Jim Rankin succeeds Ken Frank as Toms River South head baseball coach

The Toms River High School South baseball program has its successor to legendary former head coach Ken Frank.

Jim Rankin, a former Toms River South player and Jackson Liberty’s highly successful first-ever head coach from 2008-2021, was approved as head coach Wednesday night by the Toms River Regional Board of Education, Toms River Regional School District Athletic Director Ted Gillen.

Rankin, whose father Bill was a long-time assistant coach to Frank, has been Toms River South’s freshman head coach the last two seasons. He has also been a teacher at Toms River South the last two years.

“He (Rankin) understands the tradition of Toms River South. He appreciates it and loves it,’ Gillen said.

Frank, New Jersey’s all-time winningest scholastic baseball coach with 934, announced his retirement after 46 seasons on May 23. Also announcing his retirement at the same time was long-time assistant coach Mitch Powitz.

More: Ken Frank retires as Toms River South head baseball coach, marking the end of an era

Toms River South won a Shore Conference-record five NJSIAA group championships – all in Group 3 from 1999-2003 – a Shore-record 10 sectional titles all from the early 1980’s through 2003, seven Shore Conference Tournament championships, a record 12 Ocean County Tournament titles and 22 Shore Conference divisional championships for 56 championships overall during Frank’s tenure, which began in 1978.

More: Toms River South's Ken Frank leaves coaching legacy that changed Shore Conference baseball

Jackson Liberty won over 170 games, several Shore Conference divisional championships and was an SCT finalist in 2013 and an OCT finalist in 2019 during Rankin’s 13-season tenure before he resigned after the 2021 season.

“He’s (Rankin) an outstanding baseball mind and an outstanding educator who loves kids. He loves baseball and will carry on the tradition of High School South unquestionably, ‘’ Gillen said. “We feel as though Jimmy is the perfect replacement for coach Frank.’’

Toms River South went 5-18 in 2024 for its worst season under Frank. Its under .500 seasons the last two seasons were only the second and third under Frank.

A new head coach coming to St. John Vianney

Mike Morgan, who was St. John Vianney’s head coach the last 17 seasons and coached the Lancers to the NJSIAA Non-Public A championship in 2014, said July 9 he has resigned as head coach.

The 2014 state title was St. John Vianney’s first since 1981 and its second overall.

Morgan has been the president of the Shore Baseball Coaches Association the last several seasons.

The Lancers went 6-16 the past two seasons.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Jim Rankin succeeds Ken Frank as Toms River South head baseball coach