NJCAA Baseball Coaches Association Coaches Hall of Fame
Heading into his 23rd season in 2014, Tim Wallace of Spartanburg Methodist ranks 12th in the NJCAA among active coaches with 984 wins. Among coaches with at least 900 wins, he has the lowest number of defeats with 307.
After playing five years in the MLB with the Montreal Expos and St. Louis Cardinals in the mid-1980’s, Wallace took over as head coach of the Pioneers in 1991 and has led the program to 11 NJCAA Region 10 Championships. Under Wallace’s direction, Spartanburg Methodist has been a regular participant at the NJCAA Division I Baseball World Series in Grand Junction, Colo., advancing to the event six times since 2001. After his 2007 squad finished third in the nation, his 2009 Pioneers settled for fifth at the World Series and achieved 55 wins, setting a new school record.
He is a six-time recipient of both the Region 10 Coach of the Year and the Eastern District Coach of the Year awards. He has also received the Louisville Slugger Coaches Award four times and the Diamond ABCA Regional Coach of the Year seven times.
In addition to having many successful teams, Wallace has helped players discover their full potential. Three Pioneers have participated on NJCAA All-Star national teams that have faced international competition. Spartanburg Methodist has had 16 players earn NJCAA All-America honors during his tenure and 68 have signed professional contracts.
Wallace had his first player reach the majors in 2002 when 1998 graduate Orlando Hudson was called up to the Toronto Blue Jays. Hudson was a three-time Gold Glove winner and four time All-Star.
Wallace was inducted into the Spartanburg Methodist Athletic Hall of Honor in 2012 and is currently in his second stint as the SMC Director of Athletics. Wallace is an active member in Region 10, having served as the chair of the region’s baseball committee from 1993-98 and secretary-treasurer from 1992-95.
A successful player during his day, Wallace posted impressive numbers at Wofford College, setting program records for career batting average (.456) and longest consecutive game hitting streak (37). He also led NAIA District 6 and the state of South Carolina in hitting as a sophomore with a .472 average. For his efforts, Wallace was inducted into Wofford’s Hall of Fame in 2000.
(Update 4/2014)