Softball
Dunn, Brian
Brian Dunn
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- bdunn9@utm.edu
- Phone:
- 731-499-3225
Brian Dunn enters his fifth season at the helm of the University of Tennessee at Martin softball history after being named the fourth head coach in program history on June 11, 2019.
Dunn brings over 30 years of championship experience at both the high school and collegiate level including two state championships and four national titles. For his career, he has posted a 545-180 record in his collegiate career - including a 96-72 record at UT Martin.
During his tenure at UT Martin, the Skyhawks have had 14 all-conference performers including four first team selections and eight second team honorees including Avry Blume, Paige Clark, Kaci Fuller, Alexis Groet, Kaitlyn Kelley, Kallie Pickens and Shyanne Sheffield. The Skyhawks have also had seven players named to the OVC All-Newcomer squad with Blume, Fuller, Groet, Kelley and Sheffield earning those honors. Additionally, both Fuller and Groet have also earned NFCA All-Region honors.
UT Martin posted a 23-24 record during the 2023 season, including notching a 13-10 mark in league play. The Skyhawks recorded a .282 batting average which ranks as the seventh-best mark in program history while its .463 slugging percentage ranked second in school history. The squad also led the OVC in home runs (58), slugging percentage (.461) and fielding percentage (97.8 percent).Â
The 2022 season marked the best season for the Skyhawks during the Dunn Era as the program posted a 34-19 record while going 17-8 in conference play. The team’s 17 wins marked the most win against conference foes since the 2012 campaign while the squad posted 5.79 runs per game, 8.28 hits per game and had 278 RBIs which each ranked second in program single-season history. The Skyhawks also led the OVC in batting average (.305), runs (307), hits (439), RBIs (278) and fielding percentage (.970).
In his second season overall and first full campaign in 2021, Dunn led the team to a 27-19 mark while going 16-15 for the program's first winning record in Ohio Valley Conference action since 2017. The Skyhawks posted several statistical highlights including a school record 8.65 hits per game while ranking in the top-five in single-season history in six other categories of slugging percentage (.462, second), batting average (.309, third), runs per game (5.13, third), team hits (398, fifth) and fielding percentage (.965, fifth).
Under his direction, the tandem of Groet and Fuller each earned NFCA All-Region honors while a total of five individuals garnered postseason OVC accolades. The Skyhawks had a pair of All-OVC first team selections in Groet and Kelley while Fuller and Clark earned a spot on the All-OVC second team. Four players were recognized on the OVC All-Newcomer squad as Fuller, Groet and Kelley were joined on the list by Sheffield.
His debut season at UT Martin proved to be far from normal as the team played just 22 games before seeing the season come to an abrupt halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the shortened season, the Skyhawks posted a 12-10 record prior to the cancelation.
Heralded as the winningest softball coach in west Tennessee history, Dunn has compiled record of 1,155 wins and 313 losses in 34 varsity seasons at the high school and college level. He has posted 869 career victories in 26 seasons as a head softball coach while also adding 286 wins as a volleyball coach at both Union University and the University School of Jackson. As a whole, he has overseen 63 team championships.
Dunn’s most recent coaching stop has seen him turn USJ into a perennial state tournament threat since 2005 by accumulating a 344-102 record. During his tenure with the Bruins, the program won TSSAA state titles in 2010 and 2012, finished runner-up twice and claimed numerous district and region titles. His path to success was quick as he led the program to its first district championship in his fourth year before a state championship in his fifth season at the helm.
Prior to Dunn’s illustrious career at USJ, he transformed Union University’s softball program into a legitimate national title contender. He led the Lady Bulldogs softball program to a 449-108 record (.803 winning percentage) over a nine-year period. During his tenure, Union posted seven straight top-10 national rankings while earning six TranSouth Conference championships, four conference tournament championships and four NAIA Region XI championships. The Lady Bulldogs reached the pinnacle with three NCCAA National Championships and six NAIA World Series appearances, including a third-place finish in 2001 with a school record 63 wins.
In addition to coaching a top-ranked softball program, Dunn guided the Union volleyball program to a 243-62 record over its first seven seasons, including the inaugural season in 1998. Dunn led Union to three TranSouth regular season championships, two conference tournament championships and six straight NCCAA MidEast Region Titles while capturing the 2003 NCCAA National Volleyball Championship and finishing runner-up in 2001. In his final season, he led the team to the NAIA National Tournament with a top-10 NAIA finish.
