J.J. Edwards joined the coaching staff in the fall of 2011 as the volunteer assistant and was promoted to assistant coach in the summer of 2012. He was named the head coach of the program on July 13, 2023. Now in his 15th season on the staff overall, he enters his third campaign as the head coach of the Terriers. In the summer of 2016 he added the responsibilities of recruiting coordinator and in the summer of 2021 was promoted to associate head coach.
Wofford was 33-27 in 2025 with an 8-13 SoCon clip. The 33 victories secured a seventh-straight season with 30-plus wins. The Terriers were the No. 7 seed in the SoCon Tournament and won two games in the event. The season featured a pair of ranked wins, a 12-5 triumph over No. 23 Kentucky and a 14-3 run-rule win in eight innings at No. 17 Troy. This marked the first time in program history that Wofford bested two different ranked foes in the same season. On April 1, 2025, Wofford defeated USC Upstate 5-2 at Fifth Third Park in downtown Spartanburg in what was the first-ever game played in the new stadium, which is the home of the city’s new minor league team, the Hub City Spartanburgers. The Terriers led the SoCon in triples (17) and hit-by-pitch (113), ranking 28th and 22nd in the nation, respectively. The hit batsmen set a new program record. Wofford remained a strong small ball team, ranking second in the conference in both sacrifice bunts (45) and stolen bases (158). The steals were seventh nationally as the bunts ranked 12th. In the SoCon year-end balloting, a trio of Terriers were honored, highlighted by Carter Rasmussen being named Second-Team All-SoCon. Cullen Condon and Tanner Hardin were both honored on the SoCon All-Freshman Team.
In Edwards’ first season as head coach in 2024, the Terriers reached new heights with a 42-20 overall record and 12-8 SoCon clip. The 42 wins tied the program’s record and marked a third-straight 40-win campaign. Wofford battled out of the losers’ bracket of the Southern Conference Tournament to defeat Samford twice on Championship Sunday, securing the program’s second-ever SoCon Tournament title. Edwards became the winningest first-year coach in program history and the first rookie skipper in the program’s history to take his squad to a SoCon Championship and the NCAA Tournament. Wofford was selected as the No. 3 seed to the Chapel Hill Regional. Despite losing the opening match-up to LSU, the Wofford defeated Long Island 5-2 in game two to secure the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament victory. The Terrier offense was one of the best in the country en route to Wofford’s success. With 33 triples, Wofford led the nation and set a new program record. Wofford also ranked second nationally in batting average (.334), runs (617), runs per game (10.0) and sacrifice flies (41) while sitting third in on-base percentage (.438), fourth in sacrifice bunts (55) and fifth in hits (716). The Terriers were well represented in the All-SoCon balloting as Dixon Black, Marshall Toole and Zac Cowan all earned first-team honors. Daniel Jackson was named SoCon Freshman of the Year, and he secured a spot on the second team alongside Mike Eggert. Tyler Bak, Kenny Michaels and Camden Wicker were all tabbed to the SoCon All-Freshman Team with Jackson.
Under the tutelage of Edwards, the Terrier offense has ranked in the top three of the SoCon in batting average every season since 2018. Wofford has ranked in the top five nationally in stolen bases in nine of the last 11 seasons and has not ranked below ninth in the country in that span. Each of the last three SoCon Players of the Year have come from Wofford, with Colin Davis (2021), Lawson Hill (2022) and Ryan Galanie (2023) earning the honors.
The 2023 campaign saw Wofford continue to succeed with a 40-19 record, just the program’s second 40-win season. Wofford was 12-9 in SoCon action to place third in the league and ultimately advanced to the SoCon Championship for a second-straight season. First baseman Ryan Galanie was named SoCon Player of the Year and highlighted a duo of All-SoCon First-Teamers that also included Lucas Mahlstedt. The second team featured four Terriers: Coulson Buchanan, Matthew Marchal, Cameron Gill and Dixon Black. Wofford led the league in walks (294), hits (617), on-base percentage (.422), runs (499), sacrifice bunts (86) and triples (18). The sac bunts led the nation and set a new single-season program record. Wofford’s .314 batting average was second in the league and 13th nationally, and the Terriers swiped 153 bases to sit second in the SoCon and fifth in the nation. On top of sacrifices, Wofford set single-season program records for runs, hit by pitch (86) and fielding percentage (.978).
The Terriers reached new heights in the 2022 season with a 42-16-1 overall record, the most wins in program history and the team’s first 40-win season. The Terriers were 16-4-1 in league play to claim a second-straight Southern Conference Regular Season Championship. Five Terriers earned First-Team All-Southern Conference recognition, including Matthew Marchal, Lawson Hill, John Dempsey, Ryan Galanie and Brennen Dorighi. Hill was tabbed Player of the Year by the media. Dalton Rhadans and Josh Vitus were selected to the second team, and the All-Freshman Team featured Carter Bailey, Coulson Buchanan and Marshall Toole. Wofford made it to the championship series of the SoCon Torunament for the third time in program history but fell short to UNCG. The squad’s .314 batting average led the conference, as did its 145 stolen bases.
