Piedmont University

Piedmont College Dept of IC Athletics
1021 Central Avenue Demorest, GA 30535

Division 3 Georgia Southeast

Private Small Developing team

I'm interested in this program!

Coaches

Email coach

Terry Martin

Extension 1288

As the longest-tenured head coach on the Piedmont athletics staff, Terry Martin is entering his 22nd season as head coach of the Piedmont College softball program in the fall of 2019. Martin has led the Lady Lions to over 500 wins in his decorated career, seven NCAA national Tournament appearances, four conference tournament titles and 10 conference regular season championships.

Martin has spent all 21 seasons as a head coach leading the Lady Lions with an impressive 521-332-1 overall record (.610 winning percentage) with his 500+ victories ranking him inside the nation’s top-50 winningest active Division III head coaches. The longtime head coach has tallied 17 winning seasons including four seasons with 30 or more wins and 2014’s 40-plus win season. Martin is also a six-time conference coach of the year.

In addition to his teams’ success on the field, Martin’s groups have been just as consistent in the classroom having ranked nationally in the top ten of the NFCA Division-III Team Academic Award three times (2003, 2008, 2009) including a runner-up finish in 2009. Additionally, over 20 Lady Lions have garnered the NFCA’s top individual academic award as All-American Scholar-Athletes during Martin’s tenure.

The 2019 Lady Lion team made history hosting its first NCAA regional making the regional championship game finishing as runners up to top-seeded Emory University. The 2019 Lady Lion team finished 31-12 marking Martin’s fourth 30+ win season at Piedmont.

Martin has led eight individuals to “of the year” honors in the USA South including Melissa Eckman taking Rookie Pitcher of the Year honors and twice earning Pitcher of the Year honors during her career. He has led three Lady Lions to Rookie of the Year honors (Olivia Duncan, Jessica Bagwell, Hannah Hoban) as well while Jordan Ellingson earned Rookie Pitcher of the Year and Pitcher of the Year during her career.

A total of 41 USA South all-conference players have been led by Martin and 15 NFCA honorees earned All-Region status. Coupling athletics with academics, Brittney Head and Abby Smith both earned Academic All-American honors from CoSIDA.

Piedmont’s 2014 season was arguably the best in the long storied history of Lady Lion softball with the team going 43-8 overall including a nearly perfect 23-1 mark in USA South action that saw PC win the league’s regular season title for the second-straight season. The Lady Lions put together an 18-game winning streak during the regular season, but that accomplishment paled when compared to the six-straight Piedmont had to win after a loss to open the 2014 USA South Championship Tournament with the half dozen consecutive wins handing PC the USA South tournament crown.

The 2014 season also saw Piedmont climb to new heights in the NFCA National Poll debuting at #13 in the preseason poll while climbing as high as 7th following its dramatic run at the USA South championships. After two wins over nationally ranked competition and the team’s season-ending loss to regional champs Emory, Piedmont finished the season ranked #21 in the country.

Martin was the architect behind the 2006 campaign that helped his Lady Lions rewrite the record books as the team earned the program's first-ever NCAA Division-III National Championship appearance with a fourth-place finish at the South-Atlantic Regional in Salem, Virginia. The Lady Lions finished with a then-school record 33 wins while posting a remarkable .750 winning percentage, one of the winningest seasons in the program’s history.

As a native of Toccoa, Georgia, Martin traveled north to New York earning his undergraduate degree from NCAA Division II member Nyack College where he was an All-Conference and All-American catcher for the Warriors. Martin also holds a masters degree from the United States Sports Academy located in Mobile, Alabama.

Martin still calls Toccoa home residing in the nearby North Georgia community with his wife, the former Robin Cash. The oldest of the couple’s two sons, Ethan, was a 2008 first round (15th overall) Major League Baseball draft pick and spent time pitching for the Philadelphia Phillies organization while making his major league debut on August 2, 2013 against the Atlanta Braves. The Martins’ youngest son, Cody, was also a MLB draft pick going to the Minnesota Twins in 2009 but chose to pursue his education first and finished his collegiate playing days at NCAA Division I member College of Charleston where he also made a splash with a game-winning, pinch-hit three homer on opening day in his debut season with the Cougars.

Email coach

John Winters

Extension 1147

John Winters enters his second season with the Piedmont softball program in the fall of 2019 after joining the program as an Assistant Coach in the summer of 2018. Winters joined the Piedmont staff after spending a year at Francis Marion University as an Assistant Softball Coach for the Patriots.

Winters helped guide the Lady Lions to a 31-12 mark in 2019 including the team hosting its first NCAA Regional earning a regional finals appearance.

During his time at Francis Marion, Winters worked directly with the hitters, outfielders and base runners on development and fundamentals. In the 2018 seasons, Winters helped the team to an improved team batting average of .314 and produced a Peach Belt all-conference player.

Winters also identified and evaluated prospective student athletes while organizing recruiting visits, tours, and prospect camps.

He began his collegiate coaching career as a Graduate Assistant Softball Coach at the University of West Georgia where he coached during the 2016 and 2017 seasons. At West Georgia, Winters led the infield and hitters and served as the third base coach during contests.

The 2017 season was the greatest offensive statistical season in the program’s history as Winters helped lead the Wolves to a 29-24 record. Winters produced the Gulf South Conference Freshman of the Year and an additional first team all-conference selection.

Winters graduated from the University of Georgia in 2015 with a bachelor’s of science in Biology and earned his master’s of science in biology from the University of West Georgia in 2017.

He is originally from McDonough, Ga. and will assist Head Coach Terry Martin in all facets of the Lions softball program.

Email coach

Taylor Waldrop

Extension 1147

Taylor Waldrop enters her second season with the Piedmont softball program in the fall of 2019 after joining the program as an Assistant Coach in January 2019. Waldrop joined the Piedmont staff after her own four-year playing career at Tennessee Tech University.

Waldrop is in charge of the pitching and catching staffs after she spent four seasons as a pitcher for the Golden Eagles. Waldrop helped guide the Lady Lions to a 31-12 mark in 2019 including the team hosting its first NCAA Regional earning a regional finals appearance.

She also helped Melissa Eckman to USA South West Division all-conference honors giving her postseason honors from the league in all four years of her playing career.

In her senior season at Tennessee Tech, she led the team in starts and had a team-high 10 wins and 84 strikeouts. During her final season, Waldrop earned Ohio Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week honors and was named Pitcher of the Week by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association.

Outside of her playing career, Waldrop has been an assistant coach for Team SC Fastpitch Softball where she advised athletes in their recruitment and provided training to the pitching staff.

Waldrop earned a bachelor of science degree from Tennessee Technological University in 2018 in exercise science: fitness and wellness with a minor in coaching.

She is originally from Canon, Ga. and will assist Martin in all facets of the Lions softball program.