Jimmy Stephens

Title

Head Men's Soccer Coach
Email

jstephens@piedmont.edu
Year at Piedmont

30th Overall, 22nd as Head Coach
Career Record

204-231-27, .470%, 26 seasons (161-182-27 at PU)
Conference Champions

2 times (1 Tournament)

View Stephens' Year-by-Year Coaching Record (2005-2025)

Stephens' Coaching Record by School (2000-2025)

School Name	Seasons	Record	Win %
Piedmont (2005-2025)	21	161-182-27	.471
Emmanuel (2000-2004)	5	43-49	.467

Team Accolades During Overall Piedmont Tenure '05-'25

2006	Conference Tournament Champions
5	Conference Finals Appearances
9	Team Academic Awards
2	Conference Coach of the Year Honors

Individual Accolades During Overall Piedmont Tenure '05-'25

5	Conference Players or Rookies of the Year
59	All-Conference Selections
2	Conference Tournament MVPs
2	Academic All-Americans (CSC/CoSIDA)
26	Academic All-District Selections (CSC/CoSIDA)
1	All-American (D3Kicks.com)

Jimmy Stephens was hired to lead the Men’s Soccer program as its new Head Coach prior to the 2005 season.

Having played on the original Piedmont men's soccer team, Stephens brought five years of head coaching experience at the collegiate level with him to Demorest replacing his own former college coach, Jason P. Smith, who left to take over the Atlanta Silverbacks pro club competing in the USL.

Stephens returned to Demorest commenting on why he would leave a program he helped build from the ground up to come back to Piedmont in the simplest of ways, saying, “I missed it honestly. I had a good situation at Emmanuel, but when my coach Jason Smith said he was leaving I couldn't pass it up and am thankful for him recommending me for the job.”

When asked about his why and keeps him moving after now more than 30 years in the college game, combined coaching and playing, Stephens said, "The main reason would have to be how much I enjoy coaching and the relationships I have with current and former student-athletes."

Education, Licenses, Certifications, Professional Memberships
Piedmont, 1995 (BA)
US Soccer Federation "B" License
Active member of United Soccer Coaches

Coaching Highlights at Piedmont (2005-Present)
- 2-Time GSAC Coach of the Year (2006, 2007)
- GSAC Tournament Championship (2006)
- 5 GSAC Conference Tournament Final Appearances
- 4 GSAC Players of the Year
- 1 CCS Rookie of the Year (Davis Knight - 2023)
- 2 CSC/CoSIDA Academic All-America Selections (Cameron Earls - Spring 2021, 2021)
- D3Kicks.com All-American (Drew Griffin - 2006)

Head Coach at Emmanuel [Men’s & Women’s] (2000-2004)
Guided men’s team to first winning record (2003)
Men’s team received a bid to the NAIA Regional Tournament
Tasked with beginning women’s program in 2002

Collegiate Career at Piedmont College (1992-1995)
Member of inaugural team in 1992
Team captain for three years
Named Most Versatile Player by coaching staff
Led team to share of the Georgia Athletic Conference Championship as a senior
2011 Piedmont College Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee

Inside the Biography
- Stephens is the only known coach in Division III men's soccer history to have mentored two different national scoring leaders with that pair accounting for the top spot in those rankings three separate times with Drew Griffin leading the country twice ('06 and '07) in goals per game with a 1.71 and 1.67 average while Jorge Pradilla led all of D3 in 2008 with his 1.37 goals per average.
- Stephens has produced multiple conference scoring champions in addition to his national leaders throughout his Piedmont career as well including Davis Knight who led the CCS in goals twice ('24 & '23) and Cameron Earls who topped all USA South scorers three times ('21, '20, and '18).

~ A 3-Year Stint as the Head Women’s Soccer Coach at Piedmont (2005-2007) ~
When coming back to campus for the 2005 campaign, Stephens actually headed up both soccer programs at Piedmont, similar to his days at Emmanuel College. The coach posted 26 wins during that time frame helping to recruit some of the program’s all-time great players.

One of those all-time greats was none other than Katie Porter, the younger sister of Erin Porter who had played her own career at Piedmont as well. Katie was the GSAC Freshman of the Year in 2006 and also a D3Soccer.com All-American as well. Her debut season included an astonishing 31 goals, which set a season record in the Piedmont women’s soccer program that would last for more than 20 seasons.

Porter’s 2006 season also placed her amongst the nation’s best as she finished 2nd in all of Division III in goals per game and was 3rd in points per game. Katie also came up one goal shy of setting the NCAA Division III record for goals in a when she scored nine against conference foe Wesleyan College on October 23, 2006.

In all, Stephens mentored 10 All-Conference selections and 16 Academic All-Conference honorees during his time leading the women’s soccer program at Piedmont. His three-year tenure also produced seven All-Freshmen selections including the 2006 GSAC Freshman of the Year Katie Porter who led the league in scoring as a freshman that season.

~ From a Humble Start to a Hall of Fame Career ~
As a result of his dedication to the Green and Gold over the last 30-plus years, Stephens was inducted into the Piedmont Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011 as a part of the 21st induction class of the prestigious club.

Stephens is one of the first men’s soccer inductees to the Hall, a group which also now includes Stephens’ former coaching colleague in Stephen Andrew, and his own former coach at Piedmont, Jason P. Smith.

As a player on the first-ever Piedmont College men’s soccer team, Stephens, along with 19 other members of the inaugural season, helped establish the storied tradition of men’s soccer at PC.

He served as the team captain for three years and was also recognized as the Most Versatile Player by the coaching staff for his play on the field and in the goal.

As usual, Stephens saved his best for the most opportune time leading his team to a 14-4-2 record as a senior. His final season at Piedmont resulted in the program’s first league title as well as they shared the regular season championship of the Georgia Athletic Conference, one of Piedmont’s conference affiliations during the NAIA era.

After acquiring his undergraduate degree from PC, Stephens remained at his alma mater as an assistant coach for the 1995, 1996, and 1997 seasons helping then-Head Coach Jason Smith and the team to a 33-24-1 overall record during that time as both the ‘95 and ‘96 teams finished as the runner-up in the GAC.

Prior to Piedmont

~ Five years as a Head Coach at Emmanuel College (2000-2004) ~
Before arriving in Demorest, the Piedmont alum spent a combined eight seasons as the soccer coach at nearby Emmanuel College. During his time in Franklin Springs, Stephens spent five seasons as the Head Men’s Soccer Coach while also starting the women’s soccer program and serving as its head coach for three seasons.

It was at Emmanuel where Stephens established himself as one of the region’s top college coaches highlighted by his 2003 men’s team which received a bid to the NAIA National Tournament tallying the program’s first winning record at 12-6.

His time in Franklin Springs also included success in the classroom as his men’s team earned the NSCAA Team Academic Award three times in his five seasons.

Last updated 6/26