Bio

Jeff Rice enters his sixth season as the head coach of the men's golf program in 2023-2024. Rice was promoted to the Director of Golf in March of 2024.

Rice previously served as the women’s golf head coach in 2011 and as co-head women’s golf coach from 2012-2018. His women’s team won the 2011 Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Tournament where he was named AAC Coach of the Year. They also advanced to the 2011 NAIA National Tournament that season. 

Rice also served as the head coach of the women's basketball program for 18 seasons from 2006-2024. His overall record stands at 345-190 and is only the second coach in program history to record 300 career wins. During his tenure, the Lady Bulldogs were conference champions six times and qualified for six NAIA National Tournaments. Rice was named AAC Coach of the Year five times.  Prior to being named head coach, Rice served as an assistant to former head coach Stan Harrison for 16 seasons. During that time, the program won over 325 games, won six conference championships, and participated in six NAIA national tournaments.

Rice was also the head softball coach at Tennessee Wesleyan from 1995-2006, where he directed the program to six conference championships and nine region appearances. His career softball record was 350-234. Rice is the only coach in school history to record 300 wins with two different programs. Rice was named conference coach of the year three times.

Rice's teams have been very successful on the court and in the classroom. Seventy-five players have been selected to the All-AAC First Team, including 10 AAC Players of the Year.  He has also seen 32 players be selected All-Region and 35 of his players have been named NAIA Academic All-Americans.  Every one of his former players who has finished their playing eligibility has either graduated or is currently working toward a degree.

Rice came to Tennessee Wesleyan in the fall of 1989 to work under Harrison and to participate in baseball.  "I figured out very early that playing in the major leagues was not in my future plans and that I should work at something that I was going to do for the rest of my life."

Rice is originally from Jonesborough, Tenn., and a 1989 graduate of David Crockett High School, where he played for former TWU men's basketball coach Mike Poe.  He is a 1994 graduate of Tennessee Wesleyan, resides in Athens, and is married to the former Tiffany Jones.  He has two step-children, Gage and Sydnee.