Tommy Hewitt

The 2012 season will be Tommy Hewitt's seventh season at the helm of Anderson University’s softball program after being named the head coach at Anderson in June, 2005.

Prior to accepting the Trojans’ head coaching position, Hewitt, a native of College Park, Ga., spent eight years at Pendleton High School in Pendleton, S.C., where he was the school-to-work coordinator and also coached several sports. He was an assistant softball and football coach and was the head coach for girls’ golf and junior varsity boys’ and girls’ soccer.

Hewitt has averaged more than 22 wins per year, posting 136 victories during his first six campaigns, including 27 during the 2010 season.

In his first season at Anderson, the Trojans shattered the school single-season record for home runs by 40 - Anderson blasted 49 home runs and two players, Kayla Williams (18) and Kayla Thrasher (10), shattered the old team record of nine homers in a single season by themselves. Williams finished sixth NCAA Division II in home runs per game.
 
During his tenure at AU, Hewitt has guided his players to all-conference accolades 14 times, while two Trojan softball players have earned Freshman of the Year honors. In addition, right-handed hurler Casey Deer was named to the 2010 Conference Carolinas All-Tournament team.

Hewitt also places an emphasis on success in the classroom as well and has coached back-to-back CoSIDA First-Team Academic All-America honorees. Shortstop Meredith Knox garnered the award in 2010, while third baseman Emily Monteith collected the honor following last season. Ten Trojans were named Academic All-Conference in 2010 and Hewitt’s teams are always in the hunt for the Dr. Shirley Jacks award, which is presented by the AU Athletics Department to the team that possesses the highest grade point average for each semester. The softball team claimed the honor in the fall of 2007 and 2009.  

“Our motto is we will not allow anyone to outwork us,” Hewitt said. “We believe hard work and dedication will pay off in softball and in life.”

Hewitt has also been dedicated to facility enhancements, with plans on the drawing board for a clubhouse and dugouts at Smethers Field. He has already overseen the addition of a permanent scoreboard and outfield fencing, along with enhancing spectator seating, a sound system and a concession stand.

Hewitt has coached both AAU softball and baseball. In 2002 and 2003, he led an Under-16 team from Pendleton to an overall record of 99-32 and seven tournament titles. The ’02 team came in second at the ISA World in Covington, Ga., and the ’03 team came in second at the USFA World in Panama City, Fla.

“I want to take the Anderson softball program to conference championships and to regionals,” Hewitt said. “We will be an aggressive team. We will take advantage of the mistakes of our opponents. We will do the little things you have to do to win games. If it’s a one-run game, I want that one run to be on our side.”

Hewitt attended Clayton Junior College in Jonesboro, Ga., and Mercer University in Atlanta, where he received a B.S. degree in business administration.

Hewitt and his wife Delilah reside in Anderson and have three children – Kellie, Kevin and Kenric.