Coaching Staff

Dawn Simmons
Head Coach

One of the most prolific all-around athletes in the history of Lynchburg College women’s athletics, Dawn Simmons completed her 10th season as the Hornets’ skipper in 2008, posting more than 30 wins the last six years.

This spring saw the Hornets go 39-8 - the best season in school history. LC won the ODAC regular-season and tournament tiles and advance to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the second-straight year. LC won the Fayetteville Regional and advanced to the finals for the first time in program history. In 2007 LC won the ODAC Tournament and advanced into the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. The Hornets won three games in regional competition and finished the year 36-13.  

Simmons’ 2006 team finished 30-15 - and led the Hornets in 2005 to a 31-9 record. LC tied for first place in the conference, and she was named the ODAC Coach of the Year for the third-straight season. Lynchburg was 14-2 in league play in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

During her tenure, the Gretna, VA, native has led the Hornets to an overall record of 282-135-1, including a 121-35 mark in the ODAC. In addition, Simmons has guided the LC women to 10-straight appearances to the ODAC Tournament.

A three-sport athlete for Lynchburg from 1993-97, Simmons appears frequently in the record books of the Hornets’ volleyball, basketball and softball teams. As a softball player, Simmons had played more games (158) than any other athlete in the history of the program, until Lauren Lancaster broke it in 2006 (167). She also was the school’s all-time leader in sacrifice hits.

Simmons graduated from Lynchburg in 1997 with her bachelor’s degree in health, movement science and recreation.

Amy Gillis
Assistant Coach

Amy Gillis joined the LC staff last spring for her first season in the coaching ranks. The Lynchburg native graduated from Roanoke College in 2007 with a degree in sociology and a minor in Education. Gillis was the two-time ODAC Scholar Athlete of the Year and was also named to the CoSIDA First Team Academic All-District team. She won 42 games and struck out 238 batters for the Maroons and finished her career among the program’s top-five all-time in both wins and strikeouts.  As a freshman, Gillis was named second-team All-ODAC after leading the Maroons in wins, ERA and strikeouts, and was selected All-ODAC honorable mention as a senior. She currently teaches in the Rustburg school district.

Elizabeth Perkins
Assistant Coach

Perkins returns to the Hornet dugout as an assistant coach after an incredible career at LC. She became just the third individual in program history in the spring of 2008 to earn All-American honors when she was named the second-team, and was also the ODAC and All-State Player of the Year and a first-Team All-Atlantic Region selection. She led the conference in batting average, RBI, on-base percentage and walks. Perkins was named the College’s Female Athlete of the Year at the year-ending awards Banquet and graduated with a degree in elementary education.

She will be pursuing her masters of education degree at Lynchburg with a focus on curriculum and instruction.  

Tabitha Martinez
Assistant Coach

A four-year veteran of the program, Martinez comes back to the LC dugout after serving as a manager. She earned her B.A. in sports management with a minor in coaching. Martinez will be pursuing a Master of Education degree with an emphasis in Educational Leadership.