Gonzaga is adding three new pieces to its baseball staff ahead of the 2027 season, with one of them returning to Spokane after a year across the state.
Justin Jacobs is back with the Bulldogs after spending the 2026 season as Washington’s recruiting coordinator. He will serve as Gonzaga’s Director of Player Acquisition and Catching Coach as the program prepares for its first season in the Pac-12.
Jacobs is already familiar with the Gonzaga program from multiple angles. He played for the Bulldogs from 2015-17, later returned as a graduate assistant, and spent the 2024 and 2025 seasons on Mark Machtolf’s staff before taking the Washington job.
His return gives Gonzaga another experienced recruiting and development voice at a time when the program is stepping into a new conference.
Gonzaga Adds Development Roles
The Bulldogs are also adding Cam Hale as Director of Analytics and Pitching Development, a newly created position focused on another increasingly important part of college baseball.
Hale spent the past two summers with the Brewster Whitecaps in the Cape Cod League, including 2026 as the club’s director of pitching development. His addition gives Gonzaga another resource on the pitching and analytics side of the program.
Noah Meffert will make a much shorter transition.
After playing for Gonzaga last season, Meffert is moving directly onto the coaching staff as an assistant. The Coupeville, Washington native hit .314 with 15 doubles, 11 home runs and 47 RBI in 2026 and brings recent experience from inside the Bulldogs’ clubhouse.
Together, the three additions give Gonzaga a mix of recruiting experience, analytics, player development and recent program familiarity as the Bulldogs head toward their Pac-12 debut.
They join a staff led by Machtolf along with Brandon Harmon, Ryan Wright and Ed Knaggs.
Gonzaga’s full announcement, including complete background information on all three additions, is available through the school’s athletics website.