Samford University Athletics

Jeff Gillespie enters his second season as assistant coach for head coach Kimball Cassady and the Samford University softball team. Gillespie made an immediate impact with his work with Samford’s pitching staff in the 2022 campaign with the Bulldogs earning five SoCon Pitcher of the Week awards, one SoCon Pitcher of the Month honor, and freshman pitcher McKenzie Newcomb earning SoCon Freshman of the Year for her performance in the circle.
 
Gillespie helped guide Samford to an overall, conference best 2.17 ERA after 114 earned runs in a total of 368.1 innings pitched by the Bulldogs. In the circle, Samford also ranked second in the Southern Conference in wins with 34 on the season and third in strikeouts with 272 between three arms.
 
Before his time at Samford, Gillespie served under Cassady at Birmingham Southern, helping the program to tremendous success over four seasons with the Panthers. In the 2021 season, the Panthers finished with a record of 33-8 overall and 12-2 in Southern Athletic Association (SAA) play. The team won the program's first-ever NCAA Regional title, and reached the semifinals of the Division III Women's College World Series. The squad also won a second-straight SAA Tournament and regular-season title, finishing the season ranked fourth in the nation.
 
The 2019 squad finished 35-7 overall and 13-2 in league play, winning the SAA regular-season championship. The Panthers also won the SAA Tournament title and reached an NCAA Regional. The 2020 team got off to a 14-4 start before the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Gillespie operates the Birmingham Vipers fast pitch organization, which is a 10-team organization that plays at the national level. The organization has sent more than 200 student-athletes to compete at the college level.
 
During Gillespie's 12-year coaching career, his teams have won a total of 512 games, lost 84, and placed second, third, and fifth in the ASA Junior Olympic Class A National Championship Tournament. They also won nine ASA Class A Regional Championships, and seven Alabama ASA Class A State Championships. 
 
Gillespie played baseball and basketball at George C. Wallace Community College - Selma, then later continued his baseball career at Belhaven College in Jackson, Miss. 
 
He has a son, Brandon Gillespie, who graduated from Auburn University. He also has a daughter, Whitney Gillespie, who graduated from Jacksonville State University where she played softball. Whitney was a three-time All-Ohio Valley Conference selection, OVC Pitcher of the Year, and a two-time OVC Tournament MVP.