During Dunn’s eight-year tenure as a coach at Union, he coached 73 all-conference, 49 all-region, 28 All-American and 35 scholar-athlete award winners. Included in that list are 14 conference Players of the Year, nine region Players of the Year and two national Players of the Year. Individually, he claimed five NCCAA National Coach of the Year honors.
Dunn began his coaching career at Riverside High School where he led the Lady Panther softball team to their first-ever appearance in the TSSAA AA state tournament and a 64-25 record in three seasons.
Along with his numerous coaching achievements, Dunn has garnered 32 various Coach of the Year honors while being inducted into the Tennessee Softball Coaches Association Hall of Fame (2014), USJ Softball Hall of Fame (2016), Jackson Madison Country Sports Hall of Fame (2018) and Union University Sports Hall of Fame (2018).
Dunn is a 1989 graduate of San Diego State University, where he helped lead the baseball team to a Western Athletic Conference Championship and a top-25 national ranking. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history before completing his master’s in education in 1998 from Union.
Dunn is married to the former Emily Garrett, as the couple resides in Jackson. They have two daughters, Addison and Ashlee.
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Dunn brings over 30 years of championship experience at both the high school and collegiate level including two state championships and four national titles. For his career, he has posted a 545-180 record in his collegiate career - including a 96-72 record at UT Martin.
During his tenure at UT Martin, the Skyhawks have had 14 all-conference performers including four first team selections and eight second team honorees including Avry Blume, Paige Clark, Kaci Fuller, Alexis Groet, Kaitlyn Kelley, Kallie Pickens and Shyanne Sheffield. The Skyhawks have also had seven players named to the OVC All-Newcomer squad with Blume, Fuller, Groet, Kelley and Sheffield earning those honors. Additionally, both Fuller and Groet have also earned NFCA All-Region honors.
UT Martin posted a 23-24 record during the 2023 season, including notching a 13-10 mark in league play. The Skyhawks recorded a .282 batting average which ranks as the seventh-best mark in program history while its .463 slugging percentage ranked second in school history. The squad also led the OVC in home runs (58), slugging percentage (.461) and fielding percentage (97.8 percent).Â
The 2022 season marked the best season for the Skyhawks during the Dunn Era as the program posted a 34-19 record while going 17-8 in conference play. The team’s 17 wins marked the most win against conference foes since the 2012 campaign while the squad posted 5.79 runs per game, 8.28 hits per game and had 278 RBIs which each ranked second in program single-season history. The Skyhawks also led the OVC in batting average (.305), runs (307), hits (439), RBIs (278) and fielding percentage (.970).
In his second season overall and first full campaign in 2021, Dunn led the team to a 27-19 mark while going 16-15 for the program's first winning record in Ohio Valley Conference action since 2017. The Skyhawks posted several statistical highlights including a school record 8.65 hits per game while ranking in the top-five in single-season history in six other categories of slugging percentage (.462, second), batting average (.309, third), runs per game (5.13, third), team hits (398, fifth) and fielding percentage (.965, fifth).
Under his direction, the tandem of Groet and Fuller each earned NFCA All-Region honors while a total of five individuals garnered postseason OVC accolades. The Skyhawks had a pair of All-OVC first team selections in Groet and Kelley while Fuller and Clark earned a spot on the All-OVC second team. Four players were recognized on the OVC All-Newcomer squad as Fuller, Groet and Kelley were joined on the list by Sheffield.
His debut season at UT Martin proved to be far from normal as the team played just 22 games before seeing the season come to an abrupt halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the shortened season, the Skyhawks posted a 12-10 record prior to the cancelation.
Heralded as the winningest softball coach in west Tennessee history, Dunn has compiled record of 1,155 wins and 313 losses in 34 varsity seasons at the high school and college level. He has posted 869 career victories in 26 seasons as a head softball coach while also adding 286 wins as a volleyball coach at both Union University and the University School of Jackson. As a whole, he has overseen 63 team championships.
Dunn’s most recent coaching stop has seen him turn USJ into a perennial state tournament threat since 2005 by accumulating a 344-102 record. During his tenure with the Bruins, the program won TSSAA state titles in 2010 and 2012, finished runner-up twice and claimed numerous district and region titles. His path to success was quick as he led the program to its first district championship in his fourth year before a state championship in his fifth season at the helm.
Prior to Dunn’s illustrious career at USJ, he transformed Union University’s softball program into a legitimate national title contender. He led the Lady Bulldogs softball program to a 449-108 record (.803 winning percentage) over a nine-year period. During his tenure, Union posted seven straight top-10 national rankings while earning six TranSouth Conference championships, four conference tournament championships and four NAIA Region XI championships. The Lady Bulldogs reached the pinnacle with three NCCAA National Championships and six NAIA World Series appearances, including a third-place finish in 2001 with a school record 63 wins.
