Al Thomas will enter his sixth season as UWG’s head softball coach in 2022.
In his first five seasons at the helm of the West Georgia softball program, the Wolves have a record of 123-105 with three trips to the Gulf South Conference tournament. That includes a run from the 2019 season where junior pitcher Morgan Goree pitched on all but two outs over the course of the entire tournament to lead the Wolves to the championship game against West Florida. Last season, Thomas and the Wolves reached day two of the tournament as one of the final four teams remaining, going 2-2 at teh tournament including an opening round win over nationally-ranked West Florida.
In his tenure, Thomas has coached six All-Gulf South Conference selections, and three All-Region selections. Under his tutelage in 2018, Alley Taylor was the league's Freshman of the Year and was a Finalist for the NFCA National Freshman of the Year.
Thomas led the Wolves to a 29-24 record in 2017, and a return trip to the Gulf South Conference Tournament for the first time since the 2014 season. In 2017, Thomas coached Sierra Stella to an All-Gulf South Conference and All-South Region performance and his third basemen Raven Smith hit .371 to lead the team and was named GSC Freshman of the Year.
The native of Rome, Ga. came to UWG by way of in-state rival Shorter where he spent 12 seasons on the staff, helping the Hawks to a 512-109 record in that span, including a 151-51 mark in GSC play in four seasons.
Thomas led the Hawks to two national titles in his time there, taking Shorter to the top of the NAIA ranks in 2012, and again capturing a title in 2014 winning the NCCAA national title in their NCAA D2 transition year.
In 2015, Thomas led Shorter to a runner-up finish in the World Series after winning the Gulf South Conference Tournament and Division II Regional and Super Region championships.
Thomas also has gathered numerous coaching honors, being named National Coach of the Year twice while he is also a four-time Southeast Regional Coach of the Year. In 2016, Thomas was inducted into the Rome-Floyd Sports Hall of Fame.
Before his time at Shorter, Thomas’ background was in baseball. He worked many years with a variety of Major League Baseball teams in both scouting and player development.
