Newberry College Athletics

In Stephens' first full season at the helm in 2021-22, both the Cross Country and Track and Field programs had historic seasons.

In the fall, the Women's Cross Country team had their best finish at the SAC Championships since 2011 and they were also named an USTFCCCA All-Academic Team.

In the indoor track season, the Wolves had thier first individual SAC Champion as Jase Hunter won the weight throw as the men's team had their second top-ten finish as a team in a row. On the women's side, Sarah Abumere became the first Newberry athlete to podium twice at the SAC Championships as she took third in both the 60m and 200m, leading the Wolves to their best indoor finish in program history. Four Wolves were named to the USTFCCCA All-Region Team after the indoor season, the first for the Wolves in the indoor season. Freshman standout, Irma Watson-Perez also earned SAC Field Athlete of the Week honors during the indoor season. 

In the spring outdoor season, both the men's and women's teams had their highest placement at the SAC Championships in program history with a pair of seventh place finishes. The women's side was led by three event titles, the first three outdoor SAC titles in program history. The women's 4x100m team of Emma Johnson, Jada Johnson, Charlette Johnson, and Sarah Abumere took the win and were followed by Andrea Pascual-Rivera in the hammer throw and Tiwani Myles in the discus. The Women's 4x100m team also became the first athletes to ever run an NCAA Championships Provisional Qualifying time.Tyla Stolberg also earned SAC Field Athlete of the week honors earlier in the season. On the men's side, Jase Hunter placed second in the hammer throw and Elijah Fulmore would take third in the 110m hurdles. Several more athletes came within centimeters of also hitting NCAA Provisional Qualifying marks as well. 

In his first season as Newberry's head coach, Stephens saw the Wolves compete in an outdoor only season, competing in eight events and setting numerous school and personal records. Under his leadership, Stephens directed the Wolves to some "firsts" for the fourth-year program.

This included seven school records and 11 personal records at the SWU Invitational in Central, S.C. on April 3 in, their most in a single meet in both categories. As a result of these performances, the men entered the polls ranked by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCA) for the first time in school history, checking in at No. 18 on the Track and Field Index (TFRI) in the Division II Southeast Region. The Wolves also competed in their first ever home meet, the Hub-City Invitational in Spartanburg, S.C. on April 9.

Stephens also saw four Wolves win South Atlantic Conference Athlete of the Week honors: sophomore sprinter Emma Johnson (Women's Field), sophomore sprinter Kalyn Cook (Men's Track), freshman thrower Parker Pitts (Men's Field) and Tyrese Grant (Men's Track) 

For the past nine years, Stephens served as President and CEO of Event Timing Solutions, LLC, keeping times for events all over the Southeast. Before that, he served as Head Track and Field/Cross Country coach at USC-Upstate 2006-2011. During his time in Spartanburg, his cross country teams won two Atlantic Sun Championships in the first five years of the program's existence. The Track and Field programs finished in the top third of the conference from 2008-2011. The programs also had 27 individual Atlantic-Sun Champions in his tenure.  

Prior to USC-Upstate, Stephens also served as Director of Track and field/Cross Country Operations at the University of Alabama and as the Head Track and Field Coach at Wofford College. He is a 2008 inductee into the South Carolina USA Track and Field Hall of Fame as a Coach/Administrator.

Stephens served as an assistant coach at his alma mater, the University of South Carolina, where he graduated in 1991 with a degree in Sports Management.  

Stephens and his wife Pat have two children, Asher and Landon and live in Newberry.