In addition to coaching a top-ranked softball program, Dunn guided the Union volleyball program to a 243-62 record over its first seven seasons, including the inaugural season in 1998. Dunn led Union to three TranSouth regular season championships, two conference tournament championships and six straight NCCAA MidEast Region Titles while capturing the 2003 NCCAA National Volleyball Championship and finishing runner-up in 2001. In his final season, he led the team to the NAIA National Tournament with a top-10 NAIA finish.
During Dunn’s eight-year tenure as a coach at Union, he coached 73 all-conference, 49 all-region, 28 All-American and 35 scholar-athlete award winners. Included in that list are 14 conference Players of the Year, nine region Players of the Year and two national Players of the Year. Individually, he claimed five NCCAA National Coach of the Year honors.
Dunn began his coaching career at Riverside High School where he led the Lady Panther softball team to their first-ever appearance in the TSSAA AA state tournament and a 64-25 record in three seasons.
Along with his numerous coaching achievements, Dunn has garnered 32 various Coach of the Year honors while being inducted into the Tennessee Softball Coaches Association Hall of Fame (2014), USJ Softball Hall of Fame (2016), Jackson Madison Country Sports Hall of Fame (2018) and Union University Sports Hall of Fame (2018).
Dunn is a 1989 graduate of San Diego State University, where he helped lead the baseball team to a Western Athletic Conference Championship and a top-25 national ranking. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history before completing his master’s in education in 1998 from Union.
Dunn is married to the former Emily Garrett, as the couple resides in Jackson. They have two daughters, Addison and Ashlee.
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Career Coaching History
| Season | School | W | L | T | W | L |
| 1994 | Riverside HS | 20 | 8 | - | - | - |
| 1995 | Riverside HS | 21 | 9 | - | - | - |
| 1996 | Riverside HS | 23 | 8 | - | - | - |
| Career (Three seasons) | 64 | 25 | - | - | - | |
| 1997 | Union University | 39 | 13 | 1 | 20 | 4 |
| 1998 | Union University | 51 | 16 | 0 | 21 | 5 |
| 1999 | Union University | 57 | 13 | 1 | 21 | 3 |
| 2000 | Union University | 53 | 6 | . | 20 | 0 |
| 2001 | Union University | 63 | 8 | 0 | 19 | 1 |
| 2002 | Union University | 51 | 7 | 0 | 16 | 2 |
| 2003 | Union University | 45 | 13 | 0 | 14 | 6 |
| 2004 | Union University | 45 | 16 | 0 | 10 | 6 |
| 2005 | Union University | 45 | 16 | 1 | 10 | 6 |
| Career (Nine seasons) | 449 | 108 | 3 | 151 | 33 | |
| 2006 | University School Jackson (HS) | 15 | 9 | - | - | - |
| 2007 | University School Jackson (HS) | 21 | 7 | - | - | - |
| 2008 | University School Jackson (HS) | 24 | 8 | - | - | - |
| 2009 | University School Jackson (HS) | 23 | 9 | - | - | - |
| 2010 | University School Jackson (HS) | 35 | 5 | - | - | - |
| 2011 | University School Jackson (HS) | 27 | 6 | - | - | - |
| 2012 | University School Jackson (HS) | 29 | 5 | - | - | - |
| 2013 | University School Jackson (HS) | 24 | 7 | - | - | - |
| 2014 | University School Jackson (HS) | 26 | 8 | - | - | - |
| 2015 | University School Jackson (HS) | 30 | 6 | - | - | - |
| 2016 | University School Jackson (HS) | 30 | 8 | - | - | - |
| 2017 | University School Jackson (HS) | 22 | 8 | - | - | - |
| 2018 | University School Jackson (HS) | 22 | 8 | - | - | - |
| 2019 | University School Jackson (HS) | 16 | 9 | - | - | - |
| Career (14 seasons) | 344 | 103 | - | - | - | |
| 2020 | UT Martin | 12 | 10 | - | - | - |
| 2021 | UT Martin | 27 | 19 | - | 16 | 15 |
| 2022 | UT Martin | 34 | 19 | - | 17 | 8 |
| 2023 | UT Martin | 23 | 24 | - | 13 | 10 |
| Career (Four seasons) | 96 | 72 | - | 46 | 33 | |
| Total | Career Overall (30Â seasons) | 953 | 308 | 3 | 197 | 66 |
| Collegiate Career (13Â seasons) | 545 | 180 | 3 | 197 | 66 |
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