Adkins named Head Softball Coach
The Southern Wesleyan University Warriors have hired Coy Adkins as the new head Softball coach.
"I am excited to have Coy join our team and be the leader of our women's softball team," said Director of Athletics Chris Williams. "Coy has great experience and is ready to lead this program as its head coach."
Adkins comes to Southern Wesleyan from University of Southern Mississippi, where he was the pitching and hitting coach from 2015-2017. While there, he helped lead the team to their sixth winning season in school history in 2017 and to a Conference USA West Division Championship in 2016. Working with the Southern Miss pitching staff, Adkins helped develop two players who were named to the All-Conference team and aided the pitchers in bringing their ERA down to 2.65, the lowest since 2002.
"I'm so excited for Coach Adkins and the softball program at Southern Wesleyan," said University of Southern Mississippi Softball Head Coach Wendy Hogue. "His extensive knowledge in every facet of the game of softball will propel the program to excellence, no doubt. He's left some big shoes to fill here at Southern Miss, and we'll miss him greatly, but he's ready to be the head of his own program and we wish him nothing but the best."
Prior to coaching at Southern Mississippi, Adkins coached at University of Arkansas and University of Florida. As the assistant pitching and hitting coach at the University of Arkansas from 2011 to 2014, he helped guide the team to new school records in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage. Under his guidance, several players were named to the NFCA All-Region and All SEC teams. Adkins has also held assistant and head coaching positions at Mena High School in Arkansas and Wewahitchka High School in Florida. At Wewahitchka High School, he led the team to a state championship in 2008, posting a 27-2 record during the season. Over the years, the Florida native has compiled 18 years of coaching experience in fast pitch softball.
Adkins played basketball at St. Johns River Community College in Palatka, Fla., and was a Mid Florida Conference Scholar-Athlete winner during the 1995-96 seasons. He graduated from Florida State University with a bachelor's degree in Secondary Mathematics Education. He began his coaching career in 2001 as the head coach of Chipley High School in Florida where he led them to regionals in both the 2002 and 2003 seasons.
"Coming to Southern Wesleyan University is a great opportunity that my family and I are looking forward to," said Adkins. "We are excited to serve SWU and the town of Central, S.C. I would like to thank Dr. Voss and Chris Williams for their confidence in me to lead this softball program. Our goal is to compete for championships, achieve academic excellence, and, most importantly, impact lives in a way that reflects our relationship with Jesus Christ."
A native of Altha, Florida, Adkins and his wife, Sonya, have four children. Adkins will join the Warrior staff on Aug. 1 to start off the 2017-18 season.