BRIAN DUNN NAMED FOURTH HEAD COACH IN UT MARTIN SOFTBALL HISTORY
6/11/2019 4:00:00 PM | Softball
MARTIN, Tenn. – Brian Dunn has been named the fourth head coach in University of Tennessee at Martin softball history, athletics director Kurt McGuffin announced on Tuesday.
Dunn brings over 26 years of championship experience at both the high school and collegiate level including two state championships and four national titles. He replaces long-time head coach Donley Canary, who retired after the 2019 season as the program's all-time winningest coach.
"I am very humbled and excited about this opportunity and am thankful for the support of Chancellor Carver and athletics director McGuffin," Dunn said. "The Lord has blessed me beyond measure and I give him all the glory for any good thing in my life. I look forward to partnering with these student-athletes and working together to build a family atmosphere and a championship culture at UT Martin."
Heralded as the winningest softball coach in West Tennessee history, Dunn comes to UT Martin with a compiled record of 1,143 wins and 303 losses in 34 varsity seasons at the high school and college level. He has posted 857 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.
"I could not be more excited to welcome Brian to UT Martin," McGuffin said. "He has a decorated résumé that includes championships at the highest level. Combine that with his high values and I am confident that he will be able to continue the success and foundation that is already in place and elevate our program amongst the league's elite."
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.
Dunn brings over 26 years of championship experience at both the high school and collegiate level including two state championships and four national titles. He replaces long-time head coach Donley Canary, who retired after the 2019 season as the program's all-time winningest coach.
"I am very humbled and excited about this opportunity and am thankful for the support of Chancellor Carver and athletics director McGuffin," Dunn said. "The Lord has blessed me beyond measure and I give him all the glory for any good thing in my life. I look forward to partnering with these student-athletes and working together to build a family atmosphere and a championship culture at UT Martin."
Heralded as the winningest softball coach in West Tennessee history, Dunn comes to UT Martin with a compiled record of 1,143 wins and 303 losses in 34 varsity seasons at the high school and college level. He has posted 857 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.
"I could not be more excited to welcome Brian to UT Martin," McGuffin said. "He has a decorated résumé that includes championships at the highest level. Combine that with his high values and I am confident that he will be able to continue the success and foundation that is already in place and elevate our program amongst the league's elite."
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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