Baseball

Nate Breland enters his 14th season as Head Baseball Coach in 2027, holding an overall record of 459-213.

Under Breland's leadership, the Eagles have advanced to eight consecutive NAIA Opening Rounds (2017-19 and 2021-25) and made one appearance in the Avista NAIA World Series. At the conference level, Central has captured four Heart Regular Season Championships (2018, 2021, 2023, & 2024) and four Heart Tournament titles (2016, 2021, 2022, & 2025). 

During his tenure, 103 Eagles have earned All-Conference honors, 10 players have been named Heart Player of the Year, and 18 student-athletes have received NAIA All-American recognition.

Breland is a four-time Heart Coach of the Year (2018, 2021, 2023 and 2024) and was named the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Region Coach of the Year in 2021.

The 2021 season marked the most successful campaign in program history. Breland guided the Eagles to both the Heart Regular Season and Heart Tournament Championships before winning the O'Fallon Opening Round to secure the program's first-ever berth in the Avista NAIA World Series.

CMU finished the National Championship with a 3-2 record and a national runner-up finish, falling to Georgia Gwinnett, 8-4, in the championship series. The Eagles also concluded the season ranked No. 2 in the NAIA Baseball Coaches' Top 25 Poll, the highest national ranking in program history.

Breland has coached numerous players who have gone on to play professional baseball. Peyton Long highlighted that group by becoming the first Eagle selected in the Major League Baseball Draft since 2011 when the Milwaukee Brewers chose him in the 30th round of the 2019 MLB Draft.

Off the field, Breland has coached 62 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes and two CSC Academic First Team All-Americans, reflecting the program's commitment to academic excellence.

His teams hold every major team record in program history, including the single-season record for victories with 49 in 2021. Year after year, Central consistently ranks among the NAIA's Top 25 in multiple team statistical categories.

A former Central Methodist baseball standout (2002-06), Breland was inducted into the Hairston Hall of Fame on Jan. 28, 2023. As an Eagle, he earned All-Conference honors in each of his four seasons, including three selections as a catcher and one as an outfielder. He also earned First Team All-Region honors as a senior.

Breland earned his bachelor's degree in Physical Education in 2006 before completing his master's degree in Education in 2008. Prior to joining the baseball coaching staff, he served six years as Central's Head Strength and Conditioning Coach.

He has been a member of the Eagles' coaching staff since 2007, serving as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator before becoming head coach. In addition to his coaching responsibilities, Breland has assisted with the NAIA national ratings and conducted winter baseball camps. He is also a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and the MSHAA Umpire Association.