Bio

James "Marty" Kinard was named Coker's head softball coach on Sept. 20, 2021. 

Kinard comes to Coker from Claflin University, where he served as the head coach since 2017. He holds a 114-79 record in his five seasons as the Panthers head coach. Last season, Kinard lead Claflin to an NCAA DII Atlantic Regional appearance. In 2019, he led the Lady Panthers to an 18-0 conference record, a Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Southern Division title and a CIAA tournament runner-up finish. He was named the CIAA Coach of the Year at the conclusion of the season. In 2018, the Lady Panthers won a program record 37 games. In his first season at the helm, the he led the program to its first ever Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) tournament title along with a SIAC Eastern Division title. He was named the 2017 SIAC Coach of the Year and the Tournament Outstanding Coach. He had been on the Claflin softball staff since 2012, working until 2017 as an assistant coach.

Before Claflin, Kinard previously served as a coach in both the youth and high school ranks in both baseball and softball at a number of different schools and organizations.

A 2010 graduate of Claflin, Kinard holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Human Performance and Recreation, while receiving his Master’s of Education in Psychology of Positive Coaching from the University of Missouri in 2014.

Kinard is married to his wife Lindsay, and the couple has two boys, Easton (three) and Bryce (two).