Former four-year standout Billy Cather returns for his fourth season on the Maine staff and his third as a full-time assistant coach. Cather served as a volunteer assistant coach with the Black Bears during the 2010 season. 

Cather worked with Maine’s hitters and fielders last season. Maine finished with 26 fewer errors than its opponents did a year ago. 

In 2011, he mentored Taylor Lewis, who was named Most Outstanding Player of the 2011 America East Tournament and  was drafted in the 10th round of the MLB Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. 

“Billy has worked very hard to become a very good coach at his age,” said Trimper. “He does a tremendous job with our hitters. He brings a lot of knowledge from being a great player. He has done a great job of taking his playing experience, both at Maine and professionally, and put it into his coaching philosophies. 

During the summer of 2010, Cather played for the Worcester Tornadoes and former Red Sox great Rich Gedman. He saw action in 62 games where he hit .302 with 31 runs scored and 22 RBI. He had 14 doubles to go along with three home runs. 

Cather saw action in 193 career games for the Black Bears starting 179, mostly in center field. He served as a captain for the Black Bears during the 2009 season. Cather was a two-time America East Second Team honoree. In 2007, he also earned a spot on the America East All-Tournament Team. 

Cather finished his career with a .323 batting average. He scored 146 career runs with 31 doubles, 13 home runs to go along with a pair of triples. He drove in 100 career runs and stole 60 bases over four years. 

Cather was selected in the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft in the 33rd round by the Washington Nationals. He also won back-to-back New England Collegiate Baseball League Championships with the Vermont Mountaineers in the summers of 2007 and 2008. 

Cather graduated in December 2009 with a degree in marketing and a minor in child development. He was named a Maine Scholar-Athlete Award winner and also named to the America East Academic Honor Roll.