COACHING STAFF
Head Coach Emily Russell
In her 14 years as head softball coach, Emily Russell has proven to be a winner, just like she was as a record-setting pitcher for the Lee University Lady Flames thirteen seasons ago.
Russell's Lady Flames have earned 20 or more wins in all 14 seasons of her leadership, including six seasons of 40 or more wins, two of those with more than 50 wins. Overall, Russell has amassed a record of 519-210, good for a .719 winning percentage.
In 2016 the Lady Flames finished 25-24 in their first official season of NCAA Division II competition.
In 2015 the Lady Flames finished 36-19 and 18-11 in the Gulf South Conference. Lee won the NCCAA Mid-East Region Tournament and finished third at the NCCAA World Series. For the third straight year Russell coached the national player of the year as Kaylie Drew won the honor (NCCAA) after smashing 18 home runs for the Lady Flames.
Russell led the Lady Flames into NCAA Division II and the Gulf South Conference in 2014. Lee finished with a record of 25-24 and had a conference mark of 13-14. Russell coached the NCCAA Player of the Year in Ana Coscorrosa. The power hitting Venezuelan set school career marks in batting average (.451), RBI (231) and hits (275).
In 2010, Russell's Lady Flames earned a 57-5 record, finishing as the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) regular season and tournament champions, on their way to a No. 2 NAIA National Ranking.
That same year, the Lee ladies also competed in the NAIA National Tournament for the first time since 2007, their sixth trip overall. For their outstanding season, Coach Russell was named the SSAC Coach of the Year.
Russell directed the Lady Flames to the SSAC regular season and tournament crowns in 2006, finishing the season with a sparkling record of 55-14. The 2005 Lady Flames finished second in the SSAC regular season, third in the SSAC tournament, and fourth in the NAIA Region XIII Tournament.
In 2004, Coach Russell led her team to the school's first TranSouth Tournament Championship, an NAIA Region XI championship, and the program's third trip to the NAIA National Tournament. For their success, Russell and her staff were named the 2004 NAIA-Softball Coaches Association's Coaching Staff of the Year.
While pitching at Lee, Russell hurled an amazing 305 innings during the 2000 season. She struck out 194 hitters in those 305 innings, at that time a school record. After her playing days for the Lady Flames, she traveled to Europe and pitched professionally for two summers.
Russell holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Lee University, as well as a Master of Arts in Teaching from Lee.
The Lee coach makes her home in Cleveland and is married to Sean Russell. The couple has two sons, Tyson and Carson.
Assistant Coach Tanner Moore
Tanner Moore enters his second year as the Assistant Softball Coach at Lee University.
Under his watchful eye the Lady Flames had four players hit over .400 in 2016 while finishing fifth in NCAA D2 in team batting average (.349).
Moore was an NAIA All-American baseball player for the Flames (2009-10) and was inducted into the Lee Athletic Hall of Fame in November of 2015.
Assistant Coach Jessica McIntyre
Jessica McIntyre is in her fourth year as an assistant coach with the Lady Flames softball team.
She is a 2009 graduate of the University of Mobile with a double major in Sport Administration and Human Performance Exercise Science. While at Mobile she was a member of the softball team from 2004-2008. The Rams won the NAIA National Championship in 2006 and were National Championship Runner-Up in 2008. McIntyre was named to the GCAC All-Conference and All-Region team in 2007. She was awarded the NAIA Champion of Character Award in 2008 and was an NAIA Academic All-American from 2007-2008.
McIntyre received her master’s degree in Sport Administration from Belmont University in 2012. While completing her degree she served as a Compliance Intern where she composed waivers as necessary, researched and provided rules interpretations to coaches and athletic staff and maintained and regulated practice hours for each sport.
In addition to her coaching responsibilities McIntyre also serves as the Director of Internal Affairs for the Lee University Athletic Department.
Graduate Assistant Coach Ian Raymond
Ian Raymond is in his fourth year as a graduate assistant for coach Emily Russell and the Lee softball program.
Raymond received his undergraduate degree in psychology from Lee in December of 2015 and is currently enrolled in the MBA program.
"Ian assists in a variety of roles for our program and has a great knowledge and understanding of the game," said Russell. "We are excited to have return to our coaching staff again this season."
