COACHING STAFF

Meet The Coaching Staff

Head Coach Randy Putman

RANDY PUTMAN, Head Coach

256.352.8247, randy.putman@wallacestate.edu

Randy Putman embarks on his 33rd season with the Lions. Putman has amassed a remarkable 1,133-520 career record (.685 winning percentage) at Wallace State, including 31 winning seasons. Putman’s teams have missed the postseason only once.

Putman has led his teams to seven Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC) championships, six Southeastern Regional Championships and six NJCAA Division I World Series appearances.

Coach Randy Putman enters his 32nd season with the Lions during the 2021 season, with a career 1,105-499 record (.689 winning percentage) at Wallace State, and 28 postseason appearances. During his previous 31 seasons, Putman has recorded 30 winning campaigns, missing the postseason only once. Two postseasons were cut short for the program because of the 2011 tornadoes and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. He has guided his teams to seven Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC) championships, six Southeastern Regional Championships and six NJCAA Division I World Series appearances.

Putman, who surpassed the 1,100-win milestone during the 2020 season, was named a NJCAA Hall of Fame coach in 2006 and is a seven-time ACCC Coach of the Year. He has also been named to the Alabama Junior College Hall of Fame (1991), the NJCAA Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame (2006), the Alabama Coaches Hall of Fame (2009), and the Cullman County Hall of Fame (2013).

Putman, who surpassed the 1,100-win milestone during the 2020 season, was named a NJCAA Hall of Fame coach in 2006 and is a seven- time ACCC Coach of the Year. He has also been named to the Alabama Junior College Hall of Fame (1991), the NJCAA Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame (2006), the Alabama Coaches Hall of Fame (2009), and the Cullman County Hall of Fame (2013).

Originally from Birmingham, Putman has coached 36 Wallace State players who have continued their careers professionally, including eight-time All-Star and World Series champion Craig Kimbrel of the Chicago White Sox and free agent left-hander Derek Holland. Former Wallace State players Jake Elmore, Zelous Wheeler and Graham Godfrey have also cracked the major leagues over the past 10 years.

Originally from Birmingham, Putman has coached 36 Wallace State players who have continued their careers professionally, including seven-time All-Star and World Series champion Craig Kimbrel of the Chicago Cubs and Detroit Tigers left-hander Derek Holland. Former Wallace State players Jake Elmore, Zelous Wheeler and Graham Godfrey have also cracked the major leagues over the past 10 years.

Before coaching in Hanceville, Putman compiled a 152-28 career record at Tate High School in Pensacola, Fla., where he won two Class 4A state championships and coached former big leaguers Jay Bell and Travis Fryman. Putman played collegiately at Jacksonville State, earning All-Conference honors, and played professionally for three years with the Kansas City Royals and San Diego Padres.

Before coaching in Hanceville, Putman compiled a 152-28 career record at Tate High School in Pensacola, Fla., where he won two Class 4A state championships and coached former big leaguers Jay Bell and Travis Fryman. Putman played collegiately at Jacksonville State, earning All-Conference honors, and played professionally for three years with the Kansas City Royals and San Diego Padres.

Assistant Coach Adam Thomas

BRET MARKS, Assistant Coach

bret.marks@wallacestate.edu

Bret Marks enters his third season as Wallace State’s assistant coach and pitching coach. A former Wallace State pitcher, Marks earned Alabama Community College Conference Pitcher of the Year recognition as a freshman in 2012.

That year, Marks was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 22nd round of the MLB Draft, but he decided to return to Hanceville, serving as the team’s pitching ace again in 2013 before transferring to the University of Tennessee.

Adam Thomas joins the Wallace State coaching staff in 2022 after a legendary career within the conference. Thomas was Chattahoochee Valley Community College’s head baseball coach for 20 seasons, guiding five teams to the NJCAA Division I World Series. Four of his World Series teams finished among the top five in the nation. Thomas is the all-time winningest coach in CVCC baseball history and is a member of both the CVCC Hall of Fame and the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. During his tenure with the Pirates, Thomas was recognized 21 times as Conference, Regional and/or Southeast District Coach of the Year by various media outlets, producing multiple professional players.

After two strong seasons on Rocky Top, Marks was again drafted by the Yankees, this time in the 15th round in 2015. He played two years professionally with the Yankees. He coached last season at Christian Brothers University in Memphis.