The 2021 season saw Wofford win the first regular season Southern Conference Championship in school history. The team was 36-21 overall and 21-9 in league play, which were the most conference wins in school history. Outfielder Colin Davis was named SoCon Player of the Year and Elliot Carney was named SoCon Pitcher of the Year. They were joined by Dalton Rhadans, Jack Renwick, Lawson Hill and Nolen Hester receiving All-SoCon honors. Renwick and Trey Yunger were named to the All-Freshman Team. The Terriers had a .291 batting average that ranked second in the league, while four players had averages over .300. Among the NCAA leaders, Wofford was second in stolen bases, 20th in doubles and 14th in on base percentage.
In 2020, the team was 14-3 overall. The team was hitting .316 and had a .422 on base percentage, both of which were ranked first in the Southern Conference. Wofford was also leading the league in hits, runs, RBIs, walks and stolen bases before the season was cut short.
During the 2019 season, Wofford won 36 games, tied for the second-most in school history. The 14-9 record in the Southern Conference to finish second overall, the highest in school history. In the Southern Conference Tournament, Wofford reached the championship series for the second time in school history before falling to Mercer. Seven Terriers earned All-Southern Conference honors, highlighted by Hayes Heinecke being named Freshman of the Year. Heinecke, Brett Rodriguez, John Dempsey, Hudson Byorick, Colin Davis and Mike Brown were named All-SoCon, with Heinecke, Dempsey and Matty Brown earning All-Freshman Team recognition. Heinecke and Dempsey added Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-America honors. The team’s .306 batting average was the best in the SoCon and the highest for a Wofford team since 1991. School records were also set for runs, doubles and walks.
In the 2018 season the team posted a 36-23 overall record, the second-most wins in school history. In Southern Conference play, the Terriers were 15-9 to finish third overall and set a new school record for league wins. Outfielder McClain Bradley earned second team All-Southern Conference honors, while outfielder Colin Davis and catcher Lawson Hill were named to the All-Freshman Team. Davis was also recognized as a Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American. The team batting average of .287 ranked third in the league, along with leading the conference in doubles and stolen bases.
The team won 28 games overall in 2017. The 13-11 mark in Southern Conference play marked just the second winning record in league play in school history. Four position players earned All-Southern Conference honors - first baseman Brett Hash, catcher Carson Waln, outfielder McClain Bradley and designated hitter Cody Miller - while infielder Brett Rodriguez was named to the All-Freshman Team. The Terriers led the league in stolen bases and were fourth in runs scored and home runs, while posting a team batting average of .294 on the season.
During the 2016 season, Wofford won 30 games, marking the third straight year with 30 or more wins. The team was 12-12 in the Southern Conference, just the second .500 or better mark in league play for the Terriers. Shortstop Derek Hirsch earned second team All-Southern Conference honors and led the team in hitting with a .368 batting average. Among conference leaders, Wofford was first in stolen bases, second in fielding percentage, sixth in on base percentage, sixth in RBIs, second in triples and fifth in walks received. The team set a new school record for fielding percentage (.972).
In 2015, the Terriers set a school record for wins with a 39-22 overall record. The 13-10 mark in the Southern Conference resulted in a third place finish, the highest in school history. Wofford had seven starters hitting above .300 on the season, with a team batting average of .302 which ranked second in the SoCon and 15th in the nation. First baseman Conor Clancey, outfielder James Plaisted, and designated hitter Matt Ramsay were named All-Southern Conference. Ramsay was second in the league in batting average at .359, while Clancey had 66 RBIs to lead the conference. The Terriers had 184 extra base hits on the year, leading the SoCon in doubles with 125 and triples with 20. Nationally, the team was first in stolen bases with 138, second in stolen bases per game, 18th in doubles, 24th in hits, 25th in scoring, 31st in slugging percentage, and 13th in on-base percentage.
During the 2014 season, the team had a school-record with 32 wins. The overall record of 32-28 was the first winning record since 1992 for Wofford. The team led the nation in stolen bases with 153 and stolen bases per game with 2.55. Wofford also set new school records in walks received and fielding percentage.
In the 2013 season, his work with the offense resulted in the Terriers leading the nation with 163 stolen bases. The team was also first in the SoCon in sacrifice bunts. During his first season on the staff he worked primarily with the outfielders and coached first base. The team won 22 games for the second straight year and was 9-21 in the SoCon for the third straight season.
He was a four-year letterwinner and three-year starter at Sacred Heart. Playing primarily in the infield, he was team captain in 2010 and 2011. In 2011, the team won the Northeastern Conference Championship. Edwards earned first team Northeastern Conference and first team New England honors in 2011 as he led the team with a .372 batting average and 80 hits. He had a .340 career batting average and was also named to the Northeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll in 2010 and 2011.
Prior to joining the Terriers he was an assistant coach for the Oneonta Outlaws of the NYCBL during the summer of 2011. He played in the NYCBL for three seasons with the Elmira Pioneers, earning first team honors in 2009.
A native of Endwell, New York, Edwards received his bachelor’s degree in history from Sacred Heart in 2010 and added a masters in the art of teaching in 2011. He is also a certified teacher. A standout in baseball and basketball, he was inducted in the Maine-Endwell High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2018. Edwards and his wife, Melissa, have two daughters, James Marie and Wells Lily, and reside in Spartanburg.
“I am honored to be selected as the head baseball coach at Wofford College,” said Edwards. “I would like to thank Dr. Samhat, Richard Johnson and the administration for this opportunity. Wofford has been a special place for me and my family, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for the program.”
