Bio

Graves returns for his eighth season as the head coach and 17th as a member of the Carson-Newman softball coaching staff. He was named the program's second-ever head coach on May 3, 2018, after spending two weeks as an interim head coach following Vickee Kazee-Hollifield's retirement.  Graves begins his sixth year as the program's head coach. 

In his tenure at the helm of the program, Graves has coached Carson-Newman to a trio of NCAA Southeast Regional appearances. In 2018, as the Eagles' interim head coach, he also captained C-N to a regional appearance, as well as a SAC tournament title. 

Since taking over as head coach, Graves has tutored a pair of Players of the Year, a Freshman of the Year and a Pitcher of the Year for the South Atlantic Conference.  He has coached five All-Americans (Lacie Rinus, Abby Fiessinger, Leah Sohm, Emily Harris and Macauley Bailey). 

Graves was a volunteer assistant in 2014 and worked as Kazee-Hollifield's lead assistant from 1992-2001.

Carson-Newman won either a regular-season or tournament crown in all but one of Graves' years as a paid assistant on Kazee-Hollifield's staff. 

Graves coached 13 All-Americans in his tenure at C-N.  He helped tutor Kelli Hensley, as well as Elayna Siebert and Bre Lockett, to their record-setting seasons in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Then coached his first All-Americans, who were also freshmen in 2017, in Lacie Rinus and Abby Fiessinger. He also guided Carson-Newman Hall of Famers Sammi Hatcher and Heather Randolph to All-American seasons in the mid-90s.  In addition, first basemen Lindi Bordine and Brandi Hardin also earned All-American honors in 1993 and 1992, respectively.

In addition, Graves has helped tutor 18 all-region selections and 57 all-conference picks.  He counts Randolph, Hatcher, Libby Conley and Staci Fish among the best players he's coached.

Carson-Newman is 483-162 with Graves as an assistant. 

Graves resides in Alcoa, Tennessee, with his wife, Megan, and daughter Alexis. They also have a dog, a boxer named Penny.