Montgomery native and former Huntingdon player hired to lead Hawks soccer

Montgomery native and former Huntingdon player hired to lead Hawks soccer

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Timmy McCormack got his start in coaching at Huntingdon College as a student-assistant. Now the former Huntingdon player is returning home as the head men's soccer coach.

"It's great to be able to return to Huntingdon," said McCormack, who called the position a dream job. "This is where I played and where I got my start in coaching. It's a great opportunity to be able to come back and coach at Huntingdon."

A Montgomery native, McCormack graduated from Huntingdon with a B.A. in history in 2008. He earned his Master of Arts in Teaching at Piedmont College, where he has coached since the fall of 2008.

McCormack joined the Piedmont Lions as a men's assistant coach. The past three seasons he has served as a women's assistant coach and the sports information director.

"We're extremely pleased to have a former Huntingdon student, player and assistant coach joining our staff," Huntingdon athletic director Buzz Phillips said. "Timmy has an enormous network throughout the Southeast and he has a great winning attitude. We look forward to having him on board."

Piedmont was 44-14-1 the past three seasons and reached the Great South Athletic Conference tournament finals each year. This season, the Lions (17-3-1) won their first GSAC title since 2001 and advanced to the NCAA tournament for the first time.

McCormack worked primarily with the defenders and keepers at Piedmont. The past two seasons, Piedmont has allowed 28 goals in 41 games, giving up 16 goals in 21 games this season and 12 goals in 20 games last season. The Lions led the GSAC in fewest goals against both seasons and set the school's top two marks in the category.

In his one season with the Piedmont men, McCormack worked with five All-Conference selections and the GSAC Player of the Year.

McCormack replaces Kevin Ray as the Hawks' head coach.

"We appreciate Kevin's dedication and effort during his seven seasons here," Phillips said.

McCormack was a three-year player for the Hawks, earned GSAC honors as a freshman in 2003, and served as a student-assistant coach his senior year at Huntingdon.

"I've met with the players and there is a positive attitude," McCormack said. "It definitely helps that I went to school here, played here and coached here."

Before joining Piedmont, and during his time at Huntingdon, McCormack spent five seasons coaching with Montgomery Catholic. He was the Knights' head coach from 2006 to 2008. His first season, he took a team with a record of 4-17-1 during the prior year and led them to a 12-9-2 record. His second team finished 15-5 and his final Catholic team finished 17-7 and reached the playoffs for the first time in 10 years.

McCormack is married to the former Jamie Edwards. Edwards is a former Huntingdon volleyball player and will serve as an assistant volleyball coach to newly hired coach Amy Patterson.

The couple will begin at Huntingdon in their new capacities before the end of the year.