JACKSON, Tenn – Lane College Director of Athletics Derrick Burroughs announced Tuesday the hiring of SIAC legend Donny Crawford as the school’s new head baseball coach.
After leading Stillman College baseball for 11 years, Crawford ended his reign in 2015 after amassing 272 career wins while claiming the SIAC title on seven occasions with three runner-up campaigns.
“We are excited to have someone of Donny’s pedigree join our staff at Lane College,” said Burroughs. “I worked with Coach Crawford during my time at Stillman and I have no doubts he can duplicate the success he had in Tuscaloosa here in Jackson. He is a proven winner at our level, and I look forward to him taking our program to the next level.”
Crawford took over the Stillman program prior to the 2005 season as the Tigers transitioned from NCAA Division III to Division II. His second year at Stillman began a streak of nine seasons with at least 24 wins with a runner-up finish in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship. The Tigers would then win the SIAC titles in 2007-2009 and 2011-2014; in 2010 and 2015 the Tigers would finish as runner-up at the SIAC tournament.
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In 2012, the Tigers went undefeated (21-0) in SIAC play while claiming the conference title. The Tigers wrapped up the season with wins in the NCAA South Regional for the first time in program history. Stillman was defeated by eventual NCAA Runner-up Delta State in the South Region Championship series.
“I would like to thank Coach Burroughs and Dr. Hampton for entrusting the baseball program at Lane College to me,” said Crawford. “Jackson is a great baseball town with a lot of potential and I look forward to building upon some of the recent success that Lane College baseball has enjoyed.”
Since his time at Stillman, Crawford has served as coach at Gordo High School where the team won the 2017 Alabama 3A State Championship and made the semi-finals in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022.
Prior to Stillman, he was the head coach at Tuscaloosa area high schools Brookwood, Holt, and Tuscaloosa County as well as serving three seasons as an assistant at the University of Alabama.
