Stephen Waggener begins his seventh season as the head coach of the Young Harris College baseball program.
Waggener led the Mountain Lions to a 38-17 record last season for the Mountain Lions as they finished in second place in the Peach Belt Conference regular season and tournament. The second place was the best-ever regular season finish for YHC. The Mountain Lions was ranked as high as No. 11 in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Division II poll and No. 17 in the Collegiate Baseball Divsion II Coaches polls. Both were the highest-ever rankings in the Division II era.
YHC recorded a program-best 39-19 record in 2022 as the Mountain Lions captured their second PBC Tournament title in 2022 and earned a trip to the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship for the second time in three seasons. Young Harris finished the season ranked No. 25 in the Collegiate Baseball NCAA Division II Coaches Poll. The Mountain Lions were also recognized in the classroom as Young Harris earned the American Baseball Coaches Association Team Academic Award.
Waggener led the Mountain Lions to a 23-18 record in 2021 as Young Harris set a program record with 20 Peach Belt Conference victories. The Mountain Lions had their highest finish - third place - in the league in program history. Young Harris had two players - Tucker Greer and Dahlton Cash - named to the All-PBC team and Greer was named the league's Player of the Year - another YHC first. Greer also became the Mountain Lions' first-ever consensus first-team All-America selection in the program's NCAA era when he was recognized by the American Baseball Coaches Association, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America and Division II Conference Commissioner Association.
The Mountain Lions started the 2020 campaign nationally ranked by Collegiate Baseball before the season was abbreviated by CoVID-19.
Waggener led the program to a 36-21 record in 2019. The Mountain Lions set a program record for Peach Belt Conference wins with 16 and won its first-ever PBC Tournament title. He also led Young Harris to its first-ever trip to the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship, earned the No. 6 seed from the Southeast region, and finished the season ranked 29th in the final Collegiate Baseball NCAA Division II Coaches Poll. It was the first time the Mountain Lions had been national ranked in program history. Waggener had four players named to the All-Peach Belt team, including Zavier Lushington who was named to the All-Southeast Region second team.
Waggener has made an immediate impact at Young Harris. He led the Mountain Lions to their best record since joining the Peach Belt Conference at 26-24 in 2018, an 11-game improvement from the previous year. He also led the team to their first-ever appearance in the Peach Belt tournament. Waggener had three players named to the All-Peach Belt team, including Michael Livingston who was a unanimous pick for the All-Region team.
Waggener came to the Enchanted Valley after spending nine years at Delta State University as an assistant coach.
Waggener helped the Statesmen to two NCAA Division II Baseball Championship appearances during his time in Cleveland, Mississippi. No. 4-ranked Delta State went 45-13 in 2017 and advanced to the third round in Grand Prairie, Texas. Delta State went 49-15 in 2012 as the Statesmen finished as national runner-up.
The Statesmen qualified for the Gulf South Conference Tournament and were regionally and nationally ranked every season while he was at Delta State. The Statesmen, who amassed a 345-138-2 record (.712 winning percentage) over the past nine seasons, won five Gulf South Conference regular-season championships (2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017) and three GSC Tournament titles (2012, 2016, 2017). Delta State also made five trips (2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017) to the NCAA Division II Tournament.
At Delta State, Waggener coordinated recruiting and recruiting compliance efforts for the Statesmen. His coaching areas included pitching, catching, and hitting. Delta State's recruiting classes during this time featured 18 MLB draft picks that were selected either prior to or after attending Delta State, the 2017 GSC, South Region, and National Player of the Year, the 2016 GSC and South Region Pitcher of the Year, the 2016 National Defensive Player of the Year, 10 All-Americans, 19 All-Region players, 32 All-GSC performers, and three players who received South Region Gold Glove Awards.
Waggener, a 2004 graduate of the University of West Alabama with a degree in business administration, lettered two years for the Tigers. The Madison, Mississippi, native played two years at Holmes Community College before transferring to UWA. He also earned a master's degree in sports science from United States Sports Academy in 2007.
While at UWA, Waggener was named team captain in 2004 and helped the Tigers advance to the postseason for the first time since 1995. No slouch off the field either, Waggener was president of Delta Mu Delta National Business Honor Society, and he garnered several other academic accolades.
After a stellar collegiate career, Waggener began his career as a graduate assistant at UWA in 2004-05. After one season as a coach at UWA, Waggener moved to Southeast Missouri State University as a volunteer assistant for the 2005-06 season, and spent two seasons in 2006-08 as an assistant coach at the University of Indianapolis.
Stephen and his wife, Brittany, have two sons, Tripp and John Patrick.
updated 07.24.23
