NSU single-season batting records and earned the program's second consensus All-American nod.
Following the departure of former head coach
Jake Hendrick to Austin Peay, Cullinane stepped into the head coaching role and led the River Hawks to a 25-28 overall record, while tying their program best with a third-place finish in the MIAA Tournament. During that season, the River Hawks landed nine All-MIAA selections, one All-Central Region selection, and one All-MIAA Tournament selection.
"I am thrilled for James," said former Queens head coach
Jake Hendrick. "He is the right guy to continue pushing Queens Baseball forward. He is hardworking, loyal, dedicated, and, most importantly, a good man. I look forward to watching Queens Baseball continue to raise the bar in years to come."
Cullinane got his coaching career started in 2018 as an assistant coach at the University of Minnesota Crookston. Cullinane spent one season as an assistant before being promoted to the lead hitting coach. In 2020, the Golden Eagles were one of the most prolific offenses across Division 2. Minnesota Crookston ranked No. 19 in the country, sporting a .324 batting average and the 14
th highest slugging percentage at .527. The Golden Eagles flooded the bases paths with a .415 on-base percentage, which is 28
th best in the country. Under Cullinane's oversight, the Golden Eagles tripled their OPS (on-base slugging percentage) to .942, which ranked 13
th in the country.
Before coaching, Cullinane played his first two seasons at City College of San Francisco before transferring to Minnesota Crookston for his final two years. Cullinane was named to the Minnesota Crookston All-Decade Team, as he ranks in the top 10 in four offensive categories. Cullinane earned his degree from Minnesota Crookston in 2018.
Be sure to follow the baseball program on
X and
Instagram to stay up to date with Queens Baseball throughout the year. Fans are also encouraged to follow Queens Athletics on social media by searching @QueensAthletics to stay up to date with all news surrounding the Royals.
