HEAD COACH: RYAN EDWARDS
Coach Ryan Edwards and family (Wife-Sarah, Children-Lydia(14), Luke(12), Lexi(10), Laken(7) moved to Johnson City in 2008 when he was named the Head Coach of the Topper baseball program. Under Coach Edwards the Toppers have advanced to the region tournament ten out of eleven seasons. In 2008 the Hilltoppers made it to the final four of the state tournament, in 2010 and 2018 the Toppers returned to the Spring Fling. Conference Championships have been claimed nine times and District Tournament championships eight times. The Hilltoppers won the region tournament in 2008-2011, and 2018. Over the course of fifteen seasons his teams have compiled a record of 424-147.
Forty-six Hilltopper baseball players have signed to play collegiate baseball under Coach Edwards, with sixteen draft picks, including a current streak of nine years in a row of former Toppers having their name called in the MLB draft.
Coach Edwards began his coaching career at Bolivar American Legion as a Pitching Coach (1995-2001). In 1997 he was the Head Freshman Coach at Bolivar High School in Bolivar, Missouri. Coach Edwards moved on to become the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Southwest Baptist University (1999-2000). His next stop was at Hillcrest High School, Springfield, Missouri where he was the pitching coach (2001). From 2002-2004 Coach Edwards was the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Tennessee Tech. The golden eagles finished runner-up in the Ohio Valley Conference in 2003. In 2005 Coach Edwards was the pitching coach at Wabash Valley Junior College before moving back to the division 1 ranks in 2006-2007 as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Austin Peay University. The 2007 Governors finished as regular season and tournament champions in the Ohio Valley Conference and claimed a regional birth (Vanderbilt regional) in the NCAA tournament.
Coach Edwards played collegiate baseball at Southwest Baptist University in 1995-1996, and at Lincoln University in 1998.
Some notable players that he has coached include Shawn Kelley RHP (Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, Washington Nationals), Matt Reynolds LHP(Colorado Rockies, Arizona Diamondbacks, San Francisco Giants), Bubby Buzachero RHP (Toronto Blue Jays), Casey Benjamin SS (Texas Rangers), Rowdy Hardy LHP (Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves), Ben Norton RHP (Kansas City Royals), Jake Lane 1B (Kansas City Royals), Ben Wilshire RHP (San Francisco Giants), Will Carter RHP (New York Yankees, Matt Pope RHP (San Francisco Giants), Daniel Norris LHP (Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers), Will Craig 3B (Pittsburgh Pirates), Reed Hayes RHP (Baltimore Orioles), Matthew Beaird (Baltimore Orioles).
Forty-six Hilltopper baseball players have signed to play collegiate baseball under Coach Edwards, with sixteen draft picks, including a current streak of nine years in a row of former Toppers having their name called in the MLB draft.
Coach Edwards began his coaching career at Bolivar American Legion as a Pitching Coach (1995-2001). In 1997 he was the Head Freshman Coach at Bolivar High School in Bolivar, Missouri. Coach Edwards moved on to become the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Southwest Baptist University (1999-2000). His next stop was at Hillcrest High School, Springfield, Missouri where he was the pitching coach (2001). From 2002-2004 Coach Edwards was the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Tennessee Tech. The golden eagles finished runner-up in the Ohio Valley Conference in 2003. In 2005 Coach Edwards was the pitching coach at Wabash Valley Junior College before moving back to the division 1 ranks in 2006-2007 as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Austin Peay University. The 2007 Governors finished as regular season and tournament champions in the Ohio Valley Conference and claimed a regional birth (Vanderbilt regional) in the NCAA tournament.
Coach Edwards played collegiate baseball at Southwest Baptist University in 1995-1996, and at Lincoln University in 1998.
Some notable players that he has coached include Shawn Kelley RHP (Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, Washington Nationals), Matt Reynolds LHP(Colorado Rockies, Arizona Diamondbacks, San Francisco Giants), Bubby Buzachero RHP (Toronto Blue Jays), Casey Benjamin SS (Texas Rangers), Rowdy Hardy LHP (Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves), Ben Norton RHP (Kansas City Royals), Jake Lane 1B (Kansas City Royals), Ben Wilshire RHP (San Francisco Giants), Will Carter RHP (New York Yankees, Matt Pope RHP (San Francisco Giants), Daniel Norris LHP (Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers), Will Craig 3B (Pittsburgh Pirates), Reed Hayes RHP (Baltimore Orioles), Matthew Beaird (Baltimore Orioles).
