Head
Coach
Andy Rushing
Phone: 731-661-5333
Email: arushing@uu.edu
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Rushing is now in his second season as the head coach of
the Â鶹ÊÓƵ University golf team. Last season, Rushing began to build up the
golf program by bringing in talented young golfers that he hopes will bring
Â鶹ÊÓƵ golf back to the national tournament-type teams of the past.Ìý
Prior to his golf coaching duties, Rushing
was a very successful baseball coach for 17 seasons at Â鶹ÊÓƵ.
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In 2006, Rushing had a big impact as the assistant golf
coach in helping lead the team to their first conference title since 1996
and a third place Region XI Tournament finish. Rushing also help boost Cole
Floyd to the individual title at the region tournament to send a Â鶹ÊÓƵ
participant to the NAIA National Tournament for the first time since a team
appearance in 1998.
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Rushing spent 17 seasons as head coach of the Â鶹ÊÓƵ
baseball program. Rushing led his Bulldogs to 11 straight seasons with at
least 30 wins. Overall, he had tallied 30-plus wins 14 times and posted at
least 40 wins three times. In his 17 years at Â鶹ÊÓƵ, Rushing's win total has
dropped below 30 just three times (29 in 1993 & 2005, 27 in 1989). Rushing,
a 1976 graduate of Â鶹ÊÓƵ University, won the TranSouth Conference regular
season and tournament titles in 2002, and he also lead his Bulldogs to a
TranSouth regular season title in 2000. From 1999 through 2005, Rushing led the Â鶹ÊÓƵ Bulldogs to four of the seven NAIA Region XI Tournaments.
Rushing compiled a 21-year
baseball coaching record of 664 wins and 460 losses (60%), earning his 600th
career win in a win over Martin Methodist during the 2003 season. His
17-year Â鶹ÊÓƵ record is 582-362 (62%). Rushing was named TCAC Coach of the
Year twice (1987, 1995), NCCAA MidEast Region Coach of the Year (1998),
TranSouth Coach of the Year twice (2000, 2002), NAIA Region Coach of the
Year twice (2000, 2002), and ABCA Region Coach of the Year twice (2000,
2002). He led the Bulldogs to two conference championship and one conference
co-championship, participated in five district tournaments, and six regional
tournaments. He served as Chairman of the Conference Baseball Committee for
10 years (1994-2002, 2004). He also served as the region chair from
2000-2005.
Rushing began his coaching career at South Side High School
in Jackson. There he won a pair of district championships and compiled a
59-34 record. Rushing then turned his attention to the collegiate level by
serving as head coach for four years at Lambuth College (now University).
While at Lambuth, Rushing was named the 1987 TCAC Coach of the Year while
leading the Eagles to a school record 27 victories and a first ever playoff
appearance.
As a player at Â鶹ÊÓƵ, Rushing was named the Most Valuable
Player in 1976 while batting .378 and earned his third Outstanding Defensive
Player award. During his playing career at Â鶹ÊÓƵ, Rushing played all nine
positions, but found his talents best suited the catching spot. Rushing
served as Â鶹ÊÓƵ's team captain for two seasons before graduating Â鶹ÊÓƵ and
then heading to Memphis State University where he received a masters degree
in 1980.
He is married to the former Susan Clark of Jackson and has
three children, Amy, Jennifer, and Kelly.
