John Garris, pictured above, was named head coach of Bay College softball this week.

ESCANABA – Bay College Athletic Director Matt Johnson has announced the hiring of John Garris as the Head Softball Coach for the Norse.

“Many thanks to the college president, Dr. Nerita Hughes and Athletic Director Matt Johnson, for extending this incredible offer,” Garris said. “What an exciting opportunity it is. The chance to lead the Norse Softball Program to new heights is one I just had to accept. The challenge of leading our athletes on the journey to becoming champions on the field, in the classroom, and in the community to develop themselves for the rest of their lives is something I can’t wait to get started on.”

Coach Garris continued his thoughts, “the confidence of our AD and the search committee: Beth Berube Travis Blume, and Amy Gibbs has shown in me means so much. I am both honored and excited to be the softball coach at Bay College. The vision Coach Johnson has for the growth of the program is one thing that has really drawn me to Bay. The natural beauty of all of the Upper Peninsula, along with the warmth of the community of Escanaba, makes this such a welcoming place to call home.”

Garris brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the position with over 30 years of coaching collegiate softball at a high level. He comes to Bay from the University of Maryland where he has served as an assistant coach since 2021. His roles there included working as the outfield coach, collaborator of game day strategy, camp director, and recruiter. Coach Garris’ efforts helped the Terrapins to their first winning season in eight years in 2022, and saw the program rise to new heights with a 38-19 record in 2023. The program also saw the first Terp named “Extra Inning National Player of the Week” and a NISC All-Tournament Honoree.

Prior to his time with Maryland, John was the Head Softball Coach at Southern University and Agricultural and Mechanical College at Baton Rouge from 2013 to 2021. During his time at Southern, the Jaguars, who compete at the NCAA Division 1 level in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), routinely qualified for the postseason. Garris was named “SWAC Coach of the Year” during his tenure and coached the All-Time Home Run Leader and All-Time Stolen Base Leader during his time at Southern, and also had an athlete named as the “Female Athlete of the Year”.

Coach Garris also had stints at Louisiana Tech University from 2012-2013 as an assistant coach, Samford University from 2007-2009 as an assistant coach, he was the head coach at Shelton State Community College from 2006-2007 where they qualified for the post season and was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for Rutgers University from 2004-2006.

John was the Head Coach at Delta State University at the NCAA Division 2 level from 1993-1998. During his tenure there the Statesmen were the Gulf South Conference (GSC) West Division Champions three times. Coach Garris has the second most wins and was the fastest to 150 wins in school history as a coach. There he coached four Hall of Famers, the only student-athlete to have a jersey retired, a “Female Athlete of the Year”, the all-time strikeout leader in school history, and the all-time batting average leader in school history. He also had a team finish the season in the top 10 statistically in fielding percentage while at Delta State. John received “Coach of the Year” honors from the GSC during his time with the Statesmen.

In 1994 Coach Garris founded what is now known as Pinnacle Performance Training and Consulting, whose mission is “Providing camps, coaching instruction, and consulting to softball coaches and athletes worldwide who strive to ‘Be a Champion Everyday.'” The company provides national and international softball consulting services, evaluates softball programs, recommends practice organization, strategies, and drills, offers softball camps and clinics, and mentors new coaches and athletes. Through his organization John has coached clinics all over the country and the internationally, having held events in Peru, Curacao, and Italy.