Coaching Staff
Eddie Ward
Head Coach
eward@canes.gsw.edu
(229) 931-2174
Eddie Ward is entering his tenth season as head coach and his 11th overall with the softball program at Georgia Southwestern. The Lady Hurricanes are coming off a 22-30 season in 2012, which is tied for the most wins by GSW in six years of NCAA Division II competition.
The Lady 'Canes made school history late in the 2009 season when they won the University's first NCAA Division II postseason game in any team sport - an opening round victory in the Peach Belt Conference tournament.
Ward is a 1970 graduate of Therrell High School in Atlanta, Ga. He graduated from Georgia Southwestern in 1974 with a B.S. in Education. After teaching two years of high school, Ward returned to GSW and completed 45 quarter hours towards his MEd.
While at GSW, Ward played baseball for the Hurricanes for two years. He was also a member of the Blue Key Honor Society and Past Archon Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity.
Ward is married to Betty Anne Scifres and has two daughters, Julie Anne Usher and Christie Ward.
Here's a look at Ward's coaching history:
| POSITION | SCHOOL | YEAR | WINS | - | LOSSES | AFFILIATION |
| Assistant Coach | GSW | 2003 | 28 | - | 27 | NAIA |
| Head Coach | GSW | 2004 | 34 | - | 24 | NAIA |
| 2005 | 31 | - | 22 | NAIA | ||
| 2006 | 21 | - | 34 | NAIA | ||
| 2007 | 11 | - | 35 | NCAA Division II | ||
| 2008 | 19 | - | 29 | NCAA Division II | ||
| 2009 | 13 | - | 37 | NCAA Division II | ||
| 2010 | 20 | - | 31 | NCAA Division II | ||
| 2011 | 22 | 28 | NCAA Division II | |||
| 2012 | 22 | 30 | NCAA Division II |
|||
| Overall head coaching record | 193 | - | 270 | |||
Christie Ward
(229) 931-7012
Christie Ward enters her second season as an assistant coach with Georgia Southwestern softball. She is also the Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance at Georgia Southwestern State University.
Ward is a former member of the Lady ‘Cane softball program from 2001-2003. She was a two-time All-Conference and an All-Region centerfielder for the Blue & Gold. Off the field, Ward was also a two-time Academic All-American. During her final two seasons of eligibility at GSW, Ward started in all 103 games, hit .309 with six doubles, three triples and 49 RBIs.
Prior to Americus, Ward was a member of the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College softball program. She was a member of the nationally ranked Fillies team and was also an Academic All-American at ABAC.
The Americus native graduated magna cum laude from Georgia Southwestern with a B.S. in Political Science. She later graduated from John Marshall Law School in 2007.
Jennifer Martinez
Assistant Coach
(229) 931-2174
Martinez wrapped up her collegiate playing career in 2009 with the University of Arizona where she went 11-4 with a 2.90 ERA her senior season. She made 38 appearances and tossed five complete games her final year, splitting time as a starter and a reliever for UA. Martinez struck out 100 batters in 103 2/3 innings of work while posting team lows in walks (27) and opponents' batting average (.258).
The La Habra, Calif. native picked up wins against a trio of top 15 teams in 2009, including Arizona State (No. 5), California (No. 14) and Stanford (No. 8). The victory over Stanford came in a must-win Game 2 of the Super Regional en route to the Wildcats' appearance in the NCAA Women's College World Series. UA finished the season with a 46-17 record.
In March of 2010 Martinez began a six-month stint overseas playing professionally for Unione Fermana of the Italian Softball League.
Martinez holds a bachelor's degree in English and will pursue her Master of Business Administration degree at GSW.
