Guilliams Named Fifth Head Coach in Flagler Baseball History
ST. AUGUSTINE – Greg Guilliams was announced as the fifth head coach in Flagler College’s 50-year history by Director of Athletics Jud Damon. Guilliams will start on July 1.
Guilliams replaces Dave Barnett who retired at the end of this spring after 37 years as head coach.
“We are truly excited to have one of the all-time winningest college baseball coaches coming to Flagler to lead our program,’ said Damon. “More than the competitive success, though, Greg’s greatest strengths can be seen in his character — the way he leads and the lives he impacts. His abilities as a recruiter and a developer of players, along with his energy and work ethic, have been the keys to his success and we’re thrilled to have him apply those here at Flagler.”
In his 34-year career, Guilliams has compiled a 1,178-580-2 record, which calculates to a .670 winning percentage. His win total ranks second amongst active coaches in NCAA Division II, seventh all-time, and his winning percentage is in the top 15 among active coaches. Guilliams spent the last 17 years at Valdosta State University, and prior to that had a 16-year run at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.
"What a privilege it is follow hall of fame coach Dave Barnett and the success he has built here at Flagler College,” said Guilliams. “It's an opportunity to not lead out front, but to lead together with Director of Athletics Jud Damon; and embrace the current players and lift them up. I am honored to be part of something bigger than myself."
Throughout his career, three words have been the driving force of his teams and his philosophy – energy, discipline, and resolve. He infused the Blazer program with those three words when he started in 2008. Those covenants helped guide the Valdosta State program to two of its four Gulf South Conference titles (2010 and 2013) as well as a GSC East Division title in his first season. The Blazers made back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2022 and 2023 as well as 2009 and 2010.
A Valdosta State player has earned All-America honors nine times under Guilliams. The 2009 and 2010 NCAA Division II South Region and 2009, 2010, and 2012 GSC Player of the Year all wore the red and black. Forty-eight players have earned all-conference honors in the last decade and multiple players were selected in Major League Baseball’s First-Year Player Draft. Guilliams was selected as the GSC Coach of the Year in 2010.
Prior to Valdosta State, Guilliams built a fledgling Embry-Riddle program into a dominant force in the NAIA. In 16 years at the helm, he produced a 663-236-1 record, an average of 41 wins per season. He was the Florida Sun Conference/NAIA Region XIV Coach of the Year seven times and was the American Baseball Coaches Association’s NAIA Regional Coach of the Year six times. Guilliams coached the Eagles to 11 NAIA Tournament appearances, six NAIA World Series appearances, and took the team to the finals in 2005. Forty-four players received All-American accolades and he coached the 1996 NAIA Player of the Year, Frankie Thompson.
Guilliams played collegiately at Ohio Dominican University in Columbus, Ohio and garnered NAIA All-America honors three times. He was part of the inaugural class of the school’s athletics hall of fame in 1997.
After graduation, he played professionally in the Atlanta Braves organization and moved onto Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond where he served as a graduate assistant in 1987.
“We are truly excited to have one of the all-time winningest college baseball coaches coming to Flagler to lead our program,’ said Damon. “More than the competitive success, though, Greg’s greatest strengths can be seen in his character — the way he leads and the lives he impacts. His abilities as a recruiter and a developer of players, along with his energy and work ethic, have been the keys to his success and we’re thrilled to have him apply those here at Flagler.”
In his 34-year career, Guilliams has compiled a 1,178-580-2 record, which calculates to a .670 winning percentage. His win total ranks second amongst active coaches in NCAA Division II, seventh all-time, and his winning percentage is in the top 15 among active coaches. Guilliams spent the last 17 years at Valdosta State University, and prior to that had a 16-year run at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.
"What a privilege it is follow hall of fame coach Dave Barnett and the success he has built here at Flagler College,” said Guilliams. “It's an opportunity to not lead out front, but to lead together with Director of Athletics Jud Damon; and embrace the current players and lift them up. I am honored to be part of something bigger than myself."
Throughout his career, three words have been the driving force of his teams and his philosophy – energy, discipline, and resolve. He infused the Blazer program with those three words when he started in 2008. Those covenants helped guide the Valdosta State program to two of its four Gulf South Conference titles (2010 and 2013) as well as a GSC East Division title in his first season. The Blazers made back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2022 and 2023 as well as 2009 and 2010.
A Valdosta State player has earned All-America honors nine times under Guilliams. The 2009 and 2010 NCAA Division II South Region and 2009, 2010, and 2012 GSC Player of the Year all wore the red and black. Forty-eight players have earned all-conference honors in the last decade and multiple players were selected in Major League Baseball’s First-Year Player Draft. Guilliams was selected as the GSC Coach of the Year in 2010.
Prior to Valdosta State, Guilliams built a fledgling Embry-Riddle program into a dominant force in the NAIA. In 16 years at the helm, he produced a 663-236-1 record, an average of 41 wins per season. He was the Florida Sun Conference/NAIA Region XIV Coach of the Year seven times and was the American Baseball Coaches Association’s NAIA Regional Coach of the Year six times. Guilliams coached the Eagles to 11 NAIA Tournament appearances, six NAIA World Series appearances, and took the team to the finals in 2005. Forty-four players received All-American accolades and he coached the 1996 NAIA Player of the Year, Frankie Thompson.
Guilliams played collegiately at Ohio Dominican University in Columbus, Ohio and garnered NAIA All-America honors three times. He was part of the inaugural class of the school’s athletics hall of fame in 1997.
After graduation, he played professionally in the Atlanta Braves organization and moved onto Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond where he served as a graduate assistant in 1987.
