A Spartan is defined by enormous amounts of grit, perseverance, and determination—on and off the course, as quoted by Spartan.com. No one embodies the meaning of a Spartan more than the Head Coach of the USC Upstate Softball Team.
The leader of the Spartans Softball Team is none other than Chris Hawkins. Hawkins graduated from USC Upstate, then called USC Spartanburg, in 1989, while being a member on the first baseball team on campus.
On the field, Hawkins is the winningest coach in softball program history, crossing the 1,000-win mark during the 2023-2024 season. He ranks 14th in wins among active coaches and has led his team to multiple Atlantic Southern Conference (ASUN) titles, and, most recently, his squad led the 23’-24’ team to a Big South Regular Season Championship and a Tournament Championship. Hawkins is now in his 32nd season as a head coach of the Spartans (UpstateSpartans).
Off the field, Hawkins received a tremendous honor at USC Upstate’s Founders’ Day Celebration. He received the 2025 Distinguished Service Award. When asked about this recognition, he says, “It is a great honor to be recognized for my long and successful service to Upstate. Upstate is my family and I take pride in getting our school a lot of positive publicity. Growing fine young students into very successful women! Very fulfilling.” Coach Hawkins also reflected on this experience in his interview on YouTube.
A Spartan on and off the field, Chris Hawkins has become a successful and important figure in the Upstate Community, reflected in the attitude of his players and their performance.
The Spartans Softball Team is off to a hot start in the 2024-2025 season. They post a current 8-1 record, hosting a series of tournaments at Hawkins Field, named after the current coach. All on campus games are free to attend.
You can follow the Spartans Softball Team on X @UpstateSoftball and on Instagram @upstatesoftball.
Leave a Reply