Bio

Andy Lee — a seven-time national champion, four-time National Coach of the Year, and 2026 NJCAA Hall of Fame inductee — enters his eighth season as head coach of Northwest Florida State softball.

Lee is coming off another historic campaign in 2026, guiding the Raiders to a 57-7 overall record and an 18-2 mark in Panhandle Conference play en route to the program's fourth consecutive conference championship. Northwest Florida followed with a runner-up finish at the FCSAA Softball Championship before securing its fourth straight NJCAA World Series berth, advancing to the final eight for the fourth time during Lee's tenure.

The 2026 season also featured two significant milestones for Lee. On April 18, he recorded his 1,000th career victory with a 17-1 win over Tallahassee State, becoming just the sixth active NJCAA softball coach and 14th all-time to reach the milestone. Later that spring, he was inducted into the NJCAA Division I Softball Hall of Fame.

Under Lee's leadership, numerous Raiders earned individual honros, including nine All-Panhandle Conference selections, six All-FCSAA honors, four NFCA All-South Region selections, one NFCA All-American selection, and two NJCAA All-America honors.

Savannah Carter became the second player in program history to earn Panhandle Conference Player of the Year honors and just the second Raider to be named FCSAA Player of the Year. Bre Hughes captured the NFCA Golden Shoe Award after leading the nation in stolen bases, becoming the first player in program history to receive the honor. Isabelle Warrick added to the program's accolades by earning an NFCA Gold Glove Award, becoming just the second Raider ever to receive the prestigious defensive honor.

Lee and the Raiders made history in 2025, setting a new program record with 61 wins, going a perfect 20-0 in conference play, while claiming their third straight Panhandle Conference Championship. Most notably, the team captured the program’s first-ever NJCAA Division I National Championship.

After a disappointing finish in the FCSAA State Tournament, the Raiders earned an at-large bid to the NJCAA DI Softball World Series in Yuma, Ariz., where they ran the table with five straight wins—capping the run with back-to-back victories over No. 1 seed Florida SouthWestern. Lee was named both Coach of the Tournament and NJCAA National Coach of the Year for his efforts.

The 2025 squad was one of the most decorated in program history. Ten players earned All-Panhandle Conference honors, setting a new program record. Six Raiders were named to the All-FCSAA team, while five were honored as NFCA All-Region South selections. Four players received NFCA All-American recognition, and three were named NJCAA All-Americans. Among the standouts, Sister Arnold was named both Panhandle Conference and FCSAA Player of the Year. Cailyn Heyl was recognized as Panhandle Conference Pitcher of the Year and became the program’s first NJCAA National Pitcher of the Year.

In 2024, Lee’s Raiders set a then-program record with 58 wins, surpassing the 57-win mark from just a year prior. The team opened the season on a 20-0 run, went undefeated at home with a 23-0 record, and finished 19-1 in conference play. That dominance earned them a second straight conference title, a second-place finish in the FCSAA/NJCAA Region VIII Championships, and a return trip to the NJCAA World Series Final Four.

That 2024 team was also highly decorated. Eight players earned All-Panhandle Conference honors, while seven were named All-FCSAA selections. Eight Raiders received NFCA All-Region recognition, four were named NFCA All-Americans, and three earned NJCAA All-American status: Cailyn Heyl, Sister Arnold, and Ashlyn Shirah. Six of the team’s eight sophomores went on to sign with NCAA Division I programs, including Autumn Vessier (Central Arkansas), Gyvan Hammons (North Alabama), McKayla Ferguson (Louisiana-Lafayette), Ashlyn Shirah and Britt Bourgoyne (UAB), and Christina Mason (Louisiana-Monroe).

In 2023, Lee guided the Raiders to their first-ever national tournament appearance and a then-record 57 wins, finishing as NJCAA National Runner-Up. That season saw the team rewrite the program’s record books, posting a .362 team batting average while scoring 515 runs, driving in 472 RBIs, and tallying 129 doubles, 92 home runs, and 1,015 total bases.

Notable individual performances in 2023 included Sydney Stewart with 22 doubles and Gyvan Hammons with 39 stolen bases. Layla Thompson was recognized as a Rawlings Gold Glove winner and earned NJCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Offensive Player honors. The team finished the year as Panhandle Conference Champions, Region 8 Runner-Up, and NJCAA National Runner-Up. Eleven players earned All-Conference honors, and five received All-Region recognition.

Lee’s first season with the Raiders in 2020 ended prematurely due to COVID-19, but not before he led the team to a 27-8 record. At the time of the season shutdown, NWF State led the NJCAA in multiple offensive categories and had posted an impressive team GPA of 3.59.

Prior to his arrival in Niceville, Lee built a powerhouse program at LSU-Eunice, where he compiled a remarkable 582-107 record (.844 winning percentage) across 11 seasons. During his tenure, the Bengals reached 11 Region 23 Tournaments, made nine NJCAA National Tournament appearances, and captured six NJCAA Division II National Championships. Lee coached 47 All-Region selections, 23 NJCAA All-Americans, and helped 44 players move on to four-year programs. He was named Region 23 Coach of the Year five times and received National Coach of the Year honors in 2011, 2014, 2017, and 2018.

Lee began his collegiate coaching career at Hinds Community College, where he posted a 92-65 record over three seasons. A native of Jackson, Mississippi, he played collegiately at Hinds and Delta State before signing with the Boston Red Sox in 1999 and pitching two seasons in their organization.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from Delta State and a master’s from Jackson State University.