Jeff Kilgore, a 2004 graduate of Emmanuel College, enters his 12th season at the helm of the Lions Baseball Program.
Coach Kilgore comes to Franklin Springs from Gainesville, GA where he attended and played baseball at Johnson High School. After graduating from Johnson High, he accepted an opportunity to continue his playing career at Emmanuel. During his career he earned both GACC All-Conference and NCCAA All-Region honors with career highs of .394 batting average, 14 homeruns and 20 stolen bases.
Kilgore is entering his 18th season in the coaching ranks. The Lions are coming off their best season in their NCAA era with 30 regular season wins and 18 conference wins. The fifth place finish is the highest in the NCAA era and tied for the highest conference finish since moving to a four year institution. The Lions placed two players on the All-Conference team, First Team Thomas Collins (3B) and Second Team Brock Wollin (OF). Collins led the lions with a .378 average and runs scored (52) while Wollin led the team and the conference in doubles (19). During the 2024 campaign the team was recognized in its first ever regional poll, receiving votes in back to back weeks. The ’24 season also saw Kilgore achieve a personal milestone of 200 wins on February 7th in an 11-6 victory over The University of Alabama in Huntsville.
He began his coaching career at Emmanuel where he was an assistant coach for two seasons working with hitters and middle infielders. His first Head Coaching opportunity came with the Athens Pirates in the Great South League where he coached for two seasons. In 2009 he accepted the Head Assistant position at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, GA. After two seasons as an Assistant Coach he was promoted to Head Coach at the start of the 2012 season. That season the Stallions would finish the season at 22-28, a six game improvement over the previous season.
During the 2018 season the Emmanuel offense had its best showing with an .861 slugging percentage with 91 doubles and 50 home runs. In their last season of participation in the NCCAA the Lions placed four players on All-Region (including Region Player of the Year, Philip Swindell) and 3 players on All American recognition. In the 2018 season Coach Kilgore recorded his 100th career victory with a win over conference opponent Erskine on April 14, 2018.
The 2019 season saw the Lions make the Conference tournament in their first year of eligibility and notch their first NCAA DII postseason victory. Cooper Murphy was named to the second team all conference pitching staff. The Lions would again qualify for the conference tournament in 2021 and place two players, Justin Henle and Tony Matos, on the all conference team. In 2023 the team qualified for the conference tournament in Gastonia, NC before bowing out to Super Regional participant Belmont Abbey. Two Lions were awarded All Conference honors. Thomas Collins was the CC first team Third Baseman. Thomas hit .339 with 13 doubles, 7 homeruns, 39 runs scored and had 38 RBIs.
Tyler Mayfield was selected to the CC All Conference and NCBWA second teams as a relief pitcher. Tyler posted a 1.48 ERA and set an Emmanuel (NCAA) record for saves with 8.
Kilgore earned his B.S. in Business Administration from Emmanuel College in 2004 before moving on and finishing his Masters of Education in HPE from North Georgia College and State University. Coach Kilgore and his wife Meredith (Milford, 2008) Kilgore reside in the Bowersville area with their three children, Boston William (11) and Mazie Liv (8) and Jacob Kal (